Cow Bayou is a bayou in Orange County and Jasper County in the U.S. state of Texas. It was formed by the Gum Slough and Dognash Gully. The bayou runs through the cities of Buna, Mauriceville Vidor, and Bridge City. There are 3 tributaries of the Cow Bayou, which includes Cole Creek, Terry Gully, and Coon Bayou.

History In the early 1910s, the bayou was formed by rice farmers. Rice production skyrocketed and by 1911 almost all farmers in Orange County were using the bayou. In 1940 the Cow Bayou Swing Bridge was created, the bridge was the last major component constructed along Texas State Highway 87. The bridge is 806 feet long and has 2 lanes. In 1963 Congress improved the bayou by constructing a channel 100 feet wide and thirteen feet deep for 7.7 miles from its mouth to Orangefield. It wasn't till 1967 when the project came into effect since oil wells were blocking the construction plan.

Fleash-eating bacteria was found on September 17, 2022, when a resident went into the water. This is the first case of flesh eating bacteria in Orange County. Officials have been warning residents about the flesh eating bacteria since the attack.

Wildlife Marine mammals: West Indian manatee (very common) Bottlenose dolphin (common) Bull shark (common) Hammerhead shark (very rarely) Blacktip shark (common) American alligator (very rare)

Smaller fish species: Taxa Common name Taxa Common name Taxa Common name Anchoa mitchilliBay anchovy Gobinellus boleosomaDarter gobyMicrogobius gulosusClown gobyFundulus blairaeBlair's starhead topminnowGobiosoma boscNaked gobyMugil cephalusStriped mulletBrevoortia patronusGulf menhadenLeiostomus xanthurusSpotNotropis emiliaePugnose minnowCitharichthys spilopterusBay whiffLepomis macrochirusBluegill sunfishPercina scieraDusky darterEtheostoma chlorosomumBluntnose darterLepomis microlophusRedear sunfishPimephales vigilaxBullhead minnowFundulus chrysotusGolden topminnowLepomis punctatusSpotted sunfishSyngnathus scovelliGulf pipefishFundulus grandisGulf killifishLepomis SunfishFundulus notatusBlackstripe topminnowLucania parvaRainwater killifishGambusia affinisMosquitofishMenidia beryllinaTidewater silverside

Big fish species: Taxa Common name Taxa Common name Taxa Common nameAplodinotus grunniens Freshwater drumDorosoma cepedianumGizzard shadIctalurus furcatus Blue catfishIctalurus punctatusChannel catfishIctiobus bubalus Smallmouth buffalo Lepisosteus oculatusSpotted garLepisosteus spatulaAlligator garMicropogon undulatusCroakerMicropterus salmoidesLargemouth bassMinytrema melanopsSpotted suckerMorone mississippiensisYellow bassMugil cephalusStriped mulletParalichthys lethostigmaSouthern flounderPomoxis annularisWhite crappiePomoxis nigromaculatus Black crappieStrongylura marinaAtlantic needlefishOncorhynchus mykissRainbow troutSciaenops ocellatusRed drumPogonias cromisBlack drumHerichthys cyanoguttatusYellow bullheadOreochromis niloticusNile tilapiaArchosargus probatocephalusSheepsheadAmeiurus melasBlack bullheadAriopsis felisHardhead catfish

See also List of rivers in Texas

References