Texas History Chapter 2.1 The Physical Landscape of Texas
Texas HistoryChapter 2.1
The Physical Landscape of Texas
Why are we studying this?
Texans have long relied on the state’s sources of water. Texas has many different
resources including aquifers and reservoirs.
Landforms of Texas
Landforms of Texas•Major Landforms of Texas
–Plains–Hills–Plateaus–Mountain ranges
Landforms of Texas
•Plains—areas of flat or gently rolling land without a sharp rise or fall in elevation
Landforms of Texas
Landforms of Texas
•Plateaus—are areas of flat elevated land that drop sharply on one or more sides
Landforms of Texas•Texas “Hill Country”
•Located in Central Texas
Texas Hill Country
Landforms of Texas
•Ranges—groups of mountainsGuadalupe Peak—
highest point in Texas
Photos from the Guadalupe Mountains
The Texas River System
The Texas River System•All rivers and streams in Texas eventually flow into the Gulf of Mexico!
•Most Texas Rivers are located in East Texas!
The Texas River System•Tributaries—any smaller
stream or river that flows into a larger stream or river
Which river is a tributary to the Rio Grande?
The Texas River System• Major River Systems
– Tributaries of the Mississippi• Red River• Canadian River
– Flow directly into Gulf of Mexico• Brazos• Colorado• Neches• Nueces• Sabine• Trinity
– Rio Grande and Tributaries• Rio Grande• Pecos
Texas Lakes & Aquifers•Few natural lakes
•Caddo Lake: largest natural lake in state
•Hundreds of artificial lakes
Texas Lakes & Aquifers
•Reservoirs—artificial lakes that store water and are often used as a source of water by towns and cities
Texas Lakes & Aquifers
•Reservoirs also used for irrigation
•Irrigation—supplying of water to crops by artificial means
Texas Lakes & Aquifers
•Aquifer—natural formations of underground gravel, rock, or sand that trap and hold rainwater
Texas Lakes & Aquifers•Refilling/Recharging is usually a slow process
•Provide water for farms, home, & industry
Texas Lakes & Aquifers•Ogallala Aquifer
–largest underground aquifer in the state
–stretches from Texas and New Mexico all the way to South Dakota
Texas Lakes & Aquifers•Edwards Aquifer
–underground water source for Central Texas
–water source for Austin and San Antonio