Board GALVESTON COUNTY CHAMBERS COUNTY LIBERTY COUNTY WALLER COUNTY 45 249 59 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Pamphlet to accompany Scientific Investigations Map 3365 Prepared in cooperation with the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District, City of Houston, Fort Bend Subsidence District, Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District . HGSD Financial Information including Budgets, Annual Audits, and Financial Reports. An overview of the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District permitting process and fees. Now on its fifth iteration since 1976, the plan describes the different regulatory areas throughout the district, defines groundwater withdrawal limits for each area, and provides guidelines for permitting. endstream endobj 187 0 obj <>/Metadata 33 0 R/OCProperties<>/OCGs[219 0 R]>>/Outlines 37 0 R/PageLayout/SinglePage/Pages 184 0 R/StructTreeRoot 50 0 R/Type/Catalog>> endobj 188 0 obj <>/ExtGState<>/Font<>/Properties<>/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/StructParents 0/Tabs/S/Type/Page>> endobj 189 0 obj <>stream In collaboration with Galveston Bay Foundation and Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service, HGSD . Some natural land subsidence also occurs over long periods of time, due to natural settling. Last week, some of our Board of Directors and District Staff visited areas that have historically been affected by subsidence and toured important projects that have been implemented to prevent further subsidence in the Houston area. USGS measures groundwater levels in over 700 wells in an 11-county area annually in the Houston-Galveston area in order to develop a regional depiction of groundwater levels. Used by HGSD as guides in the exercise of the powers in the accomplishment of the purposes of Special Districts Code. Bandera County River Authority & Groundwater District Featured District, Develop population and demand projections for 10 counties through 2100, Conduct alternative water supply assessment, Develop the Gulf Coast Land Subsidence and Groundwater Flow (GULF)-2023 model with US Geological Survey and Texas Water Development Board, Update the analytical subsidence models previously used by the HGSD and FBSD, Groundwater regulation (or lack thereof) in adjacent counties. Now Hiring! Fort With the last regulatory plan adopted in 2013, HGSD recently initiated a joint regulatory plan review in cooperation with the Fort Bend Subsidence District (FBSD) in January 2020. The Harris-Galveston Subsidence District (HGSD) is a special purpose district created by the Texas Legislature in 1975. 1999: Regulatory areas converted into 3 primary areas. This district was created because area residents and local governments were becoming increasingly alarmed by subsidences continued impact on the regions economic growth and quality of life. water-level altitude and regional water-level change contour map can be found in the individual year City levels rise, compacted sediments and the associated land-surface lowering would remain as-is. water-level altitude data at observation wells in the Houston-Galveston Region. In cooperation with of Houston, These data were used to develop a groundwater flow model capable of simulating subsidence to inform the subsidence risk of brackish development of the Jasper aquifer. Since 1836, groundwater withdrawals have caused about 3,200 square miles of the Houston-Galveston area to subside (or sink) more than a foot, with some areas subsiding as much as 12 to 13 feet. All Rights Reserved. 1976: First regulatory area (Area of Concentrated Emphasis, ACE) established. Click here to read our blog about how it could be addressed with a new USGS subsidence mapping tool. The Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts supports Texas groundwater conservation districts and their efforts to conserve, preserve, and protect Texas groundwater. For detailed information on the processing methodology, please refer to https://ascelibrary.org/doi/10.1061/%28ASCE%29SU.1943-5428.0000399. publication. Working with surface water suppliers the HGSD controls subsidence by managing the use of groundwater resources in Harris and Galveston Counties. The Authority has developed a groundwater reduction plan (GRP) and obtained Subsidence District approval of its GRP. Extensometers and Subsidence. as the difference in water-level altitude at each well for the water-level data collection year and the 1 of 3. The USGS has a long history of working with HGSD and other entities in the Houston region. 9 were here. Evaluation of projected population and future water demands, Development of subsidence models to simulate future subsidence based on projected water demands, Measurement of annual water-level to show the impact of conversion requirements on the water-level in the aquifer, Assessment of alternative water supplies including brackish groundwater use and aquifer storage and recovery. ArcGIS Online Map of Subsidence Rates in Fort Bend and Surrounding Counties, Texas, USA, 2020 Annual Groundwater Report Executive Summary, ArcGIS Online Map of Subsidence Rates in Fort Bend and surrounding Counties, Texas, USA. hb```a``c`e`fb@ !