I didn’t read this whole thread.
It looks like a water snake to me. I live in east Tx..on a lake.
But quite frankly, I had a dog killed from multiple snake bites (cotton mouths mating). I have had them in the house and crawl into the engine of my truck.
Sure, some snakes are beneficial. But if they can’t stay in their world and stay out of mine...they must go to snake heaven. And, as I’m sure you know, killing a snake with a hoe just ain’t that easy.
That's the way my Grandma always did it. She was convinced that even the non-poisonous ones were No Good, and after her chickens or their eggs.
Snakes for miles around trembled at the thought of Grandma's hoe. :)