Monitoring Science in Oklahoma and Texas
Active
By Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center
July 16, 2018
USGS Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center (OTWSC) monitoring studies collect data to provide reliable, unbiased scientific data to support water needs across Texas. OTWSC collects real-time streamflow, groundwater, and water-quality data through a network of over 850 real-time gages across the state. These gages provide a consistent, long-term record of water trends.
OTWSC scientists also collect data to answer specific, local water management questions, in partnership with local entities. Some monitoring studies are short-term. Others are multi-year to decadal, looking at long-term water availability and water-quality issues.
CURRENT MONITORING SCIENCE CAPABILITIES
OTWSC has expertise in monitoring science applications, including, but not limited to:
- Monitoring Networks
- Streamflow using continuous record gages, crest-stage gages, acoustic doppler current profilers, and flow meters.
- Water-surface elevation
- Water-quality, nutrient, and sediment data
- Ground-water level and water-quality data
- Precipitation
- Evaporation and Evapotranspiration
- Vertical water column profiling
- Collecting borehole geophysical logs
- Reviewing and assessing existing data sets for data gaps
- Computing time of travel in surface water and groundwater
- Data review, management, and preservation
CURRENT MONITORING SCIENCE
Geophysics
Geophysical Logging of Dockum Aquifer
Groundwater
Hydrogeologic and Geochemical Investigation of the Trinity and Northern Segment Edwards Aquifers
Surface-water and Groundwater Interaction at Air Force Plant 4
Surface Water
Assimilative Capacity of Lake Livingston
Lewisville Dam Seepage Monitoring
Menard County Surface-Water Monitoring
Surface-Water Monitoring in Small Western Texas Watersheds
Water Quality
Arroyo Colorado Water Quality Monitoring
Catahoula Water Chemistry Network
City of Austin Water Quality Data Review and Analysis
Projects related to monitoring science are listed below.
Surface-water and Groundwater Interaction at Air Force Plant 4
The USGS Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center is monitoring sediment, surface-water, and groundwater properties at Air Force Plant 4.
Surface-Water Monitoring in Small Western Texas Watersheds
The USGS Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center maintains a network of continuous record gages and crest-stage gages on small watersheds in Western Texas. Data collected from these gages provides the Texas Department of Transportation with valuable watershed rainfall and runoff information to support their hydrologic research program.
Menard County Surface-Water Monitoring
The USGS operates and maintains a continuous discharge monitoring station on the Menard Irrigation Canal near Menard, Texas to assist water managers in balancing multiple water uses.
Lewisville Dam Seepage Monitoring
The USGS Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center is monitoring water surface elevation in monitoring wells and seepage losses from Lake Lewisville dam.
Hydrogeologic and Geochemical Investigation of the Trinity and Northern Segment Edwards Aquifers
The USGS Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center, in cooperation with the Clearwater Underground Water Conservation District and Bell County Adaptive Management Coalition, is evaluating the hydrogeology and water quality of the Northern segment of the Edwards and Trinity aquifers in Bell County to provide regional resource managers responsible for regulation of water use and drought management...
Geophysical Logging of Dockum Aquifer
To aid in the understanding of the Dockum aquifer, USGS will collect borehole geophysical logs at multiple Dockum wells. All geophysical logs will be reviewed to assess lithology and groundwater quality changes.
Catahoula Water Chemistry Network
In 2009, large volume groundwater users began the exploration of the Catahoula Sandstone as an alternate water source in Montgomery County. Little to no information exists on the water quality of the Catahoula Sandstone in Montgomery County. To assess the viability of the Catahoula Sandstone as a potential source of groundwater, the USGS Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center is collecting water...
City of Austin Water Quality Data Review and Analysis
The USGS and City of Austin have been working together on water-quality sampling and studies of surface-water and groundwater sites in the Austin area for many years. A large variety of water-quality samples have been collected over a range of hydrologic conditions and submitted for numerous laboratory analyses. Both agencies are interested in exploring existing data for potential insight on...
Carrizo Aquifer Water Quality
The USGS Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center, in cooperation with the San Antonio Water System, has been collecting data since 2004 to characterize the quality of and ascertain changes in groundwater at and near the water system’s Twin Oaks Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) site, where the water system has been injecting water from the Edwards aquifer into the Carrizo aquifer for storage...
Assimilative Capacity of Lake Livingston
The nutrient and sediment data collected by this study provides insight into assimilative capacity of reservoirs and impacts to inflows for coastal Texas.
Arroyo Colorado Water Quality Monitoring
As a result of being able to continuously monitor the water column in multiple depths, dynamic changes in water chemistry (such as those that result from barge traffic and large storms) now can be identified, thereby helping water resource managers better understand changes in water quality in the Arroyo Colorado.
Projects related to monitoring science are listed below.
Surface-water and Groundwater Interaction at Air Force Plant 4
The USGS Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center is monitoring sediment, surface-water, and groundwater properties at Air Force Plant 4.
Surface-Water Monitoring in Small Western Texas Watersheds
The USGS Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center maintains a network of continuous record gages and crest-stage gages on small watersheds in Western Texas. Data collected from these gages provides the Texas Department of Transportation with valuable watershed rainfall and runoff information to support their hydrologic research program.
Menard County Surface-Water Monitoring
The USGS operates and maintains a continuous discharge monitoring station on the Menard Irrigation Canal near Menard, Texas to assist water managers in balancing multiple water uses.
Lewisville Dam Seepage Monitoring
The USGS Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center is monitoring water surface elevation in monitoring wells and seepage losses from Lake Lewisville dam.
Hydrogeologic and Geochemical Investigation of the Trinity and Northern Segment Edwards Aquifers
The USGS Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center, in cooperation with the Clearwater Underground Water Conservation District and Bell County Adaptive Management Coalition, is evaluating the hydrogeology and water quality of the Northern segment of the Edwards and Trinity aquifers in Bell County to provide regional resource managers responsible for regulation of water use and drought management...
Geophysical Logging of Dockum Aquifer
To aid in the understanding of the Dockum aquifer, USGS will collect borehole geophysical logs at multiple Dockum wells. All geophysical logs will be reviewed to assess lithology and groundwater quality changes.
Catahoula Water Chemistry Network
In 2009, large volume groundwater users began the exploration of the Catahoula Sandstone as an alternate water source in Montgomery County. Little to no information exists on the water quality of the Catahoula Sandstone in Montgomery County. To assess the viability of the Catahoula Sandstone as a potential source of groundwater, the USGS Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center is collecting water...
City of Austin Water Quality Data Review and Analysis
The USGS and City of Austin have been working together on water-quality sampling and studies of surface-water and groundwater sites in the Austin area for many years. A large variety of water-quality samples have been collected over a range of hydrologic conditions and submitted for numerous laboratory analyses. Both agencies are interested in exploring existing data for potential insight on...
Carrizo Aquifer Water Quality
The USGS Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center, in cooperation with the San Antonio Water System, has been collecting data since 2004 to characterize the quality of and ascertain changes in groundwater at and near the water system’s Twin Oaks Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) site, where the water system has been injecting water from the Edwards aquifer into the Carrizo aquifer for storage...
Assimilative Capacity of Lake Livingston
The nutrient and sediment data collected by this study provides insight into assimilative capacity of reservoirs and impacts to inflows for coastal Texas.
Arroyo Colorado Water Quality Monitoring
As a result of being able to continuously monitor the water column in multiple depths, dynamic changes in water chemistry (such as those that result from barge traffic and large storms) now can be identified, thereby helping water resource managers better understand changes in water quality in the Arroyo Colorado.