+s\ddX{DJG3^pq~HIq @ZHHt40Ttt4D - Water-level altitude contours, wells, and compaction data have been combined in an interactive map that allows users to view annual water-level altitudes from 1977 through the present, water-level changes over time, and historical time series of compaction data. Purpose: To manage groundwater withdrawal and enforce groundwater regulation throughout Harris and Galveston counties, in hopes of preventing the land subsidence that leads to increased flooding.. Learn about Land Subsidence in Houston, Galveston and surrounding areas. Harris-Galveston Subsidence District Permitting Portal Fort Bend Subsidence District Permitting Portal Please use one of these links to reach to the appropriate Permitting Portal. HARRIS-GALVESTON SUBSIDENCE DISTRICT SUBCHAPTER A. A resident of the Houston area since 2011, Vanessa began working in community . According to a 2017 USGS report, Water levels in the southeastern parts of the study area in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers have generally continued to rise since 1977, while water levels in the northern and western parts of Harris County and Southern Montgomery County have continued to decline. Prior to 1975, the withdrawal of groundwater from the Chicot-Evangeline aquifer was unregulated, and adopted as an effective alternative to manual contour interpolation. Water-level altitude is calculated at each well by subtracting the water-level measurement (depth to When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. This is because in addition to sinking land elevations, subsidence contributes to flooding, inundation, or overflow of areas within the district, including rising waters resulting from storms or hurricanes. The Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District in 2012 purchased six Periodically Accessible Monitors (PAMs), which are specifically designed to detect subsidence. Water-level change in the Gulf Coast Aquifer, 1977 to 2018. 1985: Divided into 8 regulatory areas by amount of groundwater reduction needed. Groundwater Conservation District and, most recently, Brazoria County Groundwater Conservation District Southeast Texas Groundwater Conservation District; Other Districts. It has since been turned into the Baytown Nature Center. You can also view water levels by visiting the Lone Star Static Well Level Monitoring Network Map. To learn how to submit your report online, check out our instructional video! H\j@}l/6 6i!i$U6"o=B9|c7MfwzQCyaks,Oi&LOcuVcc6_z0Y.MTQM>lW~2Miu8hV4c:ul:fU,+?/Q_spA.%Y[Hliicc-iiiiooo#t8zAG#+0SL W`y$[yzzxzzzxzzzxzzzxzzzxzzzxzzzxzgJ0Fi6xN4._3I]8o By 1977, an extensive groundwater well-monitoring network had been established and the USGS had collected water-level data that were used to create the first published water-level altitude maps of the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers in the Houston-Galveston region. =*-SRIbI -|tdAl` Q ka+dzLp[fAh/tGp7=>>q[y,Nz Ma As the Houston Chronicle reported, Over the years, Texas lawmakers enacted bills to create subsidence or water conservation districts in counties that include Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery and Galveston. In 2021, kriging, a geostatistical interpolation method, was They have successfully slowed-down land subsidence, decreased flood risks, and overall maintained the viability of the area. . Creation year: 2001 (77th Texas Legislature). Disrupts collector drains and irrigation ditches. Subsidence regulation districts and their creation timeline The Harris-Galveston Coastal Subsidence District. Further information detailing the data processing and map creation for each published regional The new intake pump station will draw water from Lake Houston and, upon completion of the water treatment facility, will be able to provide 320 million gallons of treated water per day. their jurisdiction. 2005: Established by the Texas State Legislature. subarea, and area B. Harris-Galveston Subsidence District, Fort Bend Subsidence District, and the USGS are working closely with the Texas Water Development Board to ensure that the GULF-2023 model will be available as a regional tool for GMA 14 to provide the best science and planning information for the region. The District office will be closed on Monday, February 20, 2023, in observance of Presidents Day and will reopen during regular business hours on Tuesday, February 21, 2023. The RGUP was jointly supported by the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District, the Fort Bend Subsidence District, and the Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District. Conventional Measurement Method, Borehole Extensometers, GPS, and Measuring Subsidence in the Future. Gen. Laws 4251). For the Jasper aquifer, primarily used in Montgomery County, water levels have continued to decline with development in the area., Click here to read our blog about how it could be addressed with a new USGS subsidence mapping tool, first published water-level altitude maps, The Harris-Galveston Coastal Subsidence District, The Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District, The Brazoria County Groundwater Conservation District, Its time for a water session at the Legislature, Texas is Losing an Average of Over 50 Gallons of Water Per Connection Every Day, Key Solutions to Texas Water Woes Are Simpler Than We Think. Occasionally, the district undertakes a review of the regulatory plan, working with other entities to assess future water needs and ensure that the plan will be successful in ceasing subsidence. Annual Groundwater Report, Cumulative Compaction of Subsurface Sediments, Regional Groundwater Update and more. On our last stop, we toured theCity of Houstons Northeast Water Purification Plant Expansion. HGSD has the goal of reducing the area to 20% reliance on groundwater by 2035 and managing water to promote . The Harris-Galveston Coastal Subsidence District has required reduced groundwater use to slow or stop subsidence (sinking of ground level) in Harris and Galveston Counties. Request for Qualifications and other important information related to