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In the past, it was home to the [[Karankawa]] and [[Akokisa]] tribes. It is named after [[Saint Hyacinth]]. |
In the past, it was home to the [[Karankawa]] and [[Akokisa]] tribes. It is named after [[Saint Hyacinth]]. |
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There are two forks to the San Jacinto river, simply known as the East and West Forks. The west fork of the San Jacinto River feeds [[Lake Conroe]] and flows |
There are two forks to the San Jacinto river, simply known as the East and West Forks. The west fork of the San Jacinto River feeds [[Lake Conroe]] and flows sCleveland, Texas|Cleveland]] in [[Liberty County, Texas|Liberty County]] as it heads to [[Montgomery County, Texas|Montgomery County]] and meets the north end of [[Lake Houston]]. Continuing southward, the river meets with [[Buffalo Bayou]] and feeds the [[Houston Ship Channel]]. |
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The [[Battle of San Jacinto]] was fought near the rain-swollen river in Harris County during the 1836 [[Texas Revolution]]. The decisive victory gave rise to the [[Republic of Texas]]. The site is now a [[state historic park]]. The site holds a monument to the battle, the [[San Jacinto Monument]], which is taller than the [[Washington Monument]]. |
The [[Battle of San Jacinto]] was fought near the rain-swollen river in Harris County during the 1836 [[Texas Revolution]]. The decisive victory gave rise to the [[Republic of Texas]]. The site is now a [[state historic park]]. The site holds a monument to the battle, the [[San Jacinto Monument]], which is taller than the [[Washington Monument]]. |
Revision as of 16:34, 30 September 2011
The San Jacinto River runs from Lake Houston in Harris County, Texas to Galveston Bay. In the past, it was home to the Karankawa and Akokisa tribes. It is named after Saint Hyacinth.
There are two forks to the San Jacinto river, simply known as the East and West Forks. The west fork of the San Jacinto River feeds Lake Conroe and flows sCleveland, Texas|Cleveland]] in Liberty County as it heads to Montgomery County and meets the north end of Lake Houston. Continuing southward, the river meets with Buffalo Bayou and feeds the Houston Ship Channel.
The Battle of San Jacinto was fought near the rain-swollen river in Harris County during the 1836 Texas Revolution. The decisive victory gave rise to the Republic of Texas. The site is now a state historic park. The site holds a monument to the battle, the San Jacinto Monument, which is taller than the Washington Monument.
The river is considered by the Environmental Protection Agency to be one of the most polluted water-ways in Texas and contains a number of pollutants in high concentrations that are persistent in the water and riverbed.
The once clear and sandy bottomed river is now highly turbid and exposed in multiple locations to the effects of Sand Mining and industrial wastes that have been deposited on properties directly adjacent to the river. McGinnes Industrial Maintenance Corp., which is no longer in business, owned and operated pits adjacent to the river in the 1960s, at one time filling a 20-acre (81,000 m2) site on dry land with waste from a now-closed paper mill. This pit is one of the sources of the potent dioxin sludge that now covers the river bottom and poses ongoing health risks for all who live near it, fish from it or draw water from nearby water sources.
In October 1994, the entire lower section of the river caught fire to several massive gasoline and diesel fuel spills from pipelines that were ruptured by a severe flood that occurred. More than 40,000 barrels (6,400 m3) of hazardous materials were discharged into the river. Despite having more than two days of advanced notice, the pipeline transport companies responsible for those lines failed to shut them down to avoid the potential risk of rupture from hydraulic damage from the impending flood.
A case was brought against them but eventually dropped with no cleanup or environmental impact costs ever being assessed.
In April 2006, American Rivers (not for profit) designated the San Jacinto River as one of the nation's Most Endangered Rivers.
In 2008 the EPA added the San Jacinto River waste pits to the federal Superfund cleanup list that it manages.
Today the river has lost a large number of native fish species, suffers from periodic algae blooms and is on the verge of ecological collapse due to years of industrial pollutants and lack of state protections,
External links
- San Jacinto River from the Handbook of Texas Online