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THE EARTH′S RIVERS AND RIVERWAYS
The Texas Rivers
The Texas Rivers Go Down go back
Texas River Information:
According to the US Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System, there are 11,247 named Texas waterways, with a combined length of about 80,000 miles and which drain 263,513 square miles within Texas
Listing Conventions:
Major Texas River: Thie following is the description as I have learned from my years in Texas schools.
A major Texas river (M) is a primary Texas river (P) which is 200 miles long or more. All major Texas rivers must have its mouth (MOU:) in Texas on the Gulf of Mexico and/or an inland bay of the Gulf. However, its source (SOU:) can be outside of Texas. Each of the Major Texas rivers will have the following specifications in their description below: M, P, MOU: GOM.
There are eight Texas rivers that meet this criteria to be considered a Major Texas River, which include starting from the southernmost cost of Texas: (1) Rio Grande River 1986 miles; (2) Nueces River 315 miles; (3) Guadalupe River 230 m; (4) Colorado River 862 m; (5) Brazos River 1280 m; (6) Trinity River 710 m; (7) Neches River 426 m; (8) Sabine River 510 m.
Primary Texas Rivers: A primary River is one that is not a tributary of another river and has its mouth in a Bay or Lake along the coast of the state of Texas. There is no length restrictions on being designated as a primary river.
Secondary Texas Rivers: also called a Tributary (T) of a primary, are those rivers that have its mouth located within the state of Texas. There are no other restriction for being designated a secondary Texas River. These will be shown indented below the primary Texas river.
The miles that are listed next to the name of a river is the length of the river from original headwaters (fork in the river, lake, or spring) to the outflow point (bay, gulf, ocean or primary river.)
If any river flows through Texas but has its outlet (also know as mouth) and/or source outside of Texas, that river listing will indicate what state the outlet and/or source are located within. For a list of abbreviations, see footnote. 1
The List of Texas Rivers and Tributaries Go Down Go Up
Rivers and tributaries in Texas
Aransas River
40 miles
P, MOU: W. Copano Bay, GOM
Brazos River
840 miles
M, P, MOU: GOM
Salt Fork Brazos River
T: Brazos River
150 miles
MOU: Brazos River
White River
T: Salt Fork Brazos River
62 miles
MOU: SF Brazos Rivdr
Double Mountain NF Brazos River
T: Brazos River
75 miles
MOU: Brazos River
Blackwater Draw
T: Double Mountain NF Brazos
100 miles
Yellow House Draw
T: Blackwater Draw
80 miles
Double Mountain Fork Brazos River
T: Brazos River
175 miles
MOU: Brazos River
Clear Fork Brazos River
T: Brazos River
180 miles
MOU: Brazos River
Elm Creek
T: Clear Fork Brazos
60 miles
Hubbard Creek
T: Clear Fork Brazos
62 miles
Paint Creek
T: Clear Fork Brazos
53 miles
Sweetwater Creek
T: Clear Fork Brazos
45 miles
Bosque River
T: Brazos River
5 miles
SOU: Lake Waco
North Bosque River
T: Bosque River
96 miles
MOU: Lake Waco, Bosque River
East Bosque River
T: Bosque River
15-20 miles
MOU: North Bosque River
South Bosque River
T: Bosque River
24 miles
MOU: Lake Waco, Bosque River
Middle Bosque River
T: Bosque River
48 miles
MOU: South Bosque River
Little Brazos River
T: Brazos River
72 miles
MOU: Brazos River
Little River
T: Brazos River
MOU: Brazos River
SOU: JUNC Lampasas and Leon Rivers
Lampasas River
T: Little River
100 miles
Leon River
T: Little River
185 miles
SOU: North, Middle, South forks of Leon River
Sabana River
T: Leon River
50 miles
San Gatriel River
T: Little River
50 miles
Navasota River
T: Brazos River
125 miles
Nolan River
T: Brazos River
30 miles
Paluxy River
T: Brazos River
29 miles
SOU: 32.3548331, -98.0285605 JUNC: North Paluxy and South Paluxy
North Paluxy River
T: Paluxy River
South Paluxy River
T: Paluxy River
White River
T: Brazos River
White River
Running Water Draw
T: White River
Buffalo Bayou
53 miles
MOU: Galveston Bay, GOM
Bear Creek
Brays Bayou
32 miles
Western Houston
Greens Bayou
42 miles
Northeastern Houston
Vince Bayou
19 miles
Pasadena, South Houston
White Oak Bayou
Canadian River
Length:
Total: 1,026 miles
In Texas: 190-200 miles
OUT, MOU: Arkansas River. OK
MOU: (35.4378861, -95.0325370)
SOU: Rocky Mountains, CO
Caney Creek Previous chancel of Colorado River
75 miles
P. MOU: NE Matagorda Bay, GOM
MOU: near Sargent, Texas
Capote-Whitehorse Draw Endorheic Basin
86 miles
Cedar Bayou
46 miles
MOU: Trinity Bay, GOM
Colorado River
865 miles
M, P, MOU: Matagorda Bay, GOM
Barton Creek
40 miles
Beals Creek
SOU: JUNC Sulphur Springs Draw & Mustang Cr
Sulphur Springs Draw
Mustang Creek
Concho River
29 miles
SOU: JUNC of NF & SF Concho River
North Fork, Concho River, 137 miles
South Fork, Concho River, 41 miles
Middle Fork, Concho River, 66 miles
Deep Creek
55 miles
Jim Ned Creek
71 miles
Llano River
100 miles
SOU: JUNC of NF Llano & SF Llano Rivers
North Fork, Llano River, 40 miles
South Fork, Llano River, 55 miles
James River, 37 miles
Onion Creek
59 miles
Pecan Bayou
90 miles
North Prong, Pecan Bayou
South Prong, Pecan Bayou
Pedernales River
106 miles
San Saba River
140 miles
Brady Creek, 90 miles


Guadalupe River
409 miles
M, P, MOU: San Antonio Bay, GOM
Comal River, 2.5 miles (SOU: Comal Springs)
San Antonio River, 180 miles
Cibolo Creek, 96 miles
Medina River, 116 miles
Coleto Creek, (source is Twelve Mile and Fifteen Mile Creeks)
San Marcos River, 59 miles
Blanco River, 64 miles
Lavaca River, 117 miles (P, MOU: Lavaca Bay, GOM)
Navidad River, (SOU: Lake Texana)
Sandy Creek, 42 miles (MOU: Lake Texana)
Los Olmos Creek, 71 miles (P, MOU: Baffin Bay, GOM)
Mission River, 24 m. (MOU: Mission Bay, GOM. source: Blanco & Medio Crs.)
