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Subsidence Science in Oklahoma and Texas - Overview

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By Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center April 30, 2018

The USGS Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center (OTWSC) has researched land-surface subsidence for more than 40 years. OTWSC collects and interprets groundwater level and aquifer sediment compaction data to understand the effects of groundwater withdrawal on land surface subsidence.

SUBSIDENCE SCIENCE CAPABILITIES

OTWSC has expertise in subsidence science applications, including, but not limited to:

  • Modeling of land subsidence
  • Routine measuring of water levels in a large well network (more than 700 wells)
  • Developing regional depictions of groundwater levels
  • Incorporating groundwater-level data into geographic information system (GIS) to construct regional water-level altitude and water-level change contour maps.
  • Mapping applications that allow users to view annual water-level altitudes, water-level changes over time, and historical time series of compaction data.

 

Media
Screen shot of the Texas Gulf Coast Groundwater and Land Subsidence Program web application
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details

Texas Gulf Coast Groundwater and Land Subsidence Web Application

This USGS viewer shows how water levels have changed over time and how groundwater demands have affected land subsidence in the region. Scientists created this tool using the largest subsidence data set in the US with more than 40 years of groundwater and compaction observations. 

 

CURRENT SUBSIDENCE SCIENCE

Houston Area Groundwater Level and Subsidence Monitoring

Projects related to Subsidence Science are listed below.

Publications related to Subsidence Science are listed below.

Ground-water withdrawals and land-surface subsidence in the Houston-Galveston region, Texas, 1906-80 Ground-water withdrawals and land-surface subsidence in the Houston-Galveston region, Texas, 1906-80

The withdrawal of larqe amounts of ground water in the Houston-Galveston region, Texas, has resulted in water-level declines of as much as 250 feet (76 meters) in wells completed in the Chicot aquifer and as much as 300 feet (91 meters) in wells completed in the Evangeline aquifer during 1943-77. Since late 1976, changes in pumping distribution resulting from efforts to control...
Authors
R.K. Gabrysch
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center

Approximate water-level changes in wells in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, 1977-81 and 1980-81, and measured compaction, 1973-81, in the Houston-Galveston region, Texas Approximate water-level changes in wells in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, 1977-81 and 1980-81, and measured compaction, 1973-81, in the Houston-Galveston region, Texas

This report consists of: (1) Four maps that present data on water-level changes during 1977-81 and 1980-81 in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers and (2) one set of graphs that present data on the compaction of subsurface materials for 1973-81. During these periods, ground-water pumping decreased in Galveston County and southern Harris County, Tex., and increased in northern and western...
Authors
R.K. Gabrysch, C.E. Ranzau
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center

The USGS Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center (OTWSC) has researched land-surface subsidence for more than 40 years. OTWSC collects and interprets groundwater level and aquifer sediment compaction data to understand the effects of groundwater withdrawal on land surface subsidence.

SUBSIDENCE SCIENCE CAPABILITIES

OTWSC has expertise in subsidence science applications, including, but not limited to:

  • Modeling of land subsidence
  • Routine measuring of water levels in a large well network (more than 700 wells)
  • Developing regional depictions of groundwater levels
  • Incorporating groundwater-level data into geographic information system (GIS) to construct regional water-level altitude and water-level change contour maps.
  • Mapping applications that allow users to view annual water-level altitudes, water-level changes over time, and historical time series of compaction data.

 

Media
Screen shot of the Texas Gulf Coast Groundwater and Land Subsidence Program web application
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details

Texas Gulf Coast Groundwater and Land Subsidence Web Application

This USGS viewer shows how water levels have changed over time and how groundwater demands have affected land subsidence in the region. Scientists created this tool using the largest subsidence data set in the US with more than 40 years of groundwater and compaction observations. 

 

CURRENT SUBSIDENCE SCIENCE

Houston Area Groundwater Level and Subsidence Monitoring

Projects related to Subsidence Science are listed below.

Publications related to Subsidence Science are listed below.

Ground-water withdrawals and land-surface subsidence in the Houston-Galveston region, Texas, 1906-80 Ground-water withdrawals and land-surface subsidence in the Houston-Galveston region, Texas, 1906-80

The withdrawal of larqe amounts of ground water in the Houston-Galveston region, Texas, has resulted in water-level declines of as much as 250 feet (76 meters) in wells completed in the Chicot aquifer and as much as 300 feet (91 meters) in wells completed in the Evangeline aquifer during 1943-77. Since late 1976, changes in pumping distribution resulting from efforts to control...
Authors
R.K. Gabrysch
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center

Approximate water-level changes in wells in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, 1977-81 and 1980-81, and measured compaction, 1973-81, in the Houston-Galveston region, Texas Approximate water-level changes in wells in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, 1977-81 and 1980-81, and measured compaction, 1973-81, in the Houston-Galveston region, Texas

This report consists of: (1) Four maps that present data on water-level changes during 1977-81 and 1980-81 in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers and (2) one set of graphs that present data on the compaction of subsurface materials for 1973-81. During these periods, ground-water pumping decreased in Galveston County and southern Harris County, Tex., and increased in northern and western...
Authors
R.K. Gabrysch, C.E. Ranzau
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center
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