Matagorda Historical Photo Question

[TeddyC]

I was looking on Google Earth at Matagorda, specifically the coastline area between Sargent and the Port O'Connor Jetties. I clicked on view, historical imagery, then clicked on the 1943 satellite photos. Two things jumped out at me. First, all the activity that was going on at the military base, there must be 100 planes in the photo, lots of barracks and outbuildings, I recently walked that area with no idea it had such an active past. Secondly and what brought me to my question. There must be 6 or 7 cuts that ran from East and West Matagorda bay that made it to the gulf. Why do some of those cuts not make it to the gulf today. Is it a man made issue? Did the dams on the Colorado for the highland lakes coupled with the water being used for irrigation reduce the freshwater flow enough to cause the cuts to silt in? Would that even make a difference? Is it mother nature? Are we just living during a period where these cuts just don't make it to the gulf? If you have not looked at these photos give them a look there interesting.

[Goose Lover]

It's a combination of things.

The ship channel that was cut into the gulf near Pass Cavallo now moves an immense amount of water that previously passed through those cuts. The resulting loss of energy caused the cuts to silt and sand in.

The Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) also took a lot of the tidal energy that previously went into the Gulf from East Matagorda and diffused it. This also caused the cuts to stop flowing.

[Sea-Slug]

I am certain we did not have a satellite in orbit in 1943. I think Sputnic was the first one in orbit and the Russians deployed it around 1959 or 1960 or so. Those pics must be aerial photos from a high flying recon bomber or plane.