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Status of Water-Level Altitudes and Long-Term and Short-Term Water-Level Changes in the Chicot and Evangeline (Undifferentiated) and Jasper Aquifers, Greater Houston Area, Texas, 2022

Scientific Investigations Report 2023-5007
Prepared in cooperation with the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District, City of Houston, Fort Bend Subsidence District, Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District, and Brazoria County Groundwater Conservation District
By:  and 
https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20235007

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Abstract

Since the early 1900s, groundwater withdrawn from the primary aquifers that compose the Gulf Coast aquifer system—the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers—has been an important source of water in the greater Houston area, Texas. This report, prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District, City of Houston, Fort Bend Subsidence District, Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District, and Brazoria County Groundwater Conservation District, is one in an annual series of reports depicting the status of water-level altitudes and water-level changes in these aquifers in the greater Houston area.

In this report, the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers are treated as a single hydrogeologic unit for the purposes of providing annual assessments of regional-scale water-level altitudes and changes over time. In 2022, shaded depictions of water-level altitudes for the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers (undifferentiated) ranged from about 270 feet (ft) below the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88) to about 195 ft above NAVD 88. The largest decline in water-level altitudes indicated by the 1977–2022 long-term water-level-change map was southeast of The Woodlands. In comparison, the 1990–2022 long-term water-level-change map depicts declines in water-level altitudes in localized areas at or near certain wells in parts of northwestern Harris County and southern Montgomery County. The largest rise in water-level altitudes for 1977–2022 was observed in a relatively large area in southeastern Harris County, whereas the largest rise in water-level altitudes for 1990–2022 was observed in a relatively small area in central Harris County. The 5-year short-term water-level-change map depicts the largest declines at three wells in northern Fort Bend County and the largest rises at five wells in southwestern and central Harris County. The 1-year short-term water-level-change map depicts the largest decline at a well in north-central Harris County and the largest rises at a well in north-central Fort Bend County and a well in southwestern Harris County.

In 2022, shaded depictions of water-level altitudes for the Jasper aquifer ranged from about 213 ft below NAVD 88 to about 285 ft above NAVD 88. The 2000–22 long-term water-level-change map depicts water-level declines throughout most of the study area where water-level-measurement data from the aquifer were collected, with the largest decline in north-central Harris County and south-central Montgomery County south of The Woodlands. The 5-year short-term water-level-change map depicts the largest decline at a well in Conroe and the largest rise at a well in south-central Montgomery County. The 1-year short-term water-level-change map depicts the largest decline at a well in south-central Montgomery County east of The Woodlands and the largest rise at a well in Conroe.

Suggested Citation

Ramage, J.K., and Braun, C.L., 2023, Status of water-level altitudes and long-term and short-term water-level changes in the Chicot and Evangeline (undifferentiated) and Jasper aquifers, greater Houston area, Texas, 2022: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2023–5007, 26 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20235007.

ISSN: 2328-0328 (online)

Study Area

Table of Contents

  • Abstract
  • Introduction
  • Methods
  • Water-Level Altitudes and Long-Term and Short-Term Water-Level Changes
  • Data Limitations
  • Summary
  • References Cited
Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Status of water-level altitudes and long-term and short-term water-level changes in the Chicot and Evangeline (undifferentiated) and Jasper aquifers, greater Houston area, Texas, 2022
Series title Scientific Investigations Report
Series number 2023-5007
DOI 10.3133/sir20235007
Year Published 2023
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center
Description Report: v, 26 p.; 2 Data Releases; Dataset
Country United States
State Texas
City Houston
Online Only (Y/N) Y
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details