U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Scientific Investigations Report 2018–5101

Status of Groundwater-Level Altitudes and Long-Term 

Groundwater-Level Changes in the Chicot, Evangeline, and 

Jasper Aquifers, Houston-Galveston Region, Texas, 2018

Prepared in cooperation with the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District,

City of Houston, Fort Bend Subsidence District, Lone Star Groundwater

Conservation District, and Brazoria County Groundwater Conservation District
Cover. Front, clockwise: Monitoring well at U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) site 292338095063601 (station KH-65-40-707) in Galveston 

County, Texas. USGS hydrologic technician measuring a well in Montgomery County, Texas, January 2018. Monitoring well at USGS site 

301228095272501 (station TS-60-53-516) in Montgomery County, Texas.
Status of Groundwater-Level Altitudes and 

Long-Term Groundwater-Level Changes 

in the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper 

Aquifers, Houston-Galveston Region, 

Texas, 2018

By Sachin D. Shah, Jason K. Ramage, and Christopher L. Braun

Prepared in cooperation with the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District,

City of Houston, Fort Bend Subsidence District, Lone Star Groundwater

Conservation District, and Brazoria County Groundwater Conservation District

Scientific Investigations Report 2018–5101

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Department of the Interior

RYAN K. ZINKE, Secretary

U.S. Geological Survey

James F. Reilly II, Director

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2018

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as noted in the text. Permission to reproduce copyrighted items must be secured from the copyright owner.

Suggested citation:

Shah, S.D., Ramage, J.K., and Braun, C.L., 2018, Status of groundwater-level altitudes and long-term groundwaterlevel changes in the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers, Houston-Galveston region, Texas, 2018: U.S. Geological 

Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2018–5101, 18 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20185101.

ISSN 2328-031X (print)

ISSN 2328-0328 (online)

ISBN 978-1-4113-4250-7
iii

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the owners and operators of wells throughout the study area for granting 

access and providing pertinent information that expedited data-collection activities. 

Additionally, the authors gratefully acknowledge the following U.S. Geological Survey 

colleagues for assisting in collecting groundwater-level data outside of normal duty hours as 

necessary and for assisting in processing and analyzing the large amount of resulting data 

within an abbreviated period: Dexter W. Brown, Robert H. Ellis, Eric M. Boeding, Jeff Sievers, 

Keith E. Mecum, Lisa L. Ashmore, Mackenzie K. Mullins, and Jason D. Payne.
iv
v

Contents

Abstract...........................................................................................................................................................1

Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................1

Purpose and Scope ..............................................................................................................................3

Hydrogeology of the Study Area .......................................................................................................3

Previous Studies ...................................................................................................................................6

Methods...........................................................................................................................................................6

Groundwater-Level Measurements...................................................................................................6

Determination of Groundwater-Level Altitudes...............................................................................6

Depicting Long-Term Groundwater-Level Changes........................................................................7

Groundwater-Level Altitudes and Long-Term Groundwater-Level Changes.......................................7

Chicot Aquifer........................................................................................................................................7

Evangeline Aquifer................................................................................................................................8

Jasper Aquifer.......................................................................................................................................8

Data Limitations ...........................................................................................................................................15

Summary........................................................................................................................................................15

References Cited..........................................................................................................................................15

Figures

1. Map showing locations of groundwater regulatory districts; approximate

trace of hydrogeologic section A–A ́; and outcrops and updip limits of the

aquifers in the Gulf Coast aquifer system in the Houston-Galveston region

study area, Texas..........................................................................................................................2

2. Hydrogeologic cross section A–A ́ of the Gulf Coast aquifer system in Grimes,

Montgomery, Harris, and Galveston Counties, Texas.............................................................4

3. Stratigraphic column showing geologic and hydrogeologic units of the Gulf

Coast aquifer system in the Houston-Galveston region study area, Texas ........................5

4. Map showing approximate 2018 groundwater-level altitudes and updip limit of

the Chicot aquifer, Houston-Galveston region, Texas ............................................................9

5. Map showing approximate 1977–2018 groundwater-level changes in the Chicot

aquifer, Houston-Galveston region, Texas..............................................................................10

6. Map showing approximate 2018 groundwater-level altitudes and updip limit of

the Evangeline aquifer, Houston-Galveston region, Texas..................................................11

7. Map showing approximate 1977–2018 groundwater-level changes in the

Evangeline aquifer, Houston-Galveston region, Texas.........................................................12

8. Map showing approximate 2018 groundwater-level altitudes and updip limit of

the Jasper aquifer, Houston-Galveston region, Texas .........................................................13

9. Map showing approximate 2000–18 groundwater-level changes in the

Jasper aquifer, Houston-Galveston region, Texas................................................................14
vi

Conversion Factors

U.S. customary units to International System of Units

Multiply By To obtain

Length

foot (ft) 0.3048 meter (m)

mile (mi) 1.609 kilometer (km)

Area

square mile (mi2) 2.590 square kilometer (km2

) 

Transmissivity

foot squared per day (ft2/d) 0.09290 meter squared per day (m2

/d) 

International System of Units to U.S. customary units

Multiply By To obtain

Length

meter (m) 3.281 foot (ft) 

meter (m) 1.094 yard (yd) 

Mass

milligram (mg) 0. 00003527 ounce, avoirdupois (oz)

Vertical coordinate information is referenced to either the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 

1929 (NGVD 29) or the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88).

Horizontal coordinate information is referenced to the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83).
Status of Groundwater-Level Altitudes and Long-Term 

Groundwater-Level Changes in the Chicot, Evangeline, and 

Jasper Aquifers, Houston-Galveston Region, Texas, 2018

By Sachin D. Shah, Jason K. Ramage, and Christopher L. Braun

Abstract

Since the early 1900s, most of the groundwater 

withdrawals in the Houston-Galveston region, Texas, have 

been from the three primary aquifers that compose the 

Gulf Coast aquifer system—the Chicot, Evangeline, and 

Jasper aquifers. Withdrawals from these aquifers are used 

for municipal supply, industrial, and irrigation purposes. 

This report, prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey in 

cooperation with the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District, 

City of Houston, Fort Bend Subsidence District, Lone Star 

Groundwater Conservation District, and Brazoria County 

Groundwater Conservation District, is one in an annual series 

of reports depicting the status of groundwater-level altitudes 

and long-term groundwater-level changes in the Chicot, 

Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers in the Houston-Galveston 

region. This report contains regional-scale maps depicting 

approximate 2018 groundwater-level altitudes (represented by 

measurements made during December 2017 through March 

2018) and long-term groundwater-level changes for the 

Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers.

In 2018, groundwater-level-altitude contours for the 

Chicot aquifer ranged from 200 feet (ft) below the North 

American Vertical Datum of 1988 (hereinafter referred to as 

“datum”) to 200 ft above datum. The 1977–2018 groundwaterlevel-change contours for the Chicot aquifer depict a large 

area of decline in groundwater-level altitudes (120 ft) in 

northwestern Harris County. The largest rise in groundwaterlevel altitudes in the Chicot aquifer from 1977 to 2018 (180 ft) 

was in southeastern Harris County.

Groundwater-level-altitude contours for the Evangeline 

aquifer ranged from 250 ft below datum to 200 ft above 

datum in 2018. The 1977–2018 groundwater-level-change 

contours for the Evangeline aquifer depict broad areas where 

groundwater-level altitudes either declined or rose. The largest 

decline in groundwater-level altitudes (320 ft) was in southern 

Montgomery County. The largest rise in groundwater-level 

altitudes in the Evangeline aquifer from 1977 to 2018 (240 ft) 

was in southeastern Harris County.

In 2018, groundwater-level-altitude contours for the Jasper 

aquifer ranged from 200 ft below datum to 200 ft above datum. 

The 2000–18 groundwater-level-change contours for the Jasper 

aquifer depict groundwater-level declines throughout most of 

the study area where groundwater-level-altitude data from the 

Jasper aquifer were collected, with the largest decline (200 ft) 

in southern Montgomery County.

Introduction

The Houston-Galveston region, Texas, consists of Harris, 

Galveston, Fort Bend, Montgomery, Brazoria, Chambers, 

Grimes, Liberty, San Jacinto, Walker, and Waller Counties (fig. 

1). Groundwater withdrawn from the three primary aquifers 

that compose the Gulf Coast aquifer system—the Chicot, 

Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers—has been the primary source 

of water for municipal supply, commercial and industrial use, 

and irrigation in the Houston-Galveston region since the early 

1900s (Kasmarek and Robinson, 2004). Prior to 1975, the 

withdrawal of groundwater from the Chicot and Evangeline 

aquifers was unregulated, and water levels in the aquifers were 

declining, resulting in subsidence (Coplin and Galloway, 1999). 

By 1977, the withdrawals had resulted in groundwater-levelaltitude declines in southeastern Harris County of 300 and 

350 feet (ft) below the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 

(NAVD 88) in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, respectively 

(Gabrysch, 1979).

