Cow Bayou

In the early 1910s, the bayou was formed by rice farmers. Since rice production skyrocketed over there, By 1911 almost all farmers in Orange County were using the bayou.^[3] 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.^[4] 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.^[5]

Fleash-eating bacteria was found in September 17, 2022, when a resident went into the water. This is the first case of flesh eating bacteria in Orange County.^[6] Officials have been warning residents about the flesh eating bacteria since the attack.^[7]

Marine mammals:

• West Indian manatee (very common)^[8]
• Bottlenose dolphin (common)^[9]
• Bull shark (common)^[10]
• Hammerhead shark (very rarely)
• Blacktip shark (common)
• American alligator (very rare)^[11]

• 
  West Indian manatee
• 
  Bottlenose dolphin
• 
  Bull shark
• 
  Hammerhead shark
• 
  Blacktip shark
• 
  American alligator

Smaller fish species:

• 
  Golden topminnow, Fundulus chrysotus, Mississippi
• 
  Alligator gar, Atractosteus spatula, Brazos River system

Big fish species:

• List of rivers in Texas