Image Description – Padre Island Flats

Padre Island National Seashore, low slope barrier island flats. These flats are, or were, up to a mile or more wide on the landward side of much of the 114 mile-long barrier island, the longest in the world. They were only a few to several inches above sea level. The tidal range of the Laguna Madre that separates the barrier island from the mainland is extremely low with only one cut in the island about midway, so the flats are, or once were, above water except during tropical storms or heavy rain events. They “were” once above sea level as in the last 30 years, sea level here has risen about a half foot as this area has some of the highest sea level rise rates in the world. Image taken in 2005, looking west. The Laguna Madre is faintly visible along the horizon, thinly reflecting the late afternoon sun over South Texas.