To regulate and reduce groundwater withdrawals 

in Harris and Galveston Counties, the 64th Texas State 

Legislature authorized the establishment of the HarrisGalveston Subsidence District (HGSD) in 1975 (HarrisGalveston Subsidence District, 2013). After establishing the 

HGSD, the Texas State Legislature established an additional 

subsidence district (Fort Bend Subsidence District [FBSD]) 

and two groundwater conservation districts (Lone Star 

Groundwater Conservation District [LSGCD] and Brazoria 

County Groundwater Conservation District [BCGCD]) in 

the Houston-Galveston region to enable the regulation of 

groundwater withdrawals within their respective jurisdictions. 
2 Status of Groundwater-Level Altitudes and Long-Term Groundwater-Level Changes in the Houston-Galveston Region, Texas, 2018

laf18-0889_fig01

GALVESTON

COUNTY

BRAZORIA

COUNTY

FORT BEND

COUNTY

CHAMBERS COUNTY

WALLER COUNTY

LIBERTY COUNTY

MONTGOMERY COUNTY

GRIMES COUNTY

SAN JACINTO COUNTY

WALKER

COUNTY

HARRIS

COUNTY

FM 521

FM 787

FM 2004

90

105

45

249

59

10

99

90

548

321

FM 1960

FM 1764

FM 35

150 FM 1375

225

87

168

90

19

156

6

State Loop 336

36

105

90 59

290

59

45

10

610

45

Galveston Rd

Grand Pky

36

N Sam Houston Pky W

S Sam Houston Pky E

E North Belt

Addicks Satsuma Rd

S Belt

146

288

45

190

75

30

90

10

610

35

35

332

6

59

3

146

105

146

61

65

1488

1774

RIVER

BRAZOS

RIVER

SAN

BERNARD

RIVER

BRAZOS

RIVER

TRINITY

RIVER

WEST

FORK

SAN

JACINTO

RIVER

WEST FORK SAN

JACINTO

RIVER

Cedar

Bayou

Buffalo

Bayou

Clear

Creek

Lake

Creek

Lake Creek

Caney

Creek

Spring

Creek

Oyster

Creek

BRAZOS

FREEPORT

CLUTE

LAKE JACKSON

ANGLETON

GALVESTON

TEXAS CITY

ALVIN

LEAGUE CITY

ROSENBERG FRIENDSWOOD

PEARLAND

RICHMOND

MISSOURI

CITY

SUGAR

LAND

WEST UNIVERSITY PLACE

BELLAIRE DEER PARK

PASADENA

GALENA

PARK BAYTOWN

CHANNELVIEW

KATY

ALDINE

HUMBLE

HOUSTON

SPRING

CONROE

HUNTSVILLE

TOMBALL

THE 

WOODLANDS

MANVEL

HITCHCOCK

SANTA FE

LA MARQUE

LIBERTY

DAYTON

MONT 

BELVIEU

JERSEY 

VILLAGE

PRAIRIE 

VIEW WALLER

HEMPSTEAD

MAGNOLIA

FULSHEAR

PATTISON

SHEPHERD

CLEVELAND

PLUM 

GROVE

MONTGOMERY

WILLIS

NAVASOTA

SHELDON

RESERVOIR

TRINITY BAY

LAKE

HOUSTON

LAKE

CONROE

LAKE

LIVINGSTON

GALVESTON BAY

EAST BAY

WEST BAY

GULF OF MEXICO

30

A

A'

10

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

11

Hydrogeologic 

section on figure 2

0 8 16 24 MILES

0 8 16 24 KILOMETERS

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:100,000

Universal Transverse Mercator projection, Zone 15

North American Datum of 1983 Note: Aquifer data from Strom and others, 2003a, b, c;

Kasmarek and Robinson, 2004

 HarrisGalveston 

Subsidence 

District

Fort Bend 

Subsidence

District

Lone Star Groundwater 

Conservation 

District

Brazoria 

 County 

 Groundwater 

 Conservation 

 District

Area A

Area B

Area 3

Area 2

Area 1

Goose Creek Oil Field

Brownwood Subdivision

95°45'

95°45'

95°30'

95°30' 95°15'

95°

95°

30°30'

30°

30°

30°15'

30°15'

29°30'

29°45'

29°45'

29°15'

96°

96°

94°45'

94°45'

94°30'

94°30'

30°30'

29°15'

30°45'

29° 29°

30°45'

29°30'

95°15'

EXPLANATION

Approximate trace of hydrogeologic section

on figure 2

6 Approximate locations of wells on figure 2

Outcrop and updip limit of the Chicot aquifer

Outcrop and updip limit of the Evangeline aquifer

Outcrop and updip limit of the Burkeville 

 confining unit

Outcrop and updip limit of the Jasper aquifer

Study area

LOCATION MAP

TEXAS

Outcrop of the Catahoula confining system

Figure 1. Locations of groundwater regulatory districts; approximate trace of hydrogeologic section A–A ́; and outcrops and updip 

limits of the aquifers in the Gulf Coast aquifer system in the Houston-Galveston region study area, Texas (modified from Strom and 

others, 2003a, b, c; Kasmarek and Robinson, 2004).
Introduction 3

The FBSD was established by the 71st Texas State Legislature 

in 1989, the LSGCD was established by the 77th Texas 

State Legislature in 2001, and the BCGCD was established 

by the 78th Texas State Legislature in 2003 (Kasmarek and 

Ramage, 2017). Regulatory plans to gradually decrease 

groundwater withdrawals (in conjunction with increased 

usage of alternative surface-water supplies) are currently 

(2018) being phased in throughout the study area; the current 

groundwater management plans of each district are available 

on their respective websites (Brazoria County Groundwater 

Conservation District, 2012; Fort Bend Subsidence District, 

2013; Harris-Galveston Subsidence District, 2013; Lone Star 

Groundwater Conservation District, 2013). Groundwater 

withdrawals are currently (2018) not being regulated by 

a groundwater conservation district in two counties in the 

Houston-Galveston region (Liberty and Chambers Counties).

Since the 1970s, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), 

in cooperation with the HGSD and with the additional 

subsidence and groundwater-conservation districts (FBSD, 

LSGCD and BCGCD) as they became operational, has been 

monitoring groundwater-level altitudes and publishing reports 

on the status of groundwater-level altitudes and long-term 

groundwater-level changes in the Houston-Galveston region. 

An extensive well-monitoring network was first established 

by the USGS in 1977, and water-level data were collected and 

used to create the first published water-level-altitude maps of 

the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers in the Houston-Galveston 

region (Gabrysch, 1979). A comprehensive water-levelaltitude report for the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers was first 

published by the USGS in 1991 (Barbie and others, 1991). The 

USGS also first published a water-level-altitude map in 2001 

of the Jasper aquifer in the Houston-Galveston region (Coplin, 

2001). Additional information on the history of groundwaterlevel altitude monitoring and of the USGS reports published 

to document groundwater-level altitudes and changes in 

groundwater-level altitudes in the Houston-Galveston region 

is provided by Kasmarek and Ramage (2017). 

Purpose and Scope

The purpose of this report, prepared by the USGS 

in cooperation with the HGSD, City of Houston, FBSD, 

LSGCD, and BCGCD, is to depict groundwater-level altitudes 

and long-term groundwater-level changes in the Chicot, 

Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers in the Houston-Galveston 

region. An overview of the hydrogeology of the study 

area is provided. Regional-scale maps depicting contoured 

groundwater-level altitudes for 2018 and depicting long-term 

groundwater-level changes in the Chicot and Evangeline 

aquifers (1977–2018) and the Jasper aquifer (2000–18) are 

featured. Individual groundwater-level altitudes measured at 

each well for all three aquifers that were assessed (Chicot, 

Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers) and associated metadata are 

available for download in a companion data release (Shah and 

Ramage, 2018a, b).

Hydrogeology of the Study Area 

The following overview of the hydrogeology of the study 

area is modified from Kasmarek and Ramage (2017). The 

three primary aquifers in the Gulf Coast aquifer system in the 

Houston-Galveston region study area (the Chicot, Evangeline, 

and Jasper aquifers) are composed of laterally discontinuous 

deposits of gravel, sand, silt, and clay (Baker, 1979). The 

youngest and uppermost aquifer, the Chicot aquifer, consists 

of Holocene- and Pleistocene-age sediments; the underlying 

Evangeline aquifer consists of Pliocene- and Miocene-age 

sediments; and the oldest and most deeply buried of the three 

aquifers, the Jasper aquifer, consists of Miocene-age sediments 

(fig. 2) (Baker, 1979, 1986). The hydrogeologic cross section 

A–A ́ (figs. 1 and 2) of the Gulf Coast aquifer system extends 

through the Houston-Galveston region from northwestern 

Grimes County southeastward through Montgomery and Harris 

Counties before terminating at the coast in Galveston County. 

The percentage of clay and other fine-grained clastic 

material generally increases with depth downdip (Baker, 1979). 

Through time, geologic and hydrologic processes created 

accretionary sediment wedges (stacked sequences of sediments) 

more than 7,600 ft thick at the coast (fig. 2) (Chowdhury 

and Turco, 2006). The sediments composing the Gulf Coast 

aquifer system were deposited by fluvial-deltaic processes 

and subsequently were eroded and redeposited (reworked) by 

worldwide episodic changes in sea level that occurred as a 

result of oscillations between glacial and interglacial climate 

conditions (Lambeck and others, 2002). The Gulf Coast aquifer 

system consists of hydrogeologic units that dip and thicken 

from northwest to southeast (fig. 2); the aquifers thus crop out 

in bands inland from and approximately parallel to the coast 

and become progressively more deeply buried and confined 

toward the coast (fig. 2) (Kasmarek, 2013). The Burkeville 

confining unit is stratigraphically positioned between the 

Evangeline and Jasper aquifers (fig. 2), thereby restricting 

groundwater flow between these two aquifers. There is no 

confining unit between the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers (fig. 

