Colorado (river, Texas)

Colorado (river, Texas), one of the principal rivers of Texas. Rising in the Llano Estacado of northwestern Texas, the river flows across the state in a generally southeastern direction, emptying into the Gulf of Mexico at Matagorda Bay. The chief tributaries of the Colorado, which is 1,390 km (862 mi) long, include the Concho, San Saba, Pedernales, and Pecan Bayou rivers. Below Austin, one of a number of cities on the river, it flows through a level, fertile region occupied by numerous agricultural enterprises. State river authorities have, with federal aid, built an extensive system of dams and reservoir lakes on the river for flood control, irrigation, and hydroelectric power.