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Texas: Neches River
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Things come big in Texas, and the Neches River is no exception. It is the longest free-flowing river in East Texas. The 235 miles of river between Lake Palestine and Ba-Steinhagen Lake represent one of two rivers in Texas where the land is the way it was before settlement.

Along with this untouched scenery, Indian mounds can be found near the river and Eastern Texas wildlife is returning to the area. The Eastern Black Bear (state endangered; potential restoration), river otter (returning), Bald Eagle (returning), Beaver (returning), American Alligator (returning), Paddlefish (endangered), and cougar (returning) are all found in this area along with bottomland hardwood forests — forests that are on the top of the Fish and Wildlife Service's priority conservation list. In addition, the Upland Island Wilderness Area and the Big Slough Wilderness Area run along the Neches River.

However, now there is a proposal to dam the Neches, which would require flooding farmland, a state park and a wildlife area and would deprive property owners of water downstream. Sierra Club is working with Texas Committee on Natural Resources to designate the Neches River as a National Wildlife Refuge Area and/or a National Scenic River, which would help protect it from destructive dam building.

Please contact Reginald Adams to learn more at Reginald.adams@sierraclub.org.

find out more

  • Meet the Volunteers: Richard Donovan
  • Sierra Club Outings: Neches River
  • Lone Star Chapter website


    Photo courtesy Adrian F.Van Dellen; used with permission.

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