2); therefore, these two aquifers are hydraulically connected, 

which allows groundwater flow between them. Because of this 

hydraulic connection, groundwater-level changes that occur 

in one aquifer can affect groundwater levels in the adjoining 

aquifer (Kasmarek and Robinson, 2004). Supporting evidence 

of the interaction of groundwater flow between the Chicot 

and Evangeline aquifers is demonstrated by determining the 

differences between long-term groundwater-level-change maps, 

which indicate that the areas where water levels have risen or 

declined are approximately spatially coincident. 

Hydraulic properties of the Chicot aquifer do not differ 

appreciably from those of the hydrogeologically similar 

Evangeline aquifer but can be differentiated on the basis of 

hydraulic conductivity (Carr and others, 1985, p. 10). From 

aquifer-test data, Meyer and Carr (1979) estimated that the 

transmissivity of the Chicot aquifer ranges from 3,000 to 

25,000 feet squared per day (ft2/d) and that the transmissivity 

of the Evangeline aquifer ranges from 3,000 to 15,000 ft2/d. 
laf18-0889_fig02

Jasperoutcrop

Catahoula

confining

system outcrop

Tertiary outcrop Quaternary outcrop

Evangeline

 outcrop

Burkevilleconfining unit outcrop

Chicot aquifer outcrop

A

A'

10

1

2

3 4 5

6

7

8 9

11

WALLER COUNTY

GRIMES COUNTY

GALVESTON COUNTY

HARRIS COUNTY

MONTGOMERY COUNTY

HUMBLE

No. 1 Sealy

EXETER

No. 1 Bradley

KURDICK

No. 1 Stoneham

LONE STAR

No. 1 Goforth

SUPERIOR

No. B-1 McWhorter

NEWMAN & GEOTEK

No. 1 Ziegenhain

SPARTA

No. 1 Suttles et al.

TENNESSEE GAS

No. 1 Martin Unit

HUGHES

No. 1 Goar Est.

PHILLIPS

No. 5 Guaranty

WELL NUMBERS ON LOCATION MAP

A 

NORTHWEST 

MONTGOMERY

COUNTY +400 GRIMES COUNTY HARRIS COUNTY GALVESTON COUNTY

−400

−800

−1,200

−1,600

−2,000

−4,400

−4,800

−4,000

−3,600

−3,200

−2,800

−2,400

−5,200

−7,600

−7,200

−6,800

−6,400

−6,000

−5,600

NAVD 88

FEET 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 

NAVD 88, North American Vertical Datum of 1988VERTICAL SCALE GREATLY EXAGGERATED

0 4 8 12 16 MILES

0 4 8 12 16 KILOMETERS

Anahuac

Formation

Formation

Frio

Catahoula

Sandstone

Base of 

Catahoula 

Sandstone 

Catahoula 

confining 

system

Jasper

aquifer

Base of 

Fleming 

Formation

Chicot aquifer

Evangeline aquifer

Burkeville

confining

unit

Approximate land surface

(upper part of Catahoula confining system)

(Holocene- and Pleistocene-age sediment

(Pliocene- and Miocene-age sediments)

(Miocene-age sedim

(Miocene-age sedim

(Miocene-age sediments)

Undifferentiated pre-Miocene-age deposits

Figure 2. Hydrogeologic cross section A–A ́ of the Gulf Coast aquifer system in Grimes, Montgomery, Harris, and Galveston Counties, Texa

Baker, 1979, fig. 4).
Introduction 5

The Chicot aquifer outcrops and extends inland from the 

Gulf of Mexico coast and terminates at the northernmost 

updip limit of the aquifer. Proceeding updip and inland of the 

Chicot aquifer, the older hydrogeologic units—the Evangeline 

aquifer, the Burkeville confining unit, the Jasper aquifer, 

and the Catahoula confining system—sequentially outcrop 

(fig. 1). In the updip areas of the Jasper aquifer, the aquifer 

can be differentiated from the Evangeline aquifer on the 

basis of the depths to water below land-surface datum, which 

are shallower (closer to land surface) in the Jasper aquifer 

compared to those in the Evangeline aquifer. Additionally, in 

the downdip parts of the aquifer system, the Jasper aquifer can 

be differentiated from the Evangeline aquifer on the basis of 

stratigraphic position relative to the elevation of the Burkeville 

confining unit (figs. 2 and 3).

Precipitation falling on the land surface overlying these 

aquifers returns to the atmosphere as evapotranspiration, 

discharges to streams, or infiltrates as groundwater recharge 

to the unconfined updip sediments composing the aquifers. 

The infiltrating water moves downgradient toward the coast, 

reaching the intermediate and deep zones of the aquifers 

southeastward of the outcrop areas, where it can be withdrawn 

and discharged by wells or is naturally discharged by diffuse 

upward leakage in topographically low areas near the coast 

(Kasmarek and Robinson, 2004). Water in the coastal, deep 

zones of the aquifers is denser, and this higher density water 

causes the fresher, lower density water that has not been 

captured and withdrawn by wells to be redirected as diffuse 

upward leakage to shallow zones of the confined downdip 

areas of the aquifer system (Kasmarek and Robinson, 2004).

 2Frio Formation

2

Upper part of

Catahoula tuff

2

Anahuac 

Formation

 1

Catahoula tuff 

 or sandstone

1

Located in the outcrop.

2

Located in the subcrop. 

Erathem System

Geologic units

Hydrogeologic

units

(Baker, 1979)

Vicksburg

Group

Alluvium

Beaumont

 Formation

Montgomery

 Formation

 Bentley

Formation

Willis Sand

Goliad Sand

Fleming Formation

 Lagarto Clay

 Lissie

Formation

Oakville Sandstone

Stratigraphic units

Aquifers and 

confining 

units

 Years

 before

present

Chicot

aquifer

Evangeline

 aquifer

Quaternary

Tertiary

Cenozoic

 Burkeville 

confining unit

Jasper 

aquifer

Catahoula 

confining 

 system

11,000

1.8 million

5.0 million

23 million

Holocene

Pliocene

Miocene

Pleistocene

Series

Pre-Miocene-aged sediments

Figure 3. Geologic and hydrogeologic units of the Gulf Coast aquifer system in the Houston-Galveston region 

study area, Texas (modified from Sellards and others, 1932; Baker, 1979; Meyer and Carr, 1979).
6 Status of Groundwater-Level Altitudes and Long-Term Groundwater-Level Changes in the Houston-Galveston Region, Texas, 2018

Previous Studies

An extensive well-monitoring network was established 

by 1977, and groundwater-level data were collected and 

used to create the first published groundwater-level-altitude 

maps of the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers in the HoustonGalveston region (Gabrysch, 1979). The FBSD adopted its 

groundwater management plan in 1990 (Fort Bend Subsidence 

District, 2013), and in cooperation with the FBSD, an increased 

number of wells were inventoried by the USGS in Fort Bend, 

Harris, Brazoria, and Waller Counties in 1989 and 1990. A 

more comprehensive groundwater-level-altitude report for the 

Chicot and Evangeline aquifers was published by the USGS 

in 1991 (Barbie and others, 1991) and was revised in 1997 

when updated well data became available (Kasmarek, 1997). 

Similarly, after the establishment of the LSGCD in 2001, the 

USGS started publishing a groundwater-level-altitude map of 

the Jasper aquifer in the Houston-Galveston region (primarily 

Montgomery County) (Coplin, 2001). In 2004, 2006, and 2007, 

as additional wells with reliable groundwater-level data were 

inventoried, revised groundwater-level-altitude maps for the 

Jasper aquifer were prepared (Kasmarek and Lanning-Rush, 

2004; Kasmarek and others, 2006; Kasmarek and Houston, 

2007). In comparison to groundwater-level-altitude maps in 

the 2001 (Coplin, 2001) and 2004 (Kasmarek and LanningRush, 2004) reports, the 2007 groundwater-level-altitude map 

(Kasmarek and Houston, 2007) was the most comprehensive 

for the Jasper aquifer in the study area prepared to date at that 

time. Since 2007, comprehensive maps for the Jasper aquifer 

have been included in the annual series of reports that depict 

groundwater-level altitudes and groundwater-level changes in 

the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers in the HoustonGalveston region (Kasmarek and Houston, 2008; Kasmarek and 

others, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016; Johnson and 

others, 2011; Kasmarek and Ramage, 2017).

Methods

This section describes the methods used to collect 

and process groundwater-level data used in this report, 

determine groundwater-level altitudes, and depict long-term 

groundwater-level changes in the study area. These methods 

are similar to those described in previous reports by Gabrysch 

(1979), Kasmarek and Houston (2007), and Kasmarek 

and Ramage (2017). 

Groundwater-Level Measurements

Groundwater-level data were obtained during December 

2017 through March 2018 from observation wells by measuring 

the depth to water below land-surface datum at each well to 

represent the 2018 groundwater-level altitudes of the Chicot, 

Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers. Most of the measurements 

were made by USGS personnel by using a calibrated steel 

tape, airline, or electric water-level tape in accordance with 

methods described in Cunningham and Schalk (2011). In 

2018, 25 measurements representing about 4 percent of the 

total number of all groundwater-level measurements were 

furnished by industrial entities and powerplants operating 

within the study area that use water for hydrocarbon 

processing and electrical power generation, respectively. 

The furnished water levels were typically measured by 

using air pressure to determine the saturated thickness 

above the pump intake, and multiple pressure measurements 

were usually collected as a quality-control measure. Air 

pressure measurements tend to provide less precision than 

do measurements made with either a steel tape or electric 

tape; therefore, all furnished measurements were rounded 

to the nearest foot. All collected and compiled water-level 

measurements were carefully reviewed by USGS personnel 

and loaded into the USGS National Water Information 

System (NWIS) (U.S. Geological Survey, 2018b). Protocols 

for the collection and review of groundwater-level data were 

in accordance with the USGS Texas Water Science Center 

internal document “Quality Assurance and Data Management 

Plan for Groundwater Activities” dated August 2017 (section 

5.0, “Data Collection,” and section 6.0, “Data Review and 

Processing” [Christopher L. Braun, U.S. Geological Survey, 

written commun., 2017]). 

Most of the measured wells were being pumped at least 

once daily and some more frequently during the period of 

this study. Well pumps were therefore turned off for at least 

1 hour before the groundwater-level measurements were 

made in order to obtain a groundwater-level measurement 

that approximated the static conditions within the aquifer. 

Antecedent withdrawal rates and pumping status of nearby 

wells were not always known, however, and in such instances 

could have affected the representativeness of the groundwaterlevel data that were collected. To ensure that the recorded 

groundwater-level measurement was accurate, at least two 

groundwater-level measurements were made at each well 

while the well was not being pumped. After the groundwaterlevel-measurement data were collected, they were thoroughly 

evaluated and incorporated into a geographic information 

system (GIS) as point-data layers and subsequently used 

for the construction of groundwater-level-altitude and 

groundwater-level-change maps. The groundwater-level 

measurements collected or provided for this study are 

compiled in Shah and Ramage (2018a).

Determination of Groundwater-Level Altitudes

The 2018 regional-scale depictions of groundwaterlevel altitudes presented in this report were derived from 

groundwater-level-measurement data collected throughout 

the 11-county study area from December 2017 through March 

2018 (water levels usually are higher during these months 

compared to the rest of the year). Groundwater-level-altitude 

data were calculated by subtracting the groundwater-level 
Groundwater-Level Altitudes and Long-Term Groundwater-Level Changes 7

measurement from the land-surface elevation at each well 

referenced to NAVD 88 (National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration, 2008). Prior to 2016, groundwater-level 

altitudes published in this annual series of USGS reports were 

referenced to either the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 

1929 or NAVD 88.

The accuracy of land-surface elevation data at wells 

used in the annual series of reports has gradually improved 

over time as digital elevation models have supplanted 

traditional methods of determining land-surface elevations 

from topographic maps. The most accurate land-surface data 

available were used by the USGS for each historical annual 

depiction of groundwater-level altitudes in the study area. To 

determine land-surface elevations in 2018, a corresponding 

land-surface datum was obtained for each well by using a 

USGS National Geospatial Program 1-meter digital elevation 

model (DEM) that provides three-dimensional elevation 

values referenced to NAVD 88 (Arundel and others, 2015; 

U.S. Geological Survey, 2018a). The height above land 

surface of the measuring point at each well was measured with 

an engineering ruler. In 1977, land-surface elevation data were 

calculated from USGS 1:24,000-scale 7.5-minute topographic 

quadrangle maps for the Gulf of Mexico coastal area, which 

have a 5-ft contour as described in Gabrysch (1979), thereby 

providing an accuracy of 2.5 ft. The DEM method used 

to determine land-surface elevation in 2018 provides an 

accuracy of 0.5 ft. 

The 2018 groundwater-level altitudes measured in wells 

completed in the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers 

are depicted on contour maps with 50-ft contour intervals. 

The groundwater-level-altitude contours are approximate, 

regional-scale depictions of the water levels in wells in the 

Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers, and the areal extents 

and locations of these contours represent the combined effects 

of total groundwater withdrawals from all groundwater wells 

screened in the Gulf Coast aquifer system.

Depicting Long-Term GroundwaterLevel Changes

Maps depicting changes in groundwater-level altitudes 

in the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers were 

constructed for the period of record available for each of 

the aquifers; data are from 1977–2018 for the Chicot and 

Evangeline aquifers and from 2000–18 for the Jasper aquifer. 

Groundwater-level changes were computed as the difference 

between groundwater-level altitudes at each well for which 

a groundwater-level measurement was made in 1977 or 

2000 and in 2018. For wells measured in 2018 that had no 

corresponding measurement in 1977 or 2000, a GIS raster 

(gridded surface) (Worboys, 1995) was created from published 

1977 (Gabrysch, 1979) or 2000 (Kasmarek and Houston, 

2007) groundwater-level-altitude contours. The maps were 

constructed by contouring the set of mapped point values, 

computed either as the difference in groundwater-level altitude 

at each well for which a groundwater-level measurement was 

made in 2018 and in the historical year or as the difference 

in groundwater-level altitude at that point in 2018 and the 

groundwater-level altitude on a gridded surface of the historical 

year groundwater-level-altitude map (Gabrysch, 1979; 

Kasmarek and Houston, 2007). Gridded-surface values (rather 

than actual measured values) for the historical year were used 

to compute differences (mapped point values) because many 

of the wells measured in 1977 or 2000 have been destroyed or 

were not measured in 2018. For the subset of wells measured 

both in 2018 and in the historical year, the mapped point values 

used were the differences in groundwater-level-altitude values 

between 2018 and the historical year rather than the differences 

between the 2018 groundwater-level-altitude values and the 

gridded-surface values from the historical year. The datasets of 

groundwater-level-change values (difference between 2018 and 

historical year groundwater-level-altitude values) are available 

in Shah and Ramage (2018a, b).

Groundwater-Level Altitudes and LongTerm Groundwater-Level Changes

Groundwater-level-altitude and long-term groundwaterlevel-change maps were constructed for the Chicot, Evangeline, 

and Jasper aquifers in the study area (figs. 4–9). Whereas the 

aquifer maps in this report depict approximate groundwaterlevel altitudes for 2018 (figs. 4, 6, and 8) by using 50-ft 

contour intervals, 20-ft contour intervals were used to depict 

groundwater-level changes for 1977–2018 in the Chicot aquifer 

(fig. 5), 40-foot contour intervals were used for 1977–2018 in 

the Evangeline aquifer (fig. 7), and 20-foot contour intervals 

were used for 2000–18 in the Jasper aquifer (fig. 9). All 

groundwater-level-altitude contours in this report are considered 

approximate. Locations of wells used to construct 2018 

groundwater-level-altitude maps for the Chicot, Evangeline, and 

Jasper aquifers are presented in Shah and Ramage (2018a, b). 

Chicot Aquifer

Groundwater-level-measurement data from 172 wells were 

used to depict the 2018 groundwater-level-altitude contours for 

the Chicot aquifer (fig. 4). In 2018, groundwater-level-altitude 

contours for the Chicot aquifer ranged from 200 ft below NAVD 

88 (hereinafter referred to as “datum”) in the western part of 

Houston to 200 ft above datum west of Conroe, Tex. 

The largest decline in groundwater-level altitudes (120 ft) 

indicated by the 1977–2018 groundwater-level-change contours 

for the Chicot aquifer was in northwestern Harris County near 

Jersey Village, Tex. (fig. 5). The largest rise in groundwaterlevel altitudes in the Chicot aquifer from 1977 to 2018 (180 ft) 

was in southeastern Harris County between Deer Park, Tex., and 

Baytown, Tex. (fig. 5).
8 Status of Groundwater-Level Altitudes and Long-Term Groundwater-Level Changes in the Houston-Galveston Region, Texas, 2018

Evangeline Aquifer

Groundwater-level-measurement data from 332 wells 

were used to depict the approximate 2018 groundwater-levelaltitude contours for the Evangeline aquifer (fig. 6). In 2018, 

groundwater-level altitudes in the Evangeline aquifer ranged 

from 250 ft below datum in three locations (northwestern 

Houston, near the Jersey Village area, and between Spring, 

Tex., and The Woodlands, Tex.) to 200 ft above datum 

north of Montgomery, Tex., and in the southeastern part of 

Grimes County.

The 1977–2018 groundwater-level-change contours 

for the Evangeline aquifer (fig. 7) depict broad areas 

where groundwater-level altitudes either declined or rose. 

The largest decline in groundwater-level altitudes in the 

Evangeline aquifer from 1977 to 2018 (320 ft) was in southern 

Montgomery County, near The Woodlands (fig. 7). The largest 

rise in groundwater-level altitudes in the Evangeline aquifer 

from 1977 to 2018 (240 ft) was in southeastern Harris County 

along Buffalo Bayou near Galena Park, Tex. (fig. 7).

Jasper Aquifer

Groundwater-level-measurement data from 108 wells 

were used to depict the approximate 2018 groundwaterlevel-altitude contours for the Jasper aquifer (fig. 8). In 

2018, groundwater-level-altitude contours for the Jasper 

aquifer ranged from 200 ft below datum near The Woodlands 

to 200 ft above datum in northeastern Grimes County, 

northwestern Montgomery County, and southwestern Walker 

County (fig. 8).

