A recent report published by the Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC) and Regional Groundwater Science Partnership provides a balanced review of the current status of groundwater research in the region, particularly in Montgomery County.
The report was generated by an independent Science Advisory Committee, compromised of nationally respected scientists, who reviewed and analyzed research findings describing groundwater resources and subsidence in Montgomery and Harris counties. The Science Advisory Committee also provided a science-based review of the “Subsidence Investigations – Phase 1 Report” that was prepared by the Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District (LSGCD).
Report Findings Consistent with District Research
Key findings from the report support comments made by the Subsidence District, namely that groundwater extraction and subsidence are inextricably linked, and water levels and subsidence are generally most affected by the heaviest groundwater use in an immediate area. The report cited a key example of this at a subsidence monitoring site in Montgomery County. Data collected at that site showed subsidence rates declined in Montgomery County as a result of conversion from groundwater to surface water in 2015.
“The Regional Groundwater Science Partnership and HARC created a committee of federal, technical and academic experts from across the state that provided a thorough and clear review of the regional groundwater data available,” Subsidence District General Manager Mike Turco said. “The results of their work are consistent with the analysis we’ve been providing for the last few years.”
Ongoing District Projects to Highlight Relevant Data
The Science Advisory Committee report recommends continued and more thorough subsidence monitoring in Montgomery County. “The District looks forward to working with the Montgomery County community and the LSGCD to expand the GPS network in Montgomery County and use Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) data to fill in the gaps in our subsidence monitoring network using satellite data,” Turco said.
The Subsidence District InSAR project, being conducted with Southern Methodist University and mentioned in the HARC report, seeks to utilize satellite data to measure land surface deformation, including subsidence, throughout Harris, Galveston, Fort Bend, and surrounding counties.
The Spring Creek Project, another Subsidence District project mentioned in the report, began this year and has a planned completion in 2022. This study focuses on determining the economic impacts of groundwater deregulation in Montgomery County on flooding in the Spring Creek Watershed. More information on both projects will become available in the coming months.
“As one of the fastest growing regions in the nation, subsidence is an important consideration when projecting the impact of increased groundwater development and its effect on our communities,” Turco said.
To learn more about subsidence monitoring in the region, click here.
About the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District
The Subsidence District was created in 1975 by the Texas Legislature with the mandate to cease and prevent subsidence within Harris and Galveston Counties by regulating the use of groundwater. Subsidence has been a long-standing problem in Harris, Galveston, and surrounding counties, with total subsidence near Galveston Bay reaching over 10 feet. Subsidence can contribute to flooding, infrastructure damage, and faulting.
Since 1975, groundwater regulation implemented by the District has resulted in increased aquifer water levels and slowing or cessation of subsidence in regulatory areas closest to the Gulf of Mexico. Regional water authorities and the City of Houston are working together to develop the necessary water infrastructure to facilitate the District’s regulatory plan.