Blanco Creek, 45 miles
Medio Creek, 53 miles
Neches River, 416 miles (M, P, MOU: Sabine Lake, GOM)
Angelina River, 120 miles
Attoyac Bayou, 67 miles
Ayish Bayou, 47 miles
Pine Island Bayou, 76 miles
Piney Creek,
Village Creek, 63 miles
Big Sandy Creek
Nueces River, 315 miles (M, P, Corpus Christi Bay, GOM)
Frio River, 190 miles (SOU: JUNC of East and West Fork, Frio Rivers)
Atascosa River, 92 miles
North Prong, Atascosa River
West Prong, Atascosa River
Blanco Creek, 44 miles
Leona River, 83 miles
East Fork, Frio River
West , Frio River
Hondo Creek, 67 miles
Palo Blanco Creek, ?
Sabinal River, 60 miles
Turkey Creek, 54 miles
Red River, 1360 miles, (OUT, MOU: Atchafalaya River, LA)
Big Cypress Creek, 60 miles
Buck Creek, 49 miles
Cypress Creek (Joins Red River in LA)
Prairie Dog Town Fork, Red River, 160 miles
Mulbery Creek, 58 miles
Tierra Blanca Creek, 75 m. (MOU: Prairie Dog Town Fork Red River)
Palo Duro Creek (MOU: Prairie Dog Town Fork Red River)
Tule Creek, 40 miles through Tule Canyon
Pease River, 100 miles
Middle Pease, 63 miles
Tongue River, 40 miles (also called South Pease River)
North Pease, 60 miles
North Fork, Red River, 180 miles
Salt Fork, Red River, 155 miles
Sulphur River, 175 miles (160 miles in Texas)(SOU: N & S Sulphur Rivers)
North Sulphur River, 54 miles
South Sulphur River, 50 miles
Wichita River, 295 miles (joins Red River at Texas border with OK)
Rio Grande
M, P, MOU: GOM,
1,900 miles
SOU: CO
Alamito Creek, 82 miles
North Fork, Alamito Creek
South Fork, Alamito Creek
Devils River, 95 miles
Johnson Draw, 66 miles
Pecos River, 926 miles
Delaware River, 50 miles
Howard Draw, 45 miles
Toyah Creek, 56 miles (SOU: Madera Canyon and Aguja Creek)
Aguja Creek
Madera Canyon, 40 miles
Barrilla Draw
Limpia Creek, 52 miles through Limpia Canyon
Rio Conchos (Mex)
Rio Salado (Mex)
Rio San Juan (Mex)
Terlingua Creek, 83 miles (MOU: just east of Santa Elena Canyon)
Sabine River 2
360 mile
M, P, MOU: Sabine Lake, GOM
SOU: Lake Tawakoni
Big Cow Creek, 65.8 miles
Big Sandy Creek, 58 miles
Lake Fork Creek, 78.4 miles
Rainwater Creek, 4 miles
San Bernard River
120 miles
P, MOU: GOM near Freeport, Texas
San Jacinto River
85 miles
P, MOU: Galveston Bay, GOM
SOU: Lake Houston
East Fork, San Jacinto River, 69 miles (MOU: Lake Houston)
West Fork, San Jacinto River, 90 miles (MOU: Lake Houston)
Spring Creek, 64 miles
Trinity River
710 miles
M, P, MOU: Trinity Bay, GOM
East Fork, Trinity River, 85 miles
Elm Fork, Trinity River, 85 miles (MOU: Trinity River)
West Fork, Trinity River, 145 miles (MOU: Trinity River)
Clear Fork, Trinity River, 56 miles
Johnson Creek, 13 miles
Richland Creek, 50 miles
1  
Abbreviations:
Cr: Creek, Crs: Creeks, GOM: Gulf of Mexico, END: endorheic Basin, m: miles,
M: Major Texas river, P: Primary Texas river, T: Tributary River (Name of Primary)
MOU: Mouth (outlet), SOU: Source, OUT: Rivers with mouth outside of Texas.
N: North, NF: North Fork, S: South, SF: South Fork, JUNC: Junction,
State Abbreviations:
CO: Colorado, LA: Louisiana, Mex: Mexican Side, OK: Oklahoma, TX: Texas.
2  
Before the Iron Bridge Dam formed Lake Tawakoni, the South Fork, Cowleech Fork and Caddo Fork were considered the headwater for the Sabine River, which are all three now submerged under Lake Tawakoni. Now, the outlet of Lake Tawakonin is said to be the headwaters for the Sabine Lake.
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This Page Last Updated: 28 February 2026

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by Thom Buras
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