Whereas annual groundwater-level-altitude data have 

been collected since 1977 from wells completed in the 

Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, annual groundwater-levelaltitude data have been collected from wells completed in the 

Jasper aquifer since only 2000. The 2000–18 groundwaterlevel-change contours for the Jasper aquifer (fig. 9) depict 

groundwater-level declines throughout most of the study area 

where groundwater-level-altitude data from the Jasper aquifer 

were collected, with the largest decline (200 ft) in southern 

Montgomery County between Spring and The Woodlands.
Groundwater-Level Altitudes and Long-Term Groundwater-Level Changes 9

laf18-0889_fig04

EXPLANATION

Water-level contour—Shows altitude at which water

level would have stood in tightly cased well. Contour

interval 50 feet. Datum is North American Vertical

Datum of 1988

50

Updip limit of Chicot aquifer (University of Texas,

Bureau of Economic Geology, 1968; Baker, 1979)

Note:

The annual regional depictions of water-level altitudes presented in 

this report are substantiated by water-level-measurement data 

collected from December 2017 through March 2018 throughout an 

11-county area encompassing about 11,000 square miles. 

Contour locations and orientations should be viewed in a 

regional context because the water-level surface of the 

aquifers is a dynamic surface, constantly changing 

because of the dense network of wells operating in the 

study area. Users should be aware that water-level 

changes may have occurred since the water levels 

were determined for this report. Inherent 

uncertainties exist in these data such as 

antecedent withdrawal rates and the pumping 

status of nearby wells. When evaluating these 

contoured depictions, users should exercise 

discretion and know the limitations of these 

data when drawing conclusions or making 

policy decisions. These data should not 

be used for engineering applications.

Boundary of study area

0 8 16 24 MILES

0 8 16 24 KILOMETERS

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:100,000

Universal Transverse Mercator projection, Zone 15

North American Datum of 1983

FM 521

FM 787

FM 2004

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105

45

249

59

10

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90

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321

FM 1960

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State Loop 336

36

105

90 59

290

59

45

10

610

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Galveston Rd

Grand Pky

36

N Sam Houston Pky W

S Sam Houston Pky E

E North Belt

Addicks Satsuma Rd

S Belt

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35

35

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6

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1774

Tomball

The Woodlands

Manvel

Hitchcock

La Marque

Liberty

Jersey 

Village

Prairie 

View

Hempstead

Magnolia

Fulshear

Shepherd

Cleveland

Plum 

Grove

Montgomery Willis

Huntsville

Navasota

Waller

Pattison

Conroe

Spring

Houston

Humble

Aldine

Katy

Channelview

Baytown Galena 

Park

Mont 

Belvieu

Pasadena

Deerpark

Dayton

Santa Fe

Bellaire

West University

Place

Sugar

Land

Missouri

City

Richmond

Pearland

Rosenberg Friendswood

League City Texas City Alvin

Galveston

Angleton

Clute Lake

Jackson

Freeport

River

Brazos

River

San

Bernard

River

Brazos River

Trinity

River

West Fork

San

River

West Fork

San

Jacinto

River

Cedar

Bayou

Buffalo

Bayou

Clear

Lake

Creek

Lake Creek

Caney

Creek

Spring

Oyster

Creek

Brazos

Sheldon

Reservoir

Trinity Bay

Lake

Houston

Lake Conroe

Lake

Livingston

Galveston

Bay

East Bay

West Bay

GULF OF MEXICO

Jacinto

Creek

Creek

AUSTIN COUNTY

FORT BEND

COUNTY

WALKER

COUNTY

MONTGOMERY

COUNTY

SAN JACINTO COUNTY

COUNTY

WALLER 

BRAZORIA 

COUNTY

GALVESTON 

COUNTY

CHAMBERS COUNTY

LIBERTY COUNTY

GRIMES COUNTY

BRAZOS

COUNTY

WHARTON COUNTY

HARRIS

COUNTY

95°45'

95°45'

95°30'

95°30' 95°15'

95°

95°

30°30'

30°

30°

30°15'

30°15'

29°30'

29°45'

29°45'

29°15'

96°

96°

94°45'

94°45'

94°30'

94°30'

30°30'

29°15'

30°45'

29° 29°

30°45'

29°30'

95°15'

150

100

50

0

−50

−100

−150

−50

200

0

−150

−100

0

−200

−100

Study area

TEXAS

Figure 4. Approximate 2018 groundwater-level altitudes and updip limit of the Chicot aquifer, Houston-Galveston region, Texas (waterlevel-measurement data collected during December 2017 through March 2018).
10 Status of Groundwater-Level Altitudes and Long-Term Groundwater-Level Changes in the Houston-Galveston Region, Texas, 2018

laf18-0889_fig05

FM 521

FM 787

FM 2004

90

105

45

249

59

10

99

90

548

321

FM 1960

FM 1764

FM 35

150 FM 1375

225

87

168

30

90

19

156

6

State Loop 336

36

105

90 59

290

59

45

10

610

45

Galveston Rd

Grand Pky

36

N Sam Houston Pky W

S Sam Houston Pky E

E North Belt

Addicks Satsuma Rd

S Belt

146

288

45

190

75

30

90

10

610

35

35

332

6

59

3

146

105

146

61

65

1488

1774

EXPLANATION

20 Line of equal water-level rise—Interval 20 feet

−20 Line of equal water-level decline—Interval 20 feet

0 Line of zero water-level change

Boundary of study area

Updip limit of Chicot aquifer (University of Texas, 

Bureau of Economic Geology, 1968; Baker, 1979)

Note:

The annual regional depictions of water-level altitudes presented in 

this report are substantiated by water-level-measurement data 

collected from December 2017 through March 2018 throughout 

an 11-county area encompassing about 11,000 square miles. 

Contour locations and orientations should be viewed in a 

regional context because the water-level surface of the 

aquifers is a dynamic surface, constantly changing 

because of the dense network of wells operating in the 

study area. Users should be aware that water-level 

changes may have occurred since the water levels 

were determined for this report. Inherent 

uncertainties exist in these data such as 

antecedent withdrawal rates and the pumping 

status of nearby wells. When evaluating these 

contoured depictions, users should exercise 

discretion and know the limitations of these 

data when drawing conclusions or making 

policy decisions. These data should not 

be used for engineering applications.

0 8 16 24 MILES

0 8 16 24 KILOMETERS

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:100,000

Universal Transverse Mercator projection, Zone 15

North American Datum of 1983

Tomball

The Woodlands

Manvel

Hitchcock

La Marque

Liberty

Jersey 

Village

Prairie 

View

Hempstead

Magnolia

Fulshear

Shepherd

Cleveland

Plum 

Grove

Montgomery Willis

Huntsville

Navasota

Waller

Pattison

Conroe

Spring

Houston

Humble

Aldine

Katy

Channelview

Baytown Galena 

Park

Mont 

Belvieu

Pasadena

Deerpark

Dayton

Santa Fe

Bellaire

West University

Place

Sugar

Land

Missouri

City

Richmond

Pearland

Rosenberg Friendswood

League City Texas City Alvin

Galveston

Angleton

Clute Lake

Jackson

Freeport

River

Brazos

River

San

Bernard

River

Brazos River

Trinity

River

West Fork

San

River

West Fork

San

Jacinto

River

Cedar

Bayou

Buffalo

Bayou

Clear

Lake

Creek

Lake Creek

Caney

Creek

Spring

Oyster

Creek

Brazos

Sheldon

Reservoir

Trinity Bay

Lake

Houston

Lake Conroe

Lake

Livingston

Galveston

Bay

East Bay

West Bay

GULF OF MEXICO

Jacinto

Creek

Creek

AUSTIN COUNTY

FORT BEND

COUNTY

WALKER

COUNTY

MONTGOMERY

COUNTY

SAN JACINTO COUNTY

COUNTY

WALLER 

BRAZORIA 

COUNTY

GALVESTON 

COUNTY

CHAMBERS COUNTY

LIBERTY COUNTY

GRIMES COUNTY

WHARTON COUNTY

HARRIS

COUNTY

BRAZOS

COUNTY

95°45'

95°45'

95°30'

95°30' 95°15'

95°

95°

30°30'

30°

30°

30°15'

30°15'

29°30'

29°45'

29°45'

29°15'

96°

96°

94°45'

94°45'

94°30'

94°30'

30°30'

29°15'

30°45'

29° 29°

30°45'

29°30'

95°15'

Study area

TEXAS

160

120

80

60

40

0

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20

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60

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20

20

Figure 5. Approximate 1977–2018 groundwater-level changes in the Chicot aquifer, Houston-Galveston region, Texas.
Groundwater-Level Altitudes and Long-Term Groundwater-Level Changes 11

laf18-0889_fig06

FM 521

FM 787

FM 2004

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105

45

249

59

10

99

90

548

321

FM 1960

FM 1764

FM 35

150 FM 1375

225

87

168

30

90

19

156

6

State Loop 336

36

105

90 59

290

59

45

10

610

45

Galveston Rd

Grand Pky

36

N Sam Houston Pky W

S Sam Houston Pky E

E North Belt

Addicks Satsuma Rd

S Belt

146

288

45

190

75

30

90

10

610

35

35

332

6

59

3

146

105

146

61

65

1488

1774

Updip limit of Evangeline aquifer (Baker, 1979) 

Water-level contour—Shows altitude at which water

level would have stood in tightly cased well. Contour

interval 50 feet. Datum is North American Vertical Datum

of 1988

Boundary of study area

50

EXPLANATION

Note:

The annual regional depictions of water-level altitudes presented in 

this report are substantiated by water-level-measurement data 

collected from December 2017 through March 2018 throughout 

an 11-county area encompassing about 11,000 square miles. 

Contour locations and orientations should be viewed in a 

regional context because the water-level surface of the 

aquifers is a dynamic surface, constantly changing 

because of the dense network of wells operating in the 

study area. Users should be aware that water-level 

changes may have occurred since the water levels 

were determined for this report. Inherent 

uncertainties exist in these data such as 

antecedent withdrawal rates and the pumping 

status of nearby wells. When evaluating these 

contoured depictions, users should exercise 

discretion and know the limitations of these 

data when drawing conclusions or making 

policy decisions. These data should not 

be used for engineering applications.

0 8 16 24 MILES

0 8 16 24 KILOMETERS

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:100,000

Universal Transverse Mercator projection, Zone 15

North American Datum of 1983

Tomball

The Woodlands

Manvel

Hitchcock

La Marque

Liberty

Jersey 

Village

Prairie 

View

Hempstead

Magnolia

Fulshear

Shepherd

Cleveland

Plum 

Grove

Montgomery Willis

Huntsville

Navasota

Waller

Pattison

Conroe

Spring

Houston

Humble

Aldine

Katy

Channelview

Baytown Galena 

Park

Mont 

Belvieu

Pasadena

Deerpark

Dayton

Santa Fe

Bellaire

West University

Place

Sugar

Land

Missouri

City

Richmond

Pearland

Rosenberg Friendswood

League City Texas City Alvin

Galveston

Angleton

Clute Lake

Jackson

Freeport

River

Brazos

River

San

Bernard

River

Brazos River

Trinity

River

West Fork

San

River

West Fork

San

Jacinto

River

Cedar

Bayou

Buffalo

Bayou

Clear

Lake

Creek

Lake Creek

Caney

Creek

Spring

Oyster

Creek

Brazos

Sheldon

Reservoir

Trinity Bay

Lake

Houston

Lake Conroe

Lake

Livingston

Galveston

Bay

East Bay

West Bay

GULF OF MEXICO

Jacinto

Creek

Creek

AUSTIN COUNTY

FORT BEND

COUNTY

WALKER

COUNTY

MONTGOMERY

COUNTY

SAN JACINTO COUNTY

COUNTY

WALLER 

BRAZORIA 

COUNTY

GALVESTON 

COUNTY

CHAMBERS COUNTY

LIBERTY COUNTY

GRIMES COUNTY

WHARTON COUNTY

HARRIS

COUNTY

BRAZOS

COUNTY

95°45'

95°45'

95°30'

95°30' 95°15'

95°

95°

30°30'

30°

30°

30°15'

30°15'

29°30'

29°45'

29°45'

29°15'

96°

96°

94°45'

94°45'

94°30'

94°30'

30°30'

29°15'

30°45'

29° 29°

30°45'

29°30'

95°15'

Study area

TEXAS

150

100

50

0

−50

−150

−100

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100

50

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−250

−200

200

100

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0

−50

−250

−200

−100

−150

−100

−200

−150

−250

−200

−250

200

0

−100

−150

Figure 6. Approximate 2018 groundwater-level altitudes and updip limit of the Evangeline aquifer, Houston-Galveston region, Texas 

(groundwater-level-measurement data collected during December 2017 through March 2018).
12 Status of Groundwater-Level Altitudes and Long-Term Groundwater-Level Changes in the Houston-Galveston Region, Texas, 2018

laf18-0889_fig07

FM 521

FM 787

FM 2004

90

105

45

249

59

10

99

90

548

321

FM 1960

FM 1764

FM 35

150 FM 1375

225

87

168

30

90

19

156

6

State Loop 336

36

105

90 59

290

59

45

10

610

45

Galveston Rd

Grand Pky

36

N Sam Houston Pky W

S Sam Houston Pky E

E North Belt

Addicks Satsuma Rd

S Belt

146

288

45

190

75

30

90

10

610

35

35

332

6

59

3

146

105

146

61

65

1488

1774

EXPLANATION

Boundary of study area

Updip limit of Evangeline aquifer (Baker, 1979)

−20 Line of equal water-level rise—Interval 40 feet

−20 Line of equal water-level decline—Interval 40 feet

0 Line of zero water-level change

Note:

This change map was created by contouring the set of 

mapped point values computed as the difference in 

water-level altitude at each point (well) for which a 

water-level measurement was made in 2018 and the 

water-level altitude at that point on a gridded surface of 

the 1977 water-level-altitude map (Gabrysch, 1979, 

sheet 1). Gridded-surface values for 1977 (rather than 

actual measured values) were used to compute 

differences (mapped point values) because many 

of the wells measured in 1977 have been 

destroyed or were not measured in 2018. 

Conversely, some of the wells measured in 

2018 either were not measured or were not in 

existence in 1977. Thus, using the gridded 

surface yielded more point values than 

would have been available by using only 

the subset of wells measured in both 

2018 and 1977. For the subset of wells 

measured in both 2018 and 1977, the 

mapped point values used were the 

difference in water-level-altitude 

values between 2018 and 1977 

rather than the differences 

between 2018 water-levelaltitude values and 1977 

gridded-surface values. The 

area of water-level change 

shown is based on 

availability of water-level 

data from 1977.

0 8 16 24 MILES

0 8 16 24 KILOMETERS

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:100,000

Universal Transverse Mercator projection, Zone 15

North American Datum of 1983

Tomball

The Woodlands

Manvel

Hitchcock

La Marque

Liberty

Jersey 

Village

Prairie 

View

Hempstead

Magnolia

Fulshear

Shepherd

Cleveland

Plum 

Grove

Montgomery Willis

Huntsville

Navasota

Waller

Pattison

Conroe

Spring

Houston

Humble

Aldine

Katy

Channelview

Baytown Galena 

Park

Mont 

Belvieu

Pasadena

Deerpark

Dayton

Santa Fe

Bellaire

West University

Place

Sugar

Land

Missouri

City

Richmond

Pearland

Rosenberg Friendswood

League City Texas City Alvin

Galveston

Angleton

Clute Lake

Jackson

Freeport

River

Brazos

River

San

Bernard

River

Brazos River

Trinity

River

West Fork

San

River

West Fork

San

Jacinto

River

Cedar

Bayou

Buffalo

Bayou

Clear

Lake

Creek

Lake Creek

Caney

Creek

Spring

Oyster

Creek

Brazos

Sheldon

Reservoir

Trinity Bay

Lake

Houston

Lake Conroe

Lake

Livingston

Galveston

Bay

East Bay

West Bay

GULF OF MEXICO

Jacinto

Creek

Creek

AUSTIN COUNTY

FORT BEND

COUNTY

WALKER

COUNTY

MONTGOMERY

COUNTY

SAN JACINTO COUNTY

COUNTY

WALLER 

BRAZORIA 

COUNTY

GALVESTON 

COUNTY

CHAMBERS COUNTY

LIBERTY COUNTY

GRIMES COUNTY

WHARTON COUNTY

HARRIS

COUNTY

BRAZOS

COUNTY

95°45'

95°45'

95°30'

95°30' 95°15'

95°

95°

30°30'

30°

30°

30°15'

30°15'

29°30'

29°45'

29°45'

29°15'

96°

96°

94°45'

94°45'

94°30'

94°30'

30°30'

29°15'

30°45'

29° 29°

30°45'

29°30'

95°15'

Study area

TEXAS

−40

40

−320

40 40 240 40

−80

−120

−160

120

−80

80

−280

−80

−240

−120

200

−200

0

−80

−40

−120

160

80

120

40

0

160

−160

−160

0

−80

−120

80

−120

−40

−40

−80

−40

Figure 7. Approximate 1977–2018 groundwater-level changes in the Evangeline aquifer, Houston-Galveston region, Texas.
Groundwater-Level Altitudes and Long-Term Groundwater-Level Changes 13

laf18-0889_fig08

FM 521

FM 787

FM 2004

90

105

45

249

59

10

99

90

548

321

FM 1960

FM 1764

FM 35

150 FM 1375

225

87

168

30

90

19

156

6

State Loop 336

36

105

90 59

290

59

45

10

610

45

Galveston Rd

Grand Pky

36

N Sam Houston Pky W

S Sam Houston Pky E

E North Belt

Addicks Satsuma Rd

S Belt

146

288

45

190

75

30

90

10

610

35

35

332

6

59

3

146

105

146

61

65

1488

1774

Updip limit of Jasper aquifer (University of Texas,

Bureau of Economic Geology, 1968, 1974; Baker, 1986)

Water-level contour—Shows altitude at which water

level would have stood in tightly cased well. Contour

interval 50 feet. Datum is North American Vertical Datum

of 1988

Boundary of study area

50

EXPLANATION

Note:

This change map was created by contouring the set of 

mapped point values computed as the difference in 

water-level altitude at each point (well) for which a 

water-level measurement was made in 2018 and the 

water-level altitude at that point on a gridded surface of 

the 1977 water-level-altitude map (Gabrysch, 1979, 

sheet 1). Gridded-surface values for 1977 (rather than 

actual measured values) were used to compute 

differences (mapped point values) because many 

of the wells measured in 1977 have been 

destroyed or were not measured in 2018. 

Conversely, some of the wells measured in 

2018 either were not measured or were not in 

existence in 1977. Thus, using the gridded 

surface yielded more point values than 

would have been available by using only 

the subset of wells measured in both 

2018 and 1977. For the subset of wells 

measured in both 2018 and 1977, the 

mapped point values used were the 

difference in water-level-altitude 

values between 2018 and 1977 

rather than the differences 

between 2018 water-levelaltitude values and 1977 

gridded-surface values. The 

area of water-level change 

shown is based on 

availability of water-level 

data from 1977.

