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The Future of Groundwater Availability

The Future of Groundwater Availability. Jim Brasher – General Manager, Colorado County Groundwater Conservation District. January 25, 2011 – LCRA Regional Council Meeting. Outline. Description of Aquifer Groundwater Usage Future Groundwater Usage. Major Aquifers of Texas.

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The Future of Groundwater Availability

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  1. The Future of Groundwater Availability Jim Brasher – General Manager, Colorado County Groundwater Conservation District January 25, 2011 – LCