Comparison of Trinity River terraces and gradients with other Texas Gulf Coast rivers

An understanding of sedimentary processes in the Trinity River and its environs is enhanced by a geomorphological comparison of the Trinity with other rivers of the Texas Gulf Coast. A comparison is made with four of these rivers - the Brazos, Colorado, Guadalupe, and San Antonio - on the basis of terrace gradients, degree of development of terraces, and position of the rivers within their terraced areas. The rivers were studied from the Tertiary outcrop belt down to the coast, a distance of about 150 miles. The Trinity, Brazos, and Colorado rivers have developed fairly wide valleys and flow across gently sloping terrain. The Guadalupe and San Antonio rivers have narrower valleys because the stream gradient in this area is relatively higher than the gradients of the other three rivers. Pairing of the terraces - equal development of each terrace on both sides of the river - is not prevalent.