0 8 16 24 MILES

0 8 16 24 KILOMETERS

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:100,000

Universal Transverse Mercator projection, Zone 15

North American Datum of 1983

Tomball

The Woodlands

Manvel

Hitchcock

La Marque

Liberty

Jersey 

Village

Prairie 

View

Hempstead

Magnolia

Fulshear

Shepherd

Cleveland

Plum 

Grove

Montgomery Willis

Huntsville

Navasota

Waller

Pattison

Conroe

Spring

Houston

Humble

Aldine

Katy

Channelview

Baytown Galena 

Park

Mont 

Belvieu

Pasadena

Deerpark

Dayton

Santa Fe

Bellaire

West University

Place

Sugar

Land

Missouri

City

Richmond

Pearland

Rosenberg Friendswood

League City Texas City Alvin

Galveston

Angleton

Clute Lake

Jackson

Freeport

River

Brazos

River

San

Bernard

River

Brazos River

Trinity

River

West Fork

San

River

West Fork

San

Jacinto

River

Cedar

Bayou

Buffalo

Bayou

Clear

Lake

Creek

Lake Creek

Caney

Creek

Spring

Oyster

Creek

Brazos

Sheldon

Reservoir

Trinity Bay

Lake

Houston

Lake Conroe

Lake

Livingston

Galveston

Bay

East Bay

West Bay

GULF OF MEXICO

Jacinto

Creek

Creek

AUSTIN COUNTY

FORT BEND

COUNTY

WALKER

COUNTY

MONTGOMERY

COUNTY

SAN JACINTO COUNTY

COUNTY

WALLER 

BRAZORIA 

COUNTY

GALVESTON 

COUNTY

CHAMBERS COUNTY

LIBERTY COUNTY

GRIMES COUNTY

WHARTON COUNTY

HARRIS

COUNTY

BRAZOS

COUNTY

95°45'

95°45'

95°30'

95°30' 95°15'

95°

95°

30°30'

30°

30°

30°15'

30°15'

29°30'

29°45'

29°45'

29°15'

96°

96°

94°45'

94°45'

94°30'

94°30'

30°30'

29°15'

30°45'

29° 29°

30°45'

29°30'

95°15'

Study area

TEXAS

200

150

50

0

−50

100

−150

−100

100

100

−200

−200

Figure 8. Approximate 2018 groundwater-level altitudes and updip limit of the Jasper aquifer, Houston-Galveston region, Texas 

(groundwater-level-measurement data collected during December 2017 through March 2018).
14 Status of Groundwater-Level Altitudes and Long-Term Groundwater-Level Changes in the Houston-Galveston Region, Texas, 2018

laf18-0889_fig09

FM 521

FM 787

FM 2004

90

105

45

249

59

10

99

90

548

321

FM 1960

FM 1764

FM 35

150 FM 1375

225

87

168

30

90

19

156

6

State Loop 336

36

105

90 59

290

59

45

10

610

45

Galveston Rd

Grand Pky

36

N Sam Houston Pky W

S Sam Houston Pky E

E North Belt

Addicks Satsuma Rd

S Belt

146

288

45

190

75

30

90

10

610

35

35

332

6

59

3

146

105

146

61

65

1488

1774

EXPLANATION

Note:

This change map was created by contouring the set of 

mapped point values computed as the difference in 

water-level altitude at each point (well) for which a 

water-level measurement was made in 2018 and the 

water-level altitude at that point on a gridded surface of 

the 1977 water-level-altitude map (Gabrysch, 1979, 

sheet 1). Gridded-surface values for 1977 (rather than 

actual measured values) were used to compute 

differences (mapped point values) because many 

of the wells measured in 1977 have been 

destroyed or were not measured in 2018. 

Conversely, some of the wells measured in 

2018 either were not measured or were not in 

existence in 1977. Thus, using the gridded 

surface yielded more point values than 

would have been available by using only 

the subset of wells measured in both 

2018 and 1977. For the subset of wells 

measured in both 2018 and 1977, the 

mapped point values used were the 

difference in water-level-altitude 

values between 2018 and 1977 

rather than the differences 

between 2018 water-levelaltitude values and 1977 

gridded-surface values. The 

area of water-level change 

shown is based on 

availability of water-level 

data from 1977.

Updip limit of Jasper aquifer (University of Texas,

Bureau of Economic Geology, 1968, 1974; Baker, 1986) 

Boundary of study area

−20 Line of equal water-level decline—Interval 20 feet

0 8 16 24 MILES

0 8 16 24 KILOMETERS

Base from U.S. Geological Survey digital data, 1:100,000

Universal Transverse Mercator projection, Zone 15

North American Datum of 1983

Tomball

The Woodlands

Manvel

Hitchcock

La Marque

Liberty

Jersey 

Village

Prairie 

View

Hempstead

Magnolia

Fulshear

Shepherd

Cleveland

Plum 

Grove

Montgomery Willis

Huntsville

Navasota

Waller

Pattison

Conroe

Spring

Houston

Humble

Aldine

Katy

Channelview

Baytown Galena 

Park

Mont 

Belvieu

Pasadena

Deerpark

Dayton

Santa Fe

Bellaire

West University

Place

Sugar

Land

Missouri

City

Richmond

Pearland

Rosenberg Friendswood

League City Texas City Alvin

Galveston

Angleton

Clute Lake

Jackson

Freeport

River

Brazos

River

San

Bernard

River

Brazos River

Trinity

River

West Fork

San

River

West Fork

San

Jacinto

River

Cedar

Bayou

Buffalo

Bayou

Clear

Lake

Creek

Lake Creek

Caney

Creek

Spring

Oyster

Creek

Brazos

Sheldon

Reservoir

Trinity Bay

Lake

Houston

Lake Conroe

Lake

Livingston

Galveston

Bay

East Bay

West Bay

GULF OF MEXICO

Jacinto

Creek

Creek

AUSTIN COUNTY

FORT BEND

COUNTY

WALKER

COUNTY

MONTGOMERY

COUNTY

SAN JACINTO COUNTY

COUNTY

WALLER 

BRAZORIA 

COUNTY

GALVESTON 

COUNTY

CHAMBERS COUNTY

LIBERTY COUNTY

GRIMES COUNTY

WHARTON COUNTY

HARRIS

COUNTY

BRAZOS

COUNTY

95°45'

95°45'

95°30'

95°30' 95°15'

95°

95°

30°30'

30°

30°

30°15'

30°15'

29°30'

29°45'

29°45'

29°15'

96°

96°

94°45'

94°45'

94°30'

94°30'

30°30'

29°15'

30°45'

29° 29°

30°45'

29°30'

95°15'

Study area

TEXAS

−120

−80

−80

−60

−140

−60

−20

−200

−40

−60

−160

−80

−180

−140

−100

−120

−100

−40

Figure 9. Approximate 2000–18 groundwater-level changes in the Jasper aquifer, Houston-Galveston region, Texas.
References Cited 15

Data Limitations 

As described in the “Methods” section, the accuracy of 

the land-surface-elevation data has gradually improved over 

time. Any changes in land-surface elevation could affect the 

accuracy of groundwater-level-change maps depicting the 

differences between the current year (2018) and the historical 

year (1977 or 2000) altitudes (Kasmarek and Ramage, 2017). 

The depictions of groundwater-level altitudes and 

changes at any specific location are considered to represent a 

regional-scale approximation and, as such, are not intended 

for use in engineering or other design applications. The 

groundwater-level altitudes and changes presented in this 

report were rounded to the nearest foot; the values depicted on 

the maps represent a mathematical approximation that could 

vary as much as plus or minus 0.5 ft in addition to accuracies 

associated with the DEM source data. Users need to exercise 

discretion when drawing conclusions or making policy 

decisions on the basis of these contoured depictions.

Summary

The Houston-Galveston region, Texas, consists of Harris, 

Galveston, Fort Bend, Montgomery, Brazoria, Chambers, 

Grimes, Liberty, San Jacinto, Walker, and Waller Counties. 

Groundwater withdrawn from the three primary aquifers 

that compose the Gulf Coast aquifer system—the Chicot, 

Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers—has been the primary source 

of water for municipal supply, commercial and industrial use, 

and irrigation in the Houston-Galveston region since the early 

1900s. This report, prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey 

in cooperation with the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District, 

City of Houston, Fort Bend Subsidence District, Lone Star 

Groundwater Conservation District, and Brazoria County 

Groundwater Conservation District, is one in an annual series 

of reports depicting the status of groundwater-level altitudes 

and groundwater-level changes in the Chicot, Evangeline, and 

Jasper aquifers in the Houston-Galveston region. Water levels 

in wells screened in these aquifers were measured during 

December 2017 through March 2018 (water levels usually are 

higher during these months compared to the rest of the year).

This report contains regional-scale maps depicting 

approximate 2018 groundwater-level altitudes and longterm groundwater-level changes for the Chicot, Evangeline, 

and Jasper aquifers. Groundwater-level measurements from 

172, 332, and 108 wells were used to depict the approximate 

2018 groundwater-level-altitude contours for the Chicot, 

Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers, respectively. 

In 2018, groundwater-level-altitude contours for the 

Chicot aquifer ranged from 200 feet (ft) below the North 

American Vertical Datum of 1988 (hereinafter referred 

to as “datum”) to 200 ft above datum. The 1977–2018 

groundwater-level-change contours for the Chicot aquifer 

depict a large area of decline in groundwater-level altitudes 

(120 ft) in northwestern Harris County near Jersey Village, 

Tex. The largest rise in groundwater-level altitudes in the 

Chicot aquifer from 1977 to 2018 (180 ft) was in southeastern 

Harris County between Deer Park, Tex., and Baytown, Tex. 

