San Bernard River
{{Short description|River in Texas}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox river
| name = San Bernard River
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| name_other =
| name_etymology =
| image = San Bernard river snow 2004.jpg
| image_caption = San Bernard River after the 2004 Christmas Eve Snowstorm, a rarity in Texas
| map = {{maplink-road|from=San Bernard River (Texas).map}}
| map_size =
| map_caption =
| pushpin_map =
| pushpin_map_size =
| pushpin_map_caption =
| subdivision_type1 = Country
| subdivision_name1 = United States
| subdivision_type2 = State
| subdivision_name2 = Texas
| subdivision_type3 =
| subdivision_name3 =
| subdivision_type4 =
| subdivision_name4 =
| subdivision_type5 =
| subdivision_name5 =
| length =
| width_min =
| width_avg =
| width_max =
| depth_min =
| depth_avg =
| depth_max =
| discharge1_location =
| discharge1_min =
| discharge1_avg =
| discharge1_max =
| source1 = New Ulm, Texas
| source1_location =
| source1_coordinates =
| source1_elevation =
| source_confluence =
| source_confluence_location =
| source_confluence_coordinates =
| source_confluence_elevation =
| mouth = Gulf of Mexico
| mouth_location =
| mouth_coordinates =
| mouth_elevation =
| progression =
| river_system =
| basin_size = {{convert|4791|km2|abbr=on}}
| tributaries_left =
| tributaries_right =
| custom_label =
| custom_data =
| extra =
}}
Course
San Bernard River flows from a spring near New Ulm, Texas{{Cite web |date=2016-05-31 |title=Now Open: San Bernard River - Texas Highways |url=http://www.texashighways.com/travel/item/716-now-open-san-bernard-river |access-date=2024-09-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160531053228/http://www.texashighways.com/travel/item/716-now-open-san-bernard-river |archive-date=2016-05-31 }} to its mouth on the Gulf of Mexico, some {{convert|120|mi}} to the southeast of the source. It passes through portions of Austin, Brazoria, Colorado, Fort Bend, Matagorda and Wharton counties. It passes alongside the Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge, which shelters one of the last populations of the critically endangered Attwater's prairie-chicken, a ground-dwelling grouse of the coastal prairie ecosystem.
The San Bernard River is one of a small number of rivers in Texas which empties directly into the Gulf. Its mouth was impeded in 2005 causing it to drain into the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, but was later corrected. Shortly after being opened back up, the entrance silted in again, and remains so at this time.{{cite book|author=John Whorff|title=Kayaking the Texas Coast|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BZiH6_5PsQYC&pg=PA47|accessdate=1 February 2012|date=2 March 2011|publisher=Texas A&M University Press|isbn=978-1-60344-225-1|pages=47–}}
Watershed
The San Bernard drains approximately 1,850 square miles (4800 km2) of land,{{Cite web |date=2003-06-14 |title=Brazos_Colorado_Coastal_Basin |url=http://h-gac.com/HGAC/Programs/Clean+Rivers+Program/Basin+Profiles/Brazos_Colorado_Coastal_Basin+.htm |access-date=2024-09-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030614104058/http://h-gac.com/HGAC/Programs/Clean+Rivers+Program/Basin+Profiles/Brazos_Colorado_Coastal_Basin+.htm |archive-date=2003-06-14 }} and its basin area is home to approximately 87,000 people according to the 1990 census. The region was once the home of the Karankawa Indians. The river runs near several communities, including West Columbia, Texas and along the San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge. The basin receives approximately {{convert|35|to|70|in}} of rainfall annually.
See also
{{Portal|Texas}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.sanbernardriver.com Official Website of F.O.R. San Bernard]
- {{Handbook of Texas|id=rns07|name=San Bernard River}}
{{Coord|28.85224|-95.44084|type:landmark_region:US-TX|display=title}}
{{Waters of Texas}}
{{authority control}}