HGSD was created by the Texas Legislature in 1975 to prevent further subsidence. HGSD applies a science-based Regulatory Plan that establishes guidelines for groundwater withdrawals through a well-permitting process to reduce reliance on groundwater. The Regulatory Plan is an adaptive management strategy that is regularly reviewed using the best available data to ensure it is effective in preventing further subsidence. The most recent review was completed in 2025.
The goal is to shift our region’s primary water supply from groundwater to sustainable alternative water supplies that do not cause further land subsidence. However, the transition from groundwater to alternative water supplies (surface water, reclaimed water, etc.) is complex and requires regional water planning, which is why the Texas Legislature created Regional Water Authorities to provide local control for these water infrastructure projects. Regional Water Authorities are responsible for facilitating the conversion from groundwater to alternative water supplies to meet HGSD’s Regulatory Plan requirements.
In the 1990s, Regulatory Areas 1 and 2 were converted to surface water to meet the requirements laid out in HGSD’s Regulatory Plan, and they now have significantly improved subsidence rates. Conversion to alternative supplies is an ongoing process in Regulatory Area 3, with full conversion required by 2035.
Considerable supplies of surface water are available through the development of Lake Livingston on the Trinity River, Lake Houston and Lake Conroe on the San Jacinto River, and the Brazos River. The HGSD reviews the availability of freshwater resources as part of the science and research program. An alternative water supply assessment was completed as part of the Joint Regulatory Plan Review, which included an assessment of aquifer storage and recovery, brackish groundwater, and seawater desalination as alternative water supply options.