Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 15-26.
Overview of the upper shoreface, beach, and fore-island dune ridge (right) in the northern portion of
Padre Island, looking toward the south. Note people and vehicles on beach for scale. Kite airphoto by S.W. Aber and
J.S. Aber.
Figure 15-27.
Sea oats (
Uniola paniculata
), the quintessential dune plant of the U.S. Gulf coast, caps a small dune
in southern Padre Island, Texas. Photo by J.S. Aber.
length of Laguna Madre. Sediment dredged from
the channel was placed in spoil piles, which
have been modii ed by erosion and vegetation
growth into a chain of small islands and shoals
along the canal. Some of these spoil islands have
become important bird nesting sites, and many
are used for sport i shing. The southern tip of
Padre Island has been built up as a tourist resort
(Fig. 15-31) and protected as a major shipping
avenue (Fig. 15-32).
