Neches River - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Neches River (ˈneɪtʃɨz) flows for 416 miles (669.5 km) through east Texas

Texas

Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

to its mouth on Sabine Lake

Sabine Lake

200px | thumb | Sabine lake as seen from outer space.Sabine Lake is a salt water estuary on the Texas-Louisiana border. The lake, some long and wide, is formed by the confluence of the Neches River and Sabine River. Through its tidal outlet long, Sabine Pass, Sabine Lake drains some of Texas...

near the Rainbow Bridge

Rainbow Bridge (Texas)

The Rainbow Bridge is a cantilever bridge crossing the Neches River in Southeast Texas just upstream from Sabine Lake. It allows State Highway 87 and State Highway 73 to connect Port Arthur in Jefferson County on the southwest bank of the river with Bridge City in Orange County on the northeast...

. Two major reservoirs, Lake Palestine

Lake Palestine

Lake Palestine is a freshwater lake in Texas. Its shoreline spans approx 136 miles. There are numerous public boat launches found around its perimeter. - Sources :...

and B. A. Steinhagen Reservoir

Steinhagen Reservoir

B A Steinhagen Reservoir is located near the town of Jasper, Texas in the east Texas Piney Woods at 30.85 North Latitude and 94.19 West Longitude. The borders of Tyler County and Jasper County are defined by the bed of the Neches River, and therefore bisect the lake on a North/South line...

are located on the Neches. Several cities are located along the Neches River Basin, including Evadale

Evadale, Texas

Evadale is a census-designated place in Jasper County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,430 at the 2000 census. The population gained a 3.8% growth as of the June 2010 census, with 1,483 residents.-Geography:...

, Tyler

Tyler, Texas

Tyler is a city in and the county seat of Smith County, Texas, in the United States. It takes its name from President John Tyler . The city had a population of 109,000 in 2010, according to the United States Census Bureau...

, Lufkin

Lufkin, Texas

Lufkin is a city in Angelina County, Texas, United States. Founded in 1882, the population was 35,067 in 2010. It is the county seat of Angelina County, and is situated in Deep East Texas.-History:...

, Silsbee

Silsbee, Texas

Silsbee is a city in Hardin County, Texas, United States. It is located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 96 and State Highway 327. The population was 6,393 at the 2000 census...

, Beaumont

Beaumont, Texas

Beaumont is a city in and county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, United States, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 118,296 at the 2010 census. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the...

, Vidor

Vidor, Texas

Vidor is a city in western Orange County, Texas, United States. A city of Southeast Texas, it lies at the intersection of Interstate 10 and Farm to Market Road 105, six miles east of Beaumont. The town is mainly a bedroom community for the nearby refining complexes in Beaumont and Port Arthur and...

, Port Neches

Port Neches, Texas

Port Neches is a city in Jefferson County, Texas, United States. The population was 13,601 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...

, Nederland

Nederland, Texas

Nederland is a city in Jefferson County, Texas, United States. The population was 17,547 at the 2010 census.The city is adjacent to the Southeast Texas Regional Airport in Port Arthur, which serves the nearby cities of Beaumont and Port Arthur. It is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur...

, Groves

Groves, Texas

Groves is a city in Jefferson County, Texas, United States. The population was 15,733 at the 2000 census. A July 1, 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimate placed the population at 14,393. It is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area....

, and Port Arthur

Port Arthur, Texas

-Demographics:As of the 2000 census, there were 57,755 people, 21,839 households, and 14,675 families residing in the city. The population density was 696.5 people per square mile . There were 24,713 housing units at an average density of 298.0 per square mile...

.

From Lake B.A. Steinhagen down to Beaumont, the Neches River flows through the 97000 acres (392.5 km²) Big Thicket National Preserve. This important ecosphere preserves the area where several ecosystems converge - an event that harkens back to the last glacial period. The Big Thicket Visitor Center is off U.S. Highway 69 several miles north of Kountze

Kountze, Texas

Kountze is a city in Hardin County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,115 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Hardin County. The city is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area....

.

The Lower Neches Valley Authority

Lower Neches Valley Authority

The Lower Neches Valley Authority was established in 1933 as a district to store, control, conserve, and utilize the water of the lower Neches River valley in Texas. It includes all of Jefferson, Hardin, and Tyler counties and parts of Jasper, Liberty, and Chambers counties.The LNVA is governed by...

is the river authority which oversees the Neches River in Tyler County, Hardin County, Liberty County

Liberty County, Texas

Liberty County is a county located in Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 75,643. Its county seat is Liberty.-Geography:According to the U.S...

, Chambers County, and Jefferson County

Jefferson County, Texas

Jefferson County is a county located in the state of Texas, United States. As of 2000, the population was 252,051. Its county seat is Beaumont, and it is named for the former U.S...

counties of Texas.

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service

United States Fish and Wildlife Service

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is a federal government agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats...

purchased land along the Neches River 2006 for the creation of the Neches River National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge currently covers 1 acres (4,046.9 m²), but is proposed for 25000 acres (101.2 km²). The refuge is to include land on which Dallas had proposed to build a reservoir

Reservoir

A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...

to meet the water needs of the city and its surrounding suburbs

Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex

The Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington Metropolitan Statistical Area, a title designated by the U.S. Census as of 2003, encompasses 12 counties within the U.S. state of Texas. The area is divided into two metropolitan divisions: Dallas–Plano–Irving and Fort Worth–Arlington. Residents of the area...

. Tentatively named Lake Fastrill, this reservoir was not scheduled to be built until 2050. Dam proponents say that the wildlife refuge was put there in order to block the dam from ever being erected. The city of Dallas and the Texas Water Development Board filed a lawsuit in 2007 against the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, claiming the wildlife refuge was established without considering the economic and environmental impacts. However, in February of 2010 the United States Supreme Court ruled in favor of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, paving the way for the acquisition of lands for the wildlife refuge.

Points of interest

The Port of Beaumont

Port of Beaumont

The Port of Beaumont is a deep-water port located in Beaumont, Texas near the mouth of the Neches River.It is the fourth busiest port in the United States according to the American Association of Port Authorities and the thirty-fourth largest in the world in terms of tonnage. It is also the...

is located on the Neches River at Beaumont, Texas. It begins near the mouth of the river and the Rainbow Bridge.

The Big Thicket National Preserve.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.

Points of interest

See also

External links