The canals in East Texas serve several purposes including delivery of water to farms throughout the area. There are many separate canals, most of them located to the East of
Houston and the West of
Beaumont. The canals are often mistaken for drainage ditches, which are very common in the area. The canals can usually be identified by several characteristics: • The water level is above or close to ground level, and may have berms • Usually straight with occasional turns as opposed to naturally flowing streams • May have locks or valves to control water Although the canals are mostly located in remote areas, they can be seen from
I-10 in certain places, both following and crossing the highway. Other major highway canal crossings include
US 90,
US 69,
US 96, and
US 287 in Beaumont and the surrounding areas.
Gulf Coast Water Authority Source: The Gulf Coast Water Authority operates several canals. The
American Canal and
Briscoe Canal systems were originally built to provide irrigation for rice and sugar cane farming in
Brazoria,
Fort Bend, and
Galveston counties. Now they also supply municipal and industrial customers. The canals are fed by natural water from
Oyster Creek augmented with water the GCWA pumps out of the
Brazos River three miles south of
Fulshear.
Lower Neches Valley Authority Source: A large portion of the canals in
Southeast Texas are owned and operated by the
Lower Neches Valley Authority. The LNVA, the second river district created by the state of
Texas, is currently one of 23 river districts in the state. The Lower Neches Valley Authority was granted authority by the Texas legislature in 1933 to operate within
Hardin,
Jefferson, and
Tyler counties and eastern
Chambers and
Liberty counties. The LNVA system includes 400 miles of canals covering a 700 square mile area. The canals deliver fresh water to "...eight cities and water districts, 26 industries, and over 100 irrigated farms..." Water is drawn from the lower
Neches River and
Pine Island Bayou in north Beaumont with 21 large pumps delivering between 20,000 and 110,000 gallons of water a minute with a capability of delivering over one billion gallons of water a day. A permanent saltwater barrier across the Neches River is located downstream of confluence of Pine Island Bayou and the Neches River within one-half mile of the confluence point. The barrier, constructed between 2000 and 2003, prevents saltwater contamination during periods of low river flows. The permanent saltwater barrier project had a budgeted cost of $50 million with the federal government paying 75% of the cost and the LNVA responsible for the remaining 25%. The barrier, over 1,000 feet long, includes a 650 foot long overflow barrier; five forty-five foot wide
tainter gates; and a fifty-six foot wide navigation lane regulated by two thirty foot sector gates. Temporary barriers were installed across Pine Island Bayou and the Neches River upstream of the confluence 36 times between 1940 and 2000 prior to construction of the permanent barrier.
Sabine River Authority Source: The Sabine River Authority
John W. Simmons Gulf Coast Canal System provides water for irrigation as well as industrial and municipal purposes. The system includes 75 miles of canals originating at the
Sabine River nine miles north of
Orange, Texas. Pumps can deliver more than 360 million gallons of water per day. ==References==