In the Houston-Galveston region, land subsidence is caused by compaction of fine-grained aquifer sediments (silts and clays) One of the primary concerns of subsidence in the coastal regions is flooding due to storm surges associated with hurricanes, where permanent seawater inundation and periodic storm water surge can dramatically impact property. The public hearing fulfills the requirements of the Districts enabling legislation, which states that the Board of Directors shall hold a public hearing to take testimony concerning the effects of groundwater withdrawals on the subsidence of land within the District during the preceding year. Over the last century, aquifers in this area have lost between 300 and 400 feet, leaving some of the land to collapse. Pay Your Water Bill In 2001, the Texas legislature created the West Harris County Regional Water Authority (the Authority) to, among other things, reduce groundwater usage in, and to provide surface water to, the western portion of Harris County and a small portion of Fort Bend County. Created by the Texas Legislature in 1975 to stop further subsidence in the Houston-Galveston region. Creation year: 1975 (64th Texas Legislature). Harris County MUD 501 purchases its water supply from Harris County Municipal Utility District 500, which purchases surface water from the Authority. We are hiring a Deputy General Manager Fort Bend Operations to join our executive leadership team. Reduces the ability to store water in an aquifer. . The Harris-Galveston Subsidence District maintains GPS monitoring stations in Harris, Galveston, Fort Bend and surrounding counties. The District uses exceptional scientific research to ensure the best available technology and approaches are considered with respect to water management and subsidence monitoring. https://lnkd.in/g-6YkVmS The goal was to keep the region elevated by developing ways to reduce groundwater consumption.. Harris-Galveston Subsidence Districts main mechanism of regulation is through its regulatory plan, with requirements laid out in the districts enabling legislation. Finally, use the Tab key to toggle the links within each districts. Pay Your Tax Bill Online In addition, they involve local communities by education and outreach programs to underscore the importance of water conservation, such as publishing an interactive viewer with GPS land subsidence monitoring stations (shown below). In addition to regulation, the district also conducts research to enhance its understanding of the Upper Gulf Coast aquifer to better manage subsidence. In fact, the USGS serves as the hub for an annual multi-agency data collection effort that includes the Brazoria County GCD, Lone Star GCD, the City of Houston, and both subsidence districts. Register a well, permit applications, renewals, and amendments. Both surface water and groundwater rates were reduced by $0.50 per 1,000 gallons. yV'1p s$&:j},WF") ]WdO9mu]eh+5K[1T@sPdQ$j%j\\u)) ->qT?^R:@RY!cpu)88p/~p]7 WEWj$U$e'I|MVfgyUcgwy~h8qZ hK}&EiQ';[P2 =Yal Data provided by the USGS. After collecting and evaluating groundwater-level data for quality control, data are incorporated into a HGSD is governed by a board composed of 19 directors appointed by mayors and entities withing HGSD boundaries. The Harris-Galveston Coastal Subsidence District has required reduced groundwater use to slow or stop subsidence (sinking of ground level) in Harris and Galveston Counties. Southeast Texas Groundwater Conservation District; Other Districts. Want to learn more about how subsidence has impacted this region? Creation year: 2001 (77th Texas Legislature). Field inspector Robert Loveland sets up GPS monitoring site P013 that delivers data on land subsidence, or the sinking of land surface, to the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District . hmo0?:;T!AR~p!A+~g`e]rw>F "1T"@0D$L$!A!JyXUJsm\Ouu~o:p11G5r[U=w/ QdQUq] Removing water from fine-grained aquifer sediments compresses the aquifer leaving less pore space available to store water resulting . Vision, Mission and Stategic Goals of the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District. Now Hiring! On our last stop, we toured theCity of Houstons Northeast Water Purification Plant Expansion. In addition HGSD provides water conservation, education, and outreach programs to underscore the importance of water conservation in the community. subarea, and area B. sOsOg_oW uMfM "F6H1#]Q]9gv3] m ]:U3*~=lrz&/tU=j4VRi/Y?Qk#mLiQ&~9zOo,6L#?~"|HJ@uF~[L iaG,):LUCB$\zB+B=zT& accurate land-surface altitude data available at the time of publication were used in the creation of When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the . Up to 2020, regional water-level altitude maps were created by manually interpolating contours of By Vanessa Holt. The University of Houston processes the GPS data. The accuracy of the referenced well land-surface altitude data has improved through time and the most 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 . Brazoria County Groundwater Conservation District . HGSD conducts regulatory planning on a regular basis to confirm that adopted regulations have reduced subsidence rates. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Biology and Environmental Studies from Baylor University and her . as the difference in water-level altitude at each well for the water-level data collection year and the 301 Jackson Street, Suite 639 Click for Fax: 281-232-3355. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Harris Galveston Subsidence District, City of Houston, Fort Bend Subsidence District, Brazoria County Groundwater Conservation District, and Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District, has produced this dataset of water-level changes and approximate water-level altitudes in the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers in the Houston-Galveston region, Texas. Since 2019, the Subsidence District has sponsored research conducted by Southern Methodist University (SMU) that utilizes a novel methodology to evaluate land-surface deformation (subsidence) in the region. 