Once dominated by the Missions, Texas ranching shaped Texas, its history and environment.

Historic extreme weather records have shaped Texas history.

The weather has played a significant role in Texas history.

For Texans, the 20th century began on January 10, when oil was discovered at Spindletop.

The "Great Hurricane" hit Galveston on Sept. 8, 1900.

Dinosaurs disappeared about 65 million years ago after a meteorite hit earth. One of the sites where debris of this event has been found is along the Brazos River in Falls County.

Texas has a natural environment best described as "varied."

Texas has many secondary streams of various sizes and rich biodiversity.

There are many natural lakes in Texas. The largest designated natural lake touching the border of Texas is Sabine Lake.

Texas has 5,607 square miles of inland water, ranking it first in the 48 contiguous states.

There are 11,247 named Texas streams identified in the U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System. Their combined length is about 80,000 miles, and they drain 263,513 square miles within Texas.

About 60 percent of the approximately 16 million acre-feet of water used yearly in Texas is derived from underground formations that make up 9 major and 22 minor aquifers. Groundwater also supplies about 35 percent of the municipal needs of the state.

One of the most important natural resources in Texas is its soil. More than 1,300 different kinds of soil are recognized in Texas. Each has a specific set of properties that affect its use.

The physiographic variety in Texas is controlled by the varied rocks and structures that underlie and crop out across the state. The fascinating geologic history of Texas is recorded in the rocks.

Texas has a rich and diverse array of plant species due to the amount and frequency of rainfall, diversity of soils, and the number of frost-free days.