Hurricanes
The calm center of the storm.
What is the eye of a hurricane?
What type of natural disaster is most common in Texas?
Flooding
What is a watershed?
An area of land where water drains to a common body of water.
What bay is located next to Houston and connects to the Gulf of Mexico?
Galveston Bay
The Galveston Ship Channel connects Galveston Bay to what larger body of water?
The Gulf of Mexico.
Hurricanes form over what type of water?
Warm ocean water.
What natural process causes coastal erosion along the Texas coast?
Waves, currents, and storms removing sediment.
What is runoff?
Water that flows over land into waterways.
What is the longest river entirely within Texas?
The Brazos River
What is the primary purpose of the Galveston Ship Channel?
To allow large ships access to the Port of Houston.
What was the deadliest natural disaster in US History?
The Great Galveston Hurricane of 1900.
How can a major flood negatively impact the water quality of rivers and bays?
Floodwaters can carry pollutants, fertilizers, oil, sewage, and debris into waterways.
How can urban development affect watersheds?
It increases runoff and pollution.
Which major river forms part of the border between Texas and Mexico?
The Rio Grande.
Why must the Ship Channel be dredged regularly?
To remove sediment and maintain depth for large ships.
As a result of the Great Storm in 1900, what did the Galveston City construct to protect its residents?
The Seawall
What is the deadliest category of natural diaster?
Mudslides!
Why are healthy watersheds important?
They improve water quality, reduce flooding, and support ecosystems.
What is the area where a Texas river meets a bay and freshwater mixes with saltwater?
An estuary!
Runoff will increase because less water can infiltrate the ground.
It allows ships to transport products and supports trade, industry, and jobs.
In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina reached maximum sustained winds of 175 mph over the Gulf of Mexico. What category hurricane was Katrina at its peak intensity?
Category 5
A wetland is replaced with a parking lot. After a major storm, flooding becomes worse. Why?
The parking lot increases runoff and reduces water absorption.
A parking lot is built over a grassy field within a watershed. How will this most likely affect runoff during a rainstorm?
Runoff will increase because less water can infiltrate the ground.
Why is Galveston Bay important to Texas?
It supports shipping, recreation, fisheries, and wildlife habitats.
The Galveston Ship Channel connects freshwater from Texas rivers with saltwater from the Gulf of Mexico. What type of water forms when these two water sources mix?
What is brackish water?