Aquifers can contain fresh, brackish, or saline water; or, usually, all three There are several types of aquifers with very different characteristics Michael Conner: Understanding Aquifers 7 All the "science" about aquifers is a simplification, and it is frequently quite controversial. This dataset, published in 2002, represents the extent of the alluvial and glacial aquifers north of the southern-most line of glaciation. Water-conservation measures by agricultural and municipal users are being promoted. The information was collected by the U.S. Geological Survey and other agencies during the course of many years of study. For study or mapping purposes, aquifers are often combined into aquifer systems. Would you like to submit an article, provide feedback, or just get in touch? Some water-bearing formations dip below the surface and are covered by other formations. The Ogallala Formation of late Miocene to early Pliocene age consists of heterogeneous sequen-ces of coarse-grained sand and gravel in the lower part, grading upward into clay, silt, and fine sand. Declines continue in Ward County due to increased municipal and industrial pumping. The aquifer is comprised of the Twin Mountains, Glen Rose, Paluxy, Hosston, and Hensell formations. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. In 2008, 72 percent of groundwater pumped from the aquifer was used for irrigation, and the rest is withdrawn for industrial uses, power supply, and municipal use. Conservation districts are promoting more-efficient irrigation techniques, and market-based, voluntary transfers of unused agricultural water rights to municipal uses are more common. Adopt the TX Town or County of your choice and share your message with the world. Each PA was sampled across its lateral extent using an equal-area grid, typically with 60 wells. It is absent in a broad area extending from the north central portion of the county continuing to the south, southwest part of Gillespie County. The aquifer is used for municipal, industrial, and irrigation purposes. (in error) Northern Great Plains aquifer system, Some revisions to the lists of valid States, this code, and reference list were added to the NWIS Site File and toNWISWebwith the release of NWIS 4.5 in 2005; see the WMA Technical Memo "NWIS 4.5 -- Assigning National Aquifer Codes in the Ground Water Site Inventory (GWSI) for the NWIS 4.5 Release.". Water Use. However, because these aquifers extend over large areas, large volumes of water can be withdrawn. These aquifers consist of limestones, sands, clays, gravels, and conglomerates. The Edwards aquifer in the Balcones fault zone of southcentral Texas is one of the most permeable and most productive aquifers in the world. H2Oaks is The Gulf Coast aquifer forms an irregularly shaped belt that parallels the Texas coastline and extends through 54 counties from the Rio Grande northeastward to the Louisiana border. The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) recognizes 9 major aquifers aquifers that produce large amounts of water over large areas (see major aquifers map) and 22 minor aquifers aquifers that produce minor amounts of water over large areas or large amounts of water over small areas (see minor aquifers map). Water-level declines are occurring in part of the region because of extensive pumping that far exceeds recharge. Below are publications associated with principal aquifers. Geology, Major and Minor Aquifers, BRACS Study Areas, Regional Water Planning Areas, Groundwater Management Areas, Groundwater Conservation Districts, River Basins, Counties, 7.5' United State Geological Survey Grid, 2.5' State Grid, Latitude, Longitude, and Land Elevation. Well, in Central Texas, and particularly the Edwards Aquifer, it's an aquifer that has a lot of caves in it and fractures. Anaquiferis a geologic formation, a group of formations, or a part of a formation that contains sufficient saturated permeable material to yield significant quantities of water to wells and springs. For the distance tool click points on the map to build line segments to measure and double click to complete the measurement. Irrigation accounts for more than half of the aquifer's discharge. Eastward-flowing streams during the Quaternary Period deposited discontinuous beds of poorly sorted gravel, sand, silt, and clay that were later dissected by erosion, resulting in the isolated remnants of the formation. Barton SpringsEdwards Aquifer Conservation District provides aquifer management for the rest of Hays and southern Travis counties, and the Kinney County Groundwater Conservation District manages the aquifer segment within Kinney County. 1700 North Congress Avenue, Austin, TX 78701TEL: 512-463-7847 / FAX: 512-475-2053, Asset Management Program for Small Systems, State Water Implementation Fund for Texas (SWIFT), Guidance & References for Online Loan Application, State Water Implementation Fund for Texas, 6th Planning Cycle Information (2026 RWPs), 2021 Regional Water Plans & Previous Plans, Regional Water Planning Data Entry Application (RWP22) Training, District Information (O-Z and Other Districts), Extended Naturalize Flow and Reservoir Evaporation, Flood Planning Useful Links and Resources, Drought Response and Financial Assistance, Water Conservation Plan ~ Utility Profile, Historical Water Loss Audit and Conservation Annual Report Data, Industrial, Commercial & Institutional (ICI), Brackish Resources Aquifer Characterization System, Notice of Nondiscrimination and Reasonable Accommodation, Texas Natural Resources Information System (TNRIS), Texas Water Infrastructure Coordination Committee (TWICC). Sandstone aquifers can be highly productive and provide large volumes of water. The Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer is located beneath 66 counties in the northeast region of the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas to Arkansas and Louisiana. New and Environmentally Improved. The effects of over-pumping removing more groundwater than what is entering an aquifer pose continual challenges for aquifer managers across the state. Center the map where you want the center of your print, enter a title in the textbox and choose a page size for your print using the drop down. