The Sabine-Neches Canal is part of the Sabine-Neches Waterway, which acts as the border between southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana. This waterway stretches between between the Port of Beaumont and the Port of Port Arthur, with an additional port in Orange, TX. The waterway is currently undergoing improvements, which will increase the depth to 48 feet and lengthen the route from 64 to 77 miles. This waterway is vital for connecting the industries of southeast Texas to the Gulf of Mexico and the rest of the world.
The canal itself stretches between Port Arthur and Lake Sabine. It derives its name for two tributaries, the Sabine and Neches Rivers. The US Army Corps of Engineers began construction for the canal began in 1898 after an act of Congress. It was part of a bigger project called Intracoastal Waterway (ICW), which connects ports on the eastern seaboard of the United States, including cities as far north as Boston, MA and as far west as Brownsville, TX. Other notable cities along this coastline include New York City; Fort Lauderdale, FL; and Trenton, NJ.