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2013 Map of Palacios Point

Name: 2013 Topographic Map of Palacios Point
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2013
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2013

About this map

Matagorda Bay dominates this coastal survey, where the convergence of several major bayous and protected lakes creates a complex estuarine environment. The landscape is defined by its prominent landmarks like Palacios Point and Hotel Point, which flank the entrance to Palacios Bayou. These points of land, along with Rattlesnake Point near Oyster Lake, serve as critical navigational markers for the region's marine traffic.

A narrow barrier island structure separates the bay from the open Gulf of Mexico, with tidal inlets such as Hilberts Bayou and Cotton Bayou cutting through the shoreline. Further inland, the presence of Mad Island Lake and the stretch of Oyster Lake Rd indicates the sparse but vital infrastructure connecting the marshy lowlands of Matagorda County. The inclusion of Halfmoon Reef in the bay highlights the submerged features essential to the local maritime ecology and fishing history.