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Texas has three ASR systems. About 75 percent of this water is used for irrigation, with irrigators withdrawing most of this water from the Ogallala Aquifer alone (74 percent of all groundwater used for irrigation, or 4.5 million acre-feet per year). Local aquifer: Not all groundwater sites have been associated with a local aquifer. The published maps contain base and cultural features not included in these data. Below are other webpages associated with principal aquifers. The recharge zone of the aquifer in Burnet County is approximately 18,011 acres. Aquifers covered by less permeable formations, such as clay, are confined under artesian pressure. The appropriate component aquifer should be used instead of Northern Great Plains. Page Contact Information: Texas Water Data Maintainer Page Last Modified: 2023-02-25 01:14:50 EST Most of the carbonate-rock aquifers consist of limestone, but dolomite and marble locally yield water. The water-yielding properties of carbonate rocks vary widely; some yield almost no water and are considered to be confining units, whereas others are among the most productive aquifers known. . Water levels have declined in the Winter Garden area because of irrigation pumping and in the northeastern part of the aquifer because of municipal pumping. Water to the north of the Canadian River is generally fresh, with total dissolved solids typically less than 400 milligrams per liter. Aquifers in carbonate rocks are most extensive in the eastern U.S. geline aquifers near Houston, Texas. Although referred to differently in different parts of the state, they include the Antlers, Glen Rose, Paluxy, Twin Mountains, Travis Peak, Hensell, and Hosston aquifers. The component aquifers are Lower Tertiary, Upper Cretaceous, Lower Cretaceous, and Paleozoic. (March 2005). About 55 percent of all water used in Texas was sourced through aquifers in 2019. National Geographic Information Systems (GIS) layer of SSAs Information on sole source aquifers (SSAs) is widely used in assessments under the National Environmental Policy Act and at the state and local level. In scattered places in the United States, carbonate rocks are interbedded with almost equal amounts of water-yielding sandstone. In cooperation with Harris-Galveston Subsidence District, the City of Houston, Fort Bend County Subsidence District, Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District, and Brazoria County Groundwater Conservation District, the U.S. Geological Survey Texas Water Science Center Gulf Coast . The Texas Water Development Board recognizes and names 15 such aquifers. AWUDS has a graphical user interface that facilitates data entry, revision, review, and approval. The Geologic Atlas of Texas illustrates the surface extent of geologic formations (and aquifers) across the state. Hydrogeologic unit boundaries (framework) and groundwater recharge data. ; Metadata - The Edwards Aquifer maps were developed from official printed maps that contain regulatory boundaries based on geologic interpretations of the Edwards Aquifer zonesthat is, the recharge, transition, and contributing within the transition zones, as . Water quality in the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer shows isolated areas of slightly saline to moderately saline groundwater in the eastern and central portions of the aquifer and more widespread areas of slightly to moderately saline groundwater in the southwest. The Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer is a major aquifer extending from the Louisiana border to the border of Mexico in a wide band adjacent to and northwest of the Gulf Coast Aquifer. Sulfate and chloride concentrations also tend to increase with depth. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Aquifers shown on the 2003PrincipalAquifers map, with some additions, were used as the first National AquiferReferenceList in the USGSNational Water Information System(NWIS) in theAggregate Water Use Data System(AWUDS,database released in August 2001). The aquifer also feeds several well-known recreational springs and underlies some of Texas most environmentally sensitive areas. The information was collected by the U.S. Geological Survey and other agencies during the course of many years of study. The Ogallala Aquifer is the largest aquifer in the United States and is a major aquifer of Texas underlying much of the High Plains region. About 60 percent of the approximately 16 million acre-feet of water used yearly in Texas is derived from underground formations that make up 9 major and 22 minor aquifers (for map of minor aquifers, click). Unconsolidated sand and gravel aquifers are characterized by intergranular porosity and all contain water primarily under unconfined, or water-table, conditions. Freshwater saturated thickness averages 95 feet. Where the Glen Rose thins or is absent, the Twin Mountains and Paluxy formations coalesce to form the Antlers Formation. Proceeds benefit education in TX. 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