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2016 Map of Three Islands

Name: 2016 Topographic Map of Three Islands
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2016
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2016

About this map

Horse Island and the neighboring salt flats and marshes define this coastal stretch of Cameron County, where the mainland meets the shallow waters of the South Texas coast. The geography is dominated by a complex network of points and islands, including Rattlesnake Island, Heron Island, and Yucca Island, which sit along the edge of the Intracoastal Waterway. This area serves as a critical interface between the freshwater influences of the Arroyo Colorado Cutoff and the hypersaline environment of the bay system, with prominent landmarks like Red Head Bluff and Townsite Point marking the irregular shoreline.

Transportation and infrastructure are concentrated in the south, notably at the Rancho Buena Vista Airport on the El Realito Peninsula. The map details the remote character of the region, where only a few roads like Buena Vista Blvd penetrate the landscape of wetlands and inlets such as Cayo Atascosa and El Realito Bay. To the east, the western edge of Padre Island is visible across the water, emphasizing the narrow corridor of navigable water that supports the region's maritime activity.