doing business with the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) prepared this dataset in cooperation with the HarrisGalveston Subsidence District, City of Houston, Fort Bend Subsidence District, Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District, and Brazoria County Groundwater Conservation District. If you would like to find out more about their strategies and available data, please visit: https://hgsubsidence.org/, 2022 Annual Pumpage Reports are due on January 31, 2023. Population projections were developed at the census block level for each decade from 2010 to 2070 using the 2010 U.S. Census as a population baseline. compaction data. (3-a) "Florist item" means a cut flower, potted plant, blooming plant, inside foliage plant, bedding plant, corsage flower, cut foliage, floral decoration, or live decorative material. 5 0 obj groundwater withdrawal on land subsidence in the Houston-Galveston region of Texas. These units operate in conjunction with the two that have been monitoring land levels in Montgomery County for more than 10 years. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Biology and Environmental Studies from Baylor University and her . In the Houston-Galveston region, land subsidence is caused by compaction of fine-grained aquifer sediments (silts and clays) below the land surface due to groundwater withdrawals. Deputy General Manager Fort Bend Operations, Now Hiring! From USGS well monitoring over decades they are able to show that once subsidence districts are created, groundwater levels rise significantly, thereby decreasing subsidence issues in their districts. Star Groundwater Conservation District. water levels in the aquifer were declining with associated depressuring, dewatering, and compaction 2001: Established by the Texas State Legislature. =3R{;vBbh *J2q!Ol] 5rR(T/hgb(0XY g;}HcBei3Wbhq+(MH9DX0ayqQ^\I:v@|\S$N=fV(~'|Wo+p&O%b Fax: 281-232-3355. This process is crucial to prevent buildings from flooding. Harris County MUD 501 is within the boundaries of the Harris Galveston Subsidence District (the Subsidence District) which regulates groundwater withdrawal. The model will simulate the impacts of groundwater use on aquifer water levels and land subsidence throughout the region and will be used to evaluate regulatory scenarios of interest to both subsidence districts. destroyed or were not measured during the individual publication study period. In Houston, land subsidence is caused by the withdrawal of groundwater. <> In addition HGSD provides water conservation, education, and outreach programs to underscore the importance of water conservation in the community. 8X>F|9L'a{:Vh41tX p`;WDWjxWu{F$I8x}C/rQA6VT\=#_ 68q RJGE0KWp|nxDrQnvc#|Wl Zi4dg9H#qU@xz?$' x[k gH x$C8c:Bes9$_(Rs]j~4KNSB@-. . Harris County MUD 501 is within the boundaries of the Harris Galveston Subsidence District (the Subsidence District) which regulates groundwater withdrawal. Water demands were projected for individual water supply systems based on average per capita demands observed from 2000 to 2008. USGS measures groundwater levels in over 700 wells in an 11-county area annually in the During todays Board Meeting, Rosa Alvarez, Susan Baird, Sarah Benavides, Steve Gillett, Katherine Mears, and Don Johnson were reappointed and took their Oath of Office. After collecting and evaluating groundwater-level data for quality control, data are incorporated into a Land subsidence is the gradual lowering of land-surface elevation. HGSD conducts regulatory planning on a regular basis to confirm that adopted regulations have reduced subsidence rates. Data were compiled and multiple hydrologic parameters were utilized to improve the understanding of the brackish resources within the study area. larger image. 18-396 passed on March 28, 2018, the Board of Directors held the Annual Groundwater Hearing beginning at 2:30 p.m. on May 23, 2018. region since the early 1900s. For more information, or to learn how to submit your report online, visit: https://lnkd.in/gSz5XemV. The District was created to provide for the regulation of groundwater withdrawal throughout Harris and Galveston counties for the purpose of preventing land subsidence, which leads to increased flooding. A report by: David B. Zilkoski, Lucy W. Hall, Gilbert J. Mitchell, Vasanthi Kammula, Ajit Singh, William M. Chrismer, and Ronald J. https://lnkd.in/gZKAs__D. For non-emergency law enforcement matters, please contact the Harris County Sheriffs Office non-emergency line at (713) 221-6000. HARRIS GALVESTON SUBSIDENCE DISTRICT TESTIMONY TO COMMITTEE ON COUNTY AFFAIRS 2. Subsidence is known to have occurred in the southern part of Montgomery County based on monitoring and long-term surveying of land surface. The GULF-2023 model is a new $588,000 endeavor jointly funded by the HGSD and FBSD, in cooperation with USGS. Newsletters Land Subsidence. Regular, precise, automated readings are taken of the elevation of the ground at locations throughout the county. This report, prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Harris-Galveston Coastal Subsidence District, documents and refines the locations of principal faults mapped in the Houston, Texas, metropolitan area in previous studies. When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the . Lone Then, use either Enter or Space key to open the selected district. %%EOF It is the purpose of the HGSD Regulatory Plan to establish policy in the area of groundwater regulation, permits and enforcement. Interpolated modeled water-level altitude surfaces were only used to compute differences when wells were This button displays the currently selected search type. View More.