The Texas Coastal Plain is ideal for studying physical processes and the late Quaternary sedimentological record.

Mapping based on Landsat imagery was initiated along the Texas coast for four test sites selected for contrasting vegetation, environmental geology, and levels of economic development.

Potential geopressured geothermal reservoirs in the Vicksburg Formation are limited to Hidalgo County along the Lower Texas Gulf Coast.

Comparison of Environmental Geology maps, from the Environmental Geologic Atlas of the Texas Coastal Zone, with aerial photographs taken in February 1975 revealed changes related to economic development of the region and to ongoing natural processes.

The land surface in the Texas Coastal Zone is interlaced with active and potentially active surface faults. They are subtle features which are difficult to identify until they have caused damage to manmade structures. To date (1978), significant damage has resulted.

The Catahoula Formation of the Texas Gulf Coastal Plain consists of two depositional systems--the Gueydan bedload fluvial system of the Rio Grande embayment and the Chita-Corrigan mixed load fluvial system of the Houston embayment.

Historical monitoring along Mustang and north Padre Islands records the nature and magnitude of changes in position of the shoreline and vegetation line and provides insight into the factors affecting those changes.

Historical monitoring along central Padre Island records the nature and magnitude of changes in position of the shoreline and vegetation line and provides insight into the factors affecting those changes.

The State of Texas has about 367 miles of open Gulf shoreline, most of it typified by rather broad, sandy beaches and a comparatively mild climate that permits almost year-round use of this recreational resource. All but about 87 miles of the Gulf beach is accessible to the general public.