Current Status
Status updates will be posted here as they become available. Please note that red tide blooms are not usually present in Texas coastal waters. Therefore this page will only be updated in the event of a confirmed red tide algal bloom. When no red tide is present, no updates will be posted.
In the event of a bloom, updates will also be available through Facebook on the Coastal Fisheries and Harmful Algal Bloom Research and Education pages, or by phone at (800) 792-1112 (select 'fishing' and then 'red tide'.) For more information regarding fishing, swimming and going to the beach during a red tide event check out our FAQ page.
Water samples are collected and analyzed by the Kills and Spills Team at TPWD in coordination with our federal and state partners. These samples are analyzed for Karenia brevis (red tide) and the densities of cells found are given the following designations:
- Background = Less than < 1 cell/ml
- Very Low = 1 to 10 cells/ml
- Low = 10 to 100 cells/ml
- Moderate = 100 to 1,000 cells/ml
- High = Greater than 1,000 cells/ml
October 1, 2018
There are no reports of discolored water, fish kills or respiratory irritation relating to red tide on the Texas coast.
September 20, 2018
Upper Coast (Galveston Bay and Sabine Lake): Water samples taken by TPWD on 9/17/18 show very low concentrations of red tide at Bolivar Roads near the Houston Ship Channel.
Golden Crescent (Matagorda Bay and San Antonio Bay): Water samples show low concentrations of red tide at the Jetty in Matagorda County in Matagorda Bay. Other water samples taken in Saluria Bayou near Port O’Connor in Calhoun County show low concentrations of red tide.
Coastal Bend (Aransas Bay, Corpus Christi Bay and Upper Laguna Madre: Water samples fromthe following sites were tested for red tide between 9/18/18 and 9/19/18. There have been no recent reports of respiratory irritation.
- Bob Hall Pier and Mustang Island State Park: low concentrations of red tide.
- The South Jetty in Packery Channel: very low concentrations of red tide.
- Corpus Christi Bay near Ropes Park or Swantner Park: No red tide.
Padre Island National Seashore (PINS): Very low to low concentrations of red tide were found by PINS staff at the Northern Boundary of the park, the Visitor Center, the 5 mile marker and the 10 mile marker on 9/18/18. For the most up-to-date information about conditions in this area, please contact the Padre Island National Seashore directly.
Rio Grande Valley (Lower Laguna Madre): Water samples from South Padre Island show no red tide present.
September 17, 2018
Upper Coast (Galveston Bay and Sabine Lake): No reports of red tide.
Golden Crescent (Matagorda Bay and San Antonio Bay):Water samples show low concentrations of red tide near Port O'Connor in the Matagorda Ship Channel area. No reports of respiratory irritation at this time.
Coastal Bend (Aransas Bay and Upper Laguna Madre): Water samples collected by TPWD on 9/17/18 show only background levels of red tide in Mustang Island State Park and in Packery Channel. Water samples from Bob Hall Pier show low concentration of red tide. No reports of respiratory irritation at any locations on 9/17/18.
Padre Island National Seashore (PINS): Reports of red tide and some respiratory irritation was reported last week. For the most up-to-date information about conditions in this area, please contact the Padre Island National Seashore directly.
Rio Grande Valley (Lower Laguna Madre): Water samples collected in South Padre Island show no red tide cells present.
September 12, 2018
Upper Coast (Galveston Bay and Sabine Lake): No reports of red tide.
Golden Crescent (Matagorda Bay and San Antonio Bay): No reports of red tide.
Coastal Bend (Aransas Bay and Upper Laguna Madre): Water samples collected at the UTMSI Fisheries and Mariculture Lab in Nueces County on 9/11/18 indicated low cell concentrations. Samples collected on 9/12/18 indicate moderate cell concentrations.
- TPWD staff investigated a fish kill in Packery Basin in Nueces County consisting mainly of gizzard shad. Outbound tides pushed the fish out, depositing them along the beach front. Water samples collected in the area identified a localized red tide bloom in Packery Basin. Respiratory irritation was also reported in the area. Additional water samples were collected at Bob Hall Pier and Mustang Island State Park. Although no cells were observed at those sites, slight aerosol irritation was observed at Mustang Island State Park.
Padre Island National Seashore (PINS): No reports of red tide. For the most up-to-date information about conditions in this area, please contact the Padre Island National Seashore directly.
Rio Grande Valley (Lower Laguna Madre): No reports of red tide.
August 9, 2017
Corpus Christi Bay: Water samples were collected from Corpus Christi Bay on August 8 after the persistent observation of discolored water. Samples confirmed a non-toxic algal bloom consisting of a mix of dinoflagellates. This type of bloom is not the same as the red tide blooms seen in Texas which consists of the microscopic algae known as Karenia brevis. There have been no reports of any human health effects or fish kills from this bloom.
There are no other reports of algal blooms on the Texas coast at this time.
Older Reports
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Department of State Health Services investigate reports of possible red tide along the coast and in the bays.
Three common signs of a red tide bloom are:
- discolored water
- dead fish
- breathing difficulty.
From the Centers
for Disease Control:
The human health effects associated with eating brevetoxin-tainted shellfish
are well documented. However, scientists know little about how other types
of environmental exposures to brevetoxin—such as breathing the air
near red tides or swimming in red tides—may affect humans. Anecdotal
evidence suggests that people who swim among brevetoxins or inhale brevetoxins
dispersed in the air may experience irritation of the eyes, nose, and
throat, as well as coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. Additional
evidence suggests that people with existing respiratory illness, such
as asthma, may experience these symptoms more severely.
To report sightings of red tide during normal business hours, call your local TPWD office or 361-825-3244. Outside of normal business hours you may call TPWD's 24-hour communications center at 512-389-4848.
Although some travelers may be concerned with how the red tide may affect their vacation plans, there are miles of clean beaches to enjoy on the Texas coast. When making travel plans, heed the advice of the Texas Department of State Health Services: get the current facts and draw your own conclusions.
For more information about red tide and the latest updates, call the TPWD hotline at (800) 792-1112, select fishing, then select red tide.
Current information about shellfish closures can be obtained by contacting the Seafood Safety Division of the Texas Department of State Health Services at (800) 685-0361. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Department of State Health Services investigate reports of possible red tide along the coast and in the bays.