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. Application for Groundwater Certificate Replacement, and Acknowledgment of District Regulatory Requirements. The USGS has a long history of working with HGSD and other entities in the Houston region. This district was created because area . %PDF-1.3 Chicot-Evangeline (undifferentiated) and Jasper, which are composed of laterally discontinuous deposits Water-level altitude, well, and compaction data have been combined in an interactive map that allows endobj By 1977, the withdrawals had resulted in water-level altitude declines of 350 feet below datum in the Brazoria County Groundwater Conservation District, Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District. Regular, precise, automated readings are taken of the elevation of the ground at locations throughout the county. Areas of the nature center show reminiscences of the neighborhood and serve as an important reminder of what subsidence can do. The Science and Research Plan is designed to be a dynamic document with the intention to provide clarity to the strategic direction of the District and guidance to future science and research priorities in support of the District Regulatory Plan. Purpose: To maintain the quality and availability of Brazoria Countys groundwater resources for current users and future generations. USGS measures groundwater levels in over 700 wells in an 11-county area annually in the Since it is not a GCD, HGSD participates in the activities of GMA 14 as an inter-local participant. The RGUP originally started in 2010 as the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District (HGSD) 1999 Regulatory Plan Update, but due to its benefits to other regional groundwater regulatory agencies, the Fort Bend Subsidence District (FBSD) and the Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District (LSGCD) joined the collaborative effort in 2010.The primary benefit of collaboration between these three entities is that each of them could use the RGUP to vet their existing regulatory plans using updated population/water demand data and groundwater modeling capability, and in the case of HGSD and FBSD, investigate the physical effects of changing their existing regulatory plans to accommodate the practical realities facing their stakeholders while successfully completing the Districts mission objectives. HGSD has the goal of reducing the area to 20% reliance on groundwater by 2035 and managing water to promote . As a result of Senate Bill 1336 in the 84th Legislature, the Edwards Aquifer Authority is no longer required to submit management plans to the TWDB. The variables to be explored include: Since the District was created in 1975, our focus has been on preventing subsidence through reasonable regulation of groundwater use, says Mike Turco, General Manager of HGSD, our commitment to cutting-edge research and consistent investment in the highest-quality data collection, with agencies like the USGS, has provided a firm scientific basis for a successful regulatory plan. The new GULF-2023 model will be the latest product in a large body of scientific activities initiated by HGSD. destroyed or were not measured during the individual publication study period. While some areas in Houston have significantly reduced their groundwater pumping (particularly with the creation of subsidence and groundwater districts, whose purpose is to regulate groundwater pumping), subsidence still remains a threat for the region. Alters the flow of creeks and bayous which may increase the frequency and severity of flooding. Phone: 281-342-3273 The development of brackish groundwater resources has become a more common water management strategy in the State of Texas. While some of the duties and goals are similar to those of groundwater conservation districts, Harris-Galveston . interprets groundwater-level and aquifer-sediment-compaction data to understand the effects of In 2021, kriging, a geostatistical interpolation method, was The Harris-Galveston Subsidence District (HGSD) is a special purpose district created by the Texas Legislature in 1975. #Hiring the Houston-Galveston Region, Texas. HGSD Financial Information including Budgets, Annual Audits, and Financial Reports. Richmond, TX 77469 For keyboard navigation: First, use Arrow Keys to navigate up and down the districts. The districts mission is to control land subsidence and manage groundwater resources through regulation, conservation, and coordination with suppliers of alternative water sources to assure an adequate quantity and quality of water for the future. The network, initiated in 1994, currently extends across the Houston-Galveston region, across Harris, Fort Bend and surrounding counties, in an effort to represent the breadth and scope of subsidence in the region. 2001: Established by the Texas State Legislature. The data is temporarily stored in an on-site monitor and periodically uploaded to computers at the Harris Galveston Subsidence District. If you are a leader with a passion for executing projects that improve our local communities, check out this opportunity! Prior to 1975, the withdrawal of groundwater from the Chicot-Evangeline aquifer was unregulated, and 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. Bend County Subsidence District, Lone The District enjoyed visiting the Houston Museum of Natural Science at Sugar Lands newest attraction, Ocean Bound: A Deep Dive Into the Science of How Water Flows. This interactive exhibit provides a look into how actions on land can impact water and even has an area designated for learning more about groundwater and subsidence. 