In 2018, groundwater-level-altitude contours for the 

Evangeline aquifer ranged from 250 ft below datum to 200 ft 

above datum. The 1977–2018 groundwater-level-change 

contours for the Evangeline aquifer depict broad areas where 

groundwater-level altitudes either declined or rose. The largest 

decline in groundwater-level altitudes (320 ft) was in southern 

Montgomery County, near The Woodlands, Tex. The largest 

rise in groundwater-level altitudes in the Evangeline aquifer 

from 1977 to 2018 (240 ft) was in southeastern Harris County 

along Buffalo Bayou near Galena Park, Tex.

In 2018, groundwater-level-altitude contours for the 

Jasper aquifer ranged from 200 ft below datum to 200 ft 

above datum. Whereas annual groundwater-level-altitude 

data have been collected since 1977 from wells completed 

in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, annual groundwaterlevel-altitude data have been collected from wells completed 

in the Jasper aquifer since only 2000. The 2000–18 

groundwater-level-change contours for the Jasper aquifer 

depict groundwater-level declines throughout most of the 

study area where groundwater-level-altitude data from the 

Jasper aquifer were collected, with the largest decline (200 ft) 

in southern Montgomery County between Spring, Tex., and 

The Woodlands.

References Cited

Arundel, S.T., Archuleta, C.M., Phillips, L.A., Roche, B.L., 

and Constance, E.W., 2015, 1-meter digital elevation 

model specification: U.S. Geological Survey Techniques 

and Methods, book 11, chap. B7, 25 p. with appendixes, 

accessed July 16, 2018, at http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/

tm11B7.

Baker, E.T., Jr., 1979, Stratigraphic and hydrogeologic 

framework of part of the Coastal Plain of Texas: Texas 

Department of Water Resources Report 236, 43 p.

Baker, E.T., Jr., 1986, Hydrology of the Jasper aquifer in the 

southeast Texas Coastal Plain: Texas Water Development 

Board Report 295, 64 p.

Barbie, D.L., Coplin, L.S., and Locke, G.L., 1991, 

Approximate altitude of water levels in wells in the Chicot 

and Evangeline aquifers in the Houston area, Texas, 

January–February 1990: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File 

Report 91–240, 2 sheets, accessed February 10, 2018, at 

http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/ofr91240.
16 Status of Groundwater-Level Altitudes and Long-Term Groundwater-Level Changes in the Houston-Galveston Region, Texas, 2018

Brazoria County Groundwater Conservation District, 

2012, Brazoria County Groundwater Conservation 

District groundwater management plan: Brazoria County 

Groundwater Conservation District, 76 p., accessed 

February 10, 2018, at http://www.bcgroundwater.

org/images/bcg/documents/BCGCD_Groundwater_

Management_Plan_20121213.pdf.

Carr, J.E., Meyer, W.R., Sandeen, W.M., and McLane, I.R., 

1985, Digital models for simulation of ground-water 

hydrology of the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers along the 

Gulf Coast of Texas: Texas Department of Water Resources 

Report 289, 101 p.

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Coast aquifer, Texas, chap. 2 of Mace, R.E., Davidson, S.C., 

Angle, E.S., and Mullican, W.F., eds., Aquifers of the Gulf 

Coast of Texas: Texas Water Development Board Report 

365, p. 23–50.

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in the Jasper aquifer, greater Houston area, Texas, spring 

2000: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 01–147, 

2 p., accessed February 10, 2018, at http://pubs.usgs.gov/

of/2001/ofr01-147/.

Coplin, L.S., and Galloway, Devin, 1999, Houston-Galveston, 

Texas—Managing coastal subsidence, in Galloway, Devin, 

Jones, D.R., and Ingebritsen, S.E., eds., Land subsidence 

in the United States: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 

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Cunningham, W.L., and Schalk, C.W., comps., 2011, 

Groundwater technical procedures of the U.S. Geological 

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2013]: Fort Bend Subsidence District, 15 p., accessed 

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wells in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers in the Houston 

area, Texas, spring 1977 and spring 1978: U.S. Geological 

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2013: Harris-Galveston Subsidence District, 14 p., accessed 

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Water-level altitudes 2011 and water-level changes in the 

Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers and compaction 

1973–2011 in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, Houston–

Galveston region, Texas: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific 

Investigations Map 3174, 17 p., 16 sheets, accessed 

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completed in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, Fort Bend 

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Kasmarek, M.C., 2013, Hydrogeology and simulation of 

groundwater flow and land-surface subsidence in the 

northern part of the Gulf Coast aquifer system, Texas, 

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sir/2012/5154/.

Kasmarek, M.C., and Houston, N.A., 2007, Water-level 

altitudes 2007 and water-level changes in the Chicot, 

Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers and compaction 1973–

2006 in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, HoustonGalveston region, Texas: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific 

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February 10, 2018, at http://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/2007/2968/.

Kasmarek, M.C., and Houston, N.A., 2008, Water-level 

altitudes 2008 and water-level changes in the Chicot, 

Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers and compaction 1973–

2007 in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, HoustonGalveston region, Texas: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific 

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10, 2018, at http://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/3031/.

Kasmarek, M.C., Houston, N.A., and Brown, D.W., 2006, 

Water-level altitudes 2006 and water-level changes in the 

Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers and compaction 

1973–2005 in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, HoustonGalveston region, Texas: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File 

Report 2006–1079, 15 sheets, accessed February 10, 2018, 

at https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2006/1079/.

Kasmarek, M.C., Houston, N.A., and Ramage, J.K., 2011, 

Water-level altitudes 2009 and water-level changes in the 

Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers and compaction 

1973–2008 in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, HoustonGalveston region, Texas (ver. 1.3, March 15, 2011): U.S. 

Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Map 3081, 3 p., 

16 sheets, 2 apps., accessed February 10, 2018, at https://

pubs.usgs.gov/sim/3081/.
References Cited 17

Kasmarek, M.C., Johnson, M.R., and Ramage, J.K., 2010, 

Water-level altitudes 2010 and water-level changes in the 

Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers and compaction 

1973–2009 in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, HoustonGalveston region, Texas: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific 

Investigations Map 3138, 17 p., 16 sheets, 1 app., accessed 

February 10, 2018, at http://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/3138/.

Kasmarek, M.C., Johnson, M.R., and Ramage, J.K., 2012, 

Water-level altitudes 2012 and water-level changes in the 

Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers and compaction 

1973–2011 in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, HoustonGalveston region, Texas: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific 

Investigations Map 3230, 18 p., 16 sheets, accessed 

February 10, 2018, at http://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/3230/.

Kasmarek, M.C., Johnson, M.R., and Ramage, J.K., 2013, 

Water-level altitudes 2013 and water-level changes in the 

Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers and compaction 

1973–2012 in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, HoustonGalveston region, Texas: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific 

Investigations Map 3263, 19 p., 16 sheets, accessed 

February 10, 2018, at http://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/3263/.

Kasmarek, M.C., Johnson, M.R., and Ramage, J.K., 2014, 

Water-level altitudes 2014 and water-level changes in the 

Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers and compaction 

1973–2013 in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, HoustonGalveston region, Texas: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific 

Investigations Map 3308, 20 p., 16 sheets, accessed 

February 10, 2018, at https://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sim3308.

Kasmarek, M.C., and Lanning-Rush, Jennifer, 2004, Waterlevel altitudes 2004 and water-level changes in the Chicot, 

Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers and compaction 1973–2003 

in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, Houston-Galveston 

region, Texas: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 

2004–1084, 13 sheets, accessed February 10, 2018, at http://

pubs.usgs.gov/of/2004/1084/.

Kasmarek, M.C., and Ramage, J.K., 2017, Water-level 

altitudes 2017 and water-level changes in the Chicot, 

Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers and compaction 1973–

2016 in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, HoustonGalveston region, Texas: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific 

Investigations Report 2017–5080, accessed February 10, 

2018, at http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20175080.

Kasmarek, M.C., Ramage, J.K., Houston, N.A., Johnson, 

M.R., and Schmidt, T.S., 2015, Water-level altitudes 2015

and water-level changes in the Chicot, Evangeline, and

Jasper aquifers and compaction 1973–2014 in the Chicot

and Evangeline aquifers, Houston-Galveston region, Texas:

U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Map 3337,

pamphlet, 16 sheets, scale 1:100,000, accessed February 10,

2018, at https://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sim3337.

Kasmarek, M.C., Ramage, J.K., and Johnson, M.R., 2016, 

Water-level altitudes 2016 and water-level changes in the 

Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers and compaction 

1973–2015 in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, HoustonGalveston region, Texas: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific 

Investigations Map 3365, pamphlet, 16 sheets, scale 

1:100,000, accessed February 10, 2018, at http://dx.doi.

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For more information about this publication, contact

Director, Texas Water Science Center

U.S. Geological Survey

1505 Ferguson Lane

Austin, TX 78754–4501 

For additional information visit https://tx.usgs.gov/.

Publishing support provided by

Lafayette Publishing Service Center
Shah and others—Status of Groundwater-Level Altitudes and Long-Term Groundwater-Level Changes in the Houston-Galveston Region, Texas, 2018—SIR 2018–5101

ISBN 978-1-4113-4250-7

9 7 81411 342507

ISSN 2328-031X (print)

ISSN 2328-0328 (online)

https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20185101