Rivers of Texas

Rivers are important to Texas. Much of the Texas border is made up of three rivers. The Rio Grande separates Texas and Mexico and is the longest river in Texas. The Rio Grande begins in Colorado and flows about 1,900 miles southward through New Mexico before entering Texas near El Paso. Two large dams have been built on the Rio Grande in Texas: Amistad Dam and Falcon Dam. Water stored in reservoirs behind these dams is used to irrigate crops in Texas and Mexico.

The Sabine River separates Texas from Louisiana. The Sabine River is much shorter than the Rio Grande, but it has also been dammed to form Toledo Bend Reservoir. This reservoir provides water for drinking as well as for industrial and agricultural uses.

The Red River separates Texas from Oklahoma. It begins in eastern New Mexico and flows eastward to Arkansas. It originally flowed to the Mississippi. Due to construction of a flood-control system, it now also flows to the Gulf of Mexico. The Canadian River is the other important river in the Panhandle. It begins in northern New Mexico and crosses Texas to Oklahoma, where it joins the Arkansas River. The Canadian River is the only major Texas river that does not flow into the Gulf of Mexico.

Major Texas Rivers.

he Pecos River is an important tributary of the Rio Grande. It starts in northern New Mexico and flows southward into Texas. The Pecos River provides irrigation water for farms in New Mexico and Pecos, Texas.

Many Texas rivers flow into the Gulf of Mexico. These rivers include the Neches, Trinity, San Jacinto, Brazos, Colorado, Guadalupe, San Antonio, Nueces, and now the Red. Many important Texas cities are located on these rivers. The locations, sizes, and characteristics of these rivers influence the lives of residents of the Lone Star State.