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. The Subsidence District has adopted regulations requiring reduction of groundwater withdrawals through conversion to alternate source water (e.g., surface water) in certain areas within the Subsidence Districts jurisdiction, including the land within Harris County MUD 501. This study, spawned from their original research that showed subsidence in southern Montgomery County was caused by exploitation of the Jasper aquifer, will investigate the combined effects of climate changes on coastal subsidence to enhance understanding of the deformation process. Lone Star GCD is working with the Subsidence District to make the newer stations available online. 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. This site is a publicly available, searchable, online database of water information. Lone When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. Purpose: To preserve, conserve and protect Montgomery Countys groundwater supplies. Information about the report can be found at the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District website. region since the early 1900s. Numerous subsurface faults have been documented beneath the Houston metropolitan area at depths of 3,200 to 13,000 feet. HVMs9W(GEU nQ,bb]4vb3Z_lW=zl%{O;\o%{ebEw `c331vf2~+kRbs "cX1K3H3200 iy@Se! g= The District was created to provide for the regulation of groundwater withdrawal. %%EOF established the Fort Bend Subsidence District and two groundwater conservation districts: Lone Star This position serves as the Chief Operating Officer of the Fort Bend Subsidence District and provides the day-to-day leadership, management, and vision necessary to effectively complete the Districts mission. 4Rw,De@5hfbHY`b`H=n We I$@g|0 (4) "Groundwater" means water located beneath the earth's surface. Since the mid 1970's, the USGS and the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District have conducted scientific investigations and subsidence monitoring for over 40 years. Population projections were developed at the census block level for each decade from 2010 to 2070 using the 2010 U.S. Census as a population baseline. It is the purpose of the HGSD Regulatory Plan to establish policy in the area of groundwater regulation, permits and enforcement. endobj 18-396 passed on March 28, 2018, the Board of Directors held the Annual Groundwater Hearing beginning at 2:30 p.m. on May 23, 2018. 1999: Regulatory areas converted into 3 primary areas. H\j@}l/6 6i!i$U6"o=B9|c7MfwzQCyaks,Oi&LOcuVcc6_z0Y.MTQM>lW~2Miu8hV4c:ul:fU,+?/Q_spA.%Y[Hliicc-iiiiooo#t8zAG#+0SL W`y$[yzzxzzzxzzzxzzzxzzzxzzzxzzzxzgJ0Fi6xN4._3I]8o She joins Harris County from the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District, where she has served as Deputy General Manager for the past 3 years and oversaw the District's Regulatory Planning, Scientific Research, and Water Conservation Programs. The Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District in 2012 purchased six Periodically Accessible Monitors (PAMs), which are specifically designed to detect subsidence. The Harris-Galveston Subsidence District, created in 1975, was the first of these districts. Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District - Phase 3 Site-Specific Subsidence Investigations (December 12, 2022), Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District - Phase 2 Subsidence Investigations (January 26, 2022), Subsidence Study Phase 2 Final Report (as approved on May 10, 2022), Subsidence Study Phase 2 Task 1 and Task 2 Draft Report, Subsidence Study Phase 2 Scope of Work (as approved on April 13, 2021), Subsidence Study Phase 1 Final Report (as approved on August 11, 2020), Subsidence Study Phase 1 Draft Final Report (pending Board approval on August 11, 2020). (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. 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. Water demands were projected . Information about the Management team at the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District. Water-level change in the Gulf Coast Aquifer, 1977 to 2018. 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. In cooperation with Working with surface water suppliers the HGSD controls subsidence by managing the use of groundwater resources in Harris and Galveston Counties. 0 Get regular updates on Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District. 2003: Regulatory areas divided into area A, which includes the Richmond-Rosenberg 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 Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts supports Texas groundwater conservation districts and their efforts to conserve, preserve, and protect Texas groundwater. The reduction in pumpage has resulted in the increase of water- level in the aquifer system in those areas and a reduction in subsidence rates. extensometer stations in the 11-county area. <> 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. Types of research sponsored by the District include: Each year the Board of Directors holds a public hearing for the purpose of taking testimony concerning the effects of groundwater withdrawals on the subsidence of land within the District during the preceding year. 