1. Geography of Texas Chapter 2, Continued

2. Water Resources
We know that resources are natural materials that can be used by people.
Texas, like other areas, faces challenges such as little rainfall, drought, and the need to meet water needs for its growing population.
Texas’ water resources
Gulf of Mexico
Rivers—Sabine, Neches, Brazos, Colorado, Guadalupe, Nueces, Red, and Rio Grande
Thousands of streams
Lakes and Reservoirs
Aquifers

3. Texas Rivers
Rivers are one of the most important types of water resources in Texas. There are over 11,200 streams in Texas that stretch over 80,000 miles!

4. Lakes and Reservoirs There are about 200 major lakes in Texas.
All but one were formed as a result of human changes to the landscape
Reservoirs—human-made lakes were created by building dams in the rivers.

5. Aquifers
Aquifers—a layer of rock or gravel that absorbs rainfall and keeps it flowing underground
Aquifers are an important water resource in Texas, but they have been negatively impacted by human use as they are often pumped out to supply water to cities.

6. Aquifers
Ogalla Aquifer—The largest in the state and stretches from West Texas and New Mexico to South Dakota
Edwards Aquifer—Stretches through seven Texas Counties and serves Central Texas including Comal County and SVMS

7. Texas Climate Texas’ climate is diverse and can change quickly
Climate is affected by several factors
Location
Wind Patterns
Closeness to the Gulf of Mexico
Rainfall

8. Location and Climate
The relative location of Texas has significant effects on its climate.
The Gulf of Mexico has a major impact on the climate with it’s gulf breezes that cool the lands in the summer and warm in the winter.
Absolute location is a contributing factor to weather also.
Texas likes in mid-latitudes, or about midway between the Equator and the North Pole. Since Texas isn’t very far north of the Equator, we have mild winters.

9. Elevation and Climate Elevation also affects climate.
In general, for each 1,000 feet rise in elevation, the temperature cools by 3 degrees. As elevation decreases, temperature increases.
Because El Paso is about 3,700 feet, it makes the temperatures cooler than in other areas that are the same latitude.
Elevation also affects rainfall.
Warm air holds more moisture than cool air.
The Davis Mountains of West Texas can receive more rainfall than the neighboring Chihuahuan Desert 24 miles away because the air cools as it rises, holding less moisture.

11. Texas’ Climate Region Characteristics Cause/Reason All Regions
Hot Summers
Lots of Sunshine
Closeness of TX to Equator
Rainfall Increase West to East
Warm, moist Gulf air in East TX
Rio Grande Valley; North Central TX
Hotter Temperatures
Warm, dry winds from the West

12. Texas’ Climate - Continued
Region
Characteristics
Cause/Reason
Gulf Coast
Cooler Summers, Warmer Winters, Higher Humidity
Sea Breezes off the Gulf of Mexico (TX Air Conditioner)
Panhandle
Colder in Winter,
Has Northers
Icy Cold Winds sweep down from Canada
West Texas
Cooler at higher elevation year round
At higher elevations air is thinner and absorbs less heat

13. Extreme Weather
Texas also gets its share of extreme weather

14. Extreme Weather Type Where It Occurs Effects on Life and TX’s Economy
Droughts
Mainly West Texas
Hurts crops, plants, wildlife and places heavy demands and limits on aquifer use
Floods
Along rivers, especially in the Hill Country
Hurts people, crops, plants, wildlife and damages homes, businesses and industries
Tornadoes
Mainly North-Central Texas
(Panhandle—Tornado Alley)

15. Extreme Weather Type Where It Occurs Effects on Life and TX’s Economy
Hurricanes
Along the Gulf Coast
Hurts people, crops, plants, wildlife and damages homes, businesses and industries
Blizzards
Panhandle and North Texas

16. Label on your map (triangles)
Find and label these rivers and waterways:
Sabine
Red
Rio Grande
Brazos
Gulf of Mexico

17. Label on your map Find and label these aquifers: Ogalla Aquifer
Edwards Aquifer

18. Label on your map Find and label these plains: Great Plains
Gulf Coast Plains

19. Label on your map Find and label these areas: Hill Country
Balcones Escarpment
Guadalupe Peak

20. Label on your map (dots)
El Paso
Dallas
Fort Worth
Houston
San Antonio
Austin
Amarillo
Galveston