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Status of Water-Level Altitudes and Long-Term Water-Level Changes in the Chicot and Evangeline (Undifferentiated) and Jasper Aquifers, Greater Houston Area, Texas, 2021

Scientific Investigations Report 2022-5065
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/sir20225065

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Abstract

Since the early 1900s, groundwater withdrawn from the primary aquifers that compose the Gulf Coast aquifer system—the Chicot and Evangeline (undifferentiated) and Jasper aquifers—has been the primary 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 aquifers in the greater Houston area.

In contrast to previous reports, the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers are treated as a single hydrogeologic unit in this report. In 2021, shaded depictions of water-level altitudes for the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers (undifferentiated) ranged from 300 feet (ft) below the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88) to 300 ft above NAVD 88. The largest decline in water-level altitudes indicated by the 1977–2021 long-term water-level-change map for the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers (undifferentiated) was in the north-central part of The Woodlands, Tex., whereas the 1990–2021 long-term water-level-change map for the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers (undifferentiated) depicts a large area of decline in water-level altitudes in northwestern Harris County, northwest of Jersey Village, Tex. The largest rise in water-level altitudes in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers (undifferentiated) was observed in a relatively large area in southeastern Harris County for 1977–2021, whereas the largest rise in water-level altitudes for 1990–2021 was in a relatively large area in central Harris County.

In 2021, shaded depictions of water-level altitudes for the Jasper aquifer ranged from 250 ft below NAVD 88 to 300 ft above NAVD 88. The 2000–21 long-term water-level-change map for the Jasper aquifer depicts water-level declines throughout most of the study area where water-level-altitude data from the Jasper aquifer were collected, with the largest decline in northern Harris County southwest of The Woodlands.

Suggested Citation

Braun, C.L., and Ramage, J.K., 2022, Status of water-level altitudes and long-term water-level changes in the Chicot and Evangeline (undifferentiated) and Jasper aquifers, greater Houston area, Texas, 2021 (ver. 1.1, August 19, 2022): U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2022–5065, 25 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20225065.

ISSN: 2328-0328 (online)

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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 water-level changes in the Chicot and Evangeline (undifferentiated) and Jasper aquifers, greater Houston area, Texas, 2021
Series title Scientific Investigations Report
Series number 2022-5065
DOI 10.3133/sir20225065
Edition Version 1.0: August 5, 2022; Version 1.1: August 19, 2022
Year Published 2022
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center
Description Report: iv, 25 p.; Data Releases; Dataset
Country United States
State Texas
Other Geospatial Greater Houston area
Online Only (Y/N) Y
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details