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. water-level altitude data at observation wells in the Houston-Galveston Region. This button displays the currently selected search type. Land subsidence is the gradual lowering of land-surface elevation. their jurisdiction. This report documents the impact of groundwater use on aquifer water levels and subsidence within the District and was prepared in accordance with an Inter-local Agreement between the District and the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District (HGSD). endstream endobj startxref Regional water-level change maps were constructed by interpreting the compiled water-level altitude data Harris County MUD 501 is located within the boundaries of the Authority. Land subsidence occurs when large amounts of groundwater have been excessively withdrawn from an aquifer. 218 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<47E07B46D706934486CB2062ED92DA88><05048E564C3EFD429B1933026D915C3D>]/Index[186 44]/Info 185 0 R/Length 144/Prev 850166/Root 187 0 R/Size 230/Type/XRef/W[1 3 1]>>stream 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. 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. ?Jj YV3YIi}SgQ)btH24[0PeU$'r-1[hBy"&aH@"F0Z1&N'f`^~D-ocr@:A /TG}]u9b l. hbbd```b``NA$EHD]c@$wX2$'u1fHY b Gen. Laws 4251). Bend County Subsidence District, Though subsidence rates are moderate in Fort Bend county, the continued heavy dependence of groundwater use may result in increased subsidence and associated impacts such as flooding and infrastructure damage. Since the creation of the GMA, HGSD has provided information, research, and financial support to the GMA process. 1700 North Congress Avenue, Austin, TX 78701TEL: 512-463-7847 / FAX: 512-475-2053, Panhandle Groundwater Conservation District, Panola County Groundwater Conservation District, Pecan Valley Groundwater Conservation District, Permian Basin Underground Water Conservation District, Pineywoods Groundwater Conservation District, Plateau Underground Water Conservation and Supply District, Post Oak Savannah Groundwater Conservation District, Prairielands Groundwater Conservation District, Presidio County Underground Water Conservation District, Real-Edwards Conservation and Reclamation District, Red River Groundwater Conservation District, Red Sands Groundwater Conservation District, Reeves County Groundwater Conservation District, Refugio Groundwater Conservation District, Rolling Plains Groundwater Conservation District, Rusk County Groundwater Conservation District, San Patricio County Groundwater Conservation District, Sandy Land Underground Water Conservation District, Santa Rita Underground Water Conservation District, Saratoga Underground Water Conservation District, South Plains Underground Water Conservation District, Southeast Texas Groundwater Conservation District, Southern Trinity Groundwater Conservation District, Southwestern Travis County Groundwater Conservation District, Starr County Groundwater Conservation District, Sterling County Underground Water Conservation District, Sutton County Underground Water Conservation District, Terrell County Groundwater Conservation District, Trinity Glen Rose Groundwater Conservation District, Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District, Uvalde County Underground Water Conservation District, Victoria County Groundwater Conservation District, Wes-Tex Groundwater Conservation District, Wintergarden Groundwater Conservation District, 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), Permanent Rules - Effective January 1, 2019, Brackish Resources Aquifer Characterization System, Notice of Nondiscrimination and Reasonable Accommodation, Texas Natural Resources Information System (TNRIS), Texas Water Infrastructure Coordination Committee (TWICC), District was created by Petition to the Texas State Board of Water Engineers, 1955, (formerly Martin County Underground Water Conservation District), (formerly Haskell/Knox County Underground Water Conservation District). Managing how groundwater resources are used is key to controlling subsidence. People who live in the lower lying coastal areas (i.e., lower elevations and flatter topography) have much more reason to be concerned with subsidence than those who reside further inland in areas of higher elevations with more topographic relief. On the first stop, we visited the Texas City Rainwater Pump Station, where Texas Citys Emergency Management team takes runoff rainwater from ditches in the area and pumps it into Moses Lake. The Harris-Galveston Subsidence District is a special purpose district created by the Texas Legislature in 1975. The Fort Bend Subsidence District was created by the Texas Legislature in 1989 as a conservation and reclamation district (Act of May 26, 1989, 71st Leg., R.S., ch. However, there is another cause of subsidence in our area which causes the activation of surface faults (which can damage roads, houses, and buildings), loss of wetlands and . water levels in the aquifer were declining with associated depressuring, dewatering, and compaction Next, we traveled to the infamous Brownwood Subdivision, which was abandoned due to substantial subsidence in the 1980s. 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. This is accomplished through the careful regulation of groundwater withdrawals, working in collaboration with surface water suppliers. Significant brackish groundwater resources exist within the Gulf Coast Aquifer System near Houston, Texas in Harris, Galveston, Fort Bend, and surrounding counties. Grant opportunities to implement projects that help reduce water use in the HGSD Regulatory Areas. 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 adopted as an effective alternative to manual contour interpolation. <>stream For detailed information on the processing methodology, please refer to https://ascelibrary.org/doi/10.1061/%28ASCE%29SU.1943-5428.0000399. While some of the duties and goals are similar to those of groundwater conservation districts, Harris-Galveston Subsidence District (HGSD) is not governed by Chapter 36 of the Texas Water Code.