 A deepwater channel connects Galveston 's harbor with the Gulf and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway . According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 208 @.@ 4 square miles ( 540 km2 ) , of which 46 @.@ 2 square miles ( 120 km2 ) is land and 162 @.@ 2 square miles ( 420 km2 ) and 77 @.@ 85 % is water . The island is 50 miles ( 80 km ) southeast of Houston . 
 A deepwater channel connects Galveston <a href='null_genetive' title='1'><mark>'s</mark></a>harbor with the Gulf and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway . According to the United States Census Bureau , the city <a href='got' title='2'><mark>has</mark></a> a total area of 208 @.@ 4 square miles ( 540 km2 ) , of which 46 @.@ 2 square miles ( 120 km2 ) <a href='drop_aux' title='3'><mark>is</mark></a>land and 162 @.@ 2 square miles ( 420 km2 ) and 77 @.@ 85 % <a href='drop_aux' title='4'><mark>is</mark></a>water . The island <a href='drop_aux' title='5'><mark>is</mark></a>50 miles ( 80 km ) southeast of Houston . 
A deepwater channel connects Galveston  harbor with the Gulf and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway . According to the United States Census Bureau , da city got a total area of 208 @.@ 4 square miles ( 540 km2 ) , of which 46 @.@ 2 square miles ( 120 km2 ) land and 162 @.@ 2 square miles ( 420 km2 ) and 77 @.@ 85 % water . The island 50 miles ( 80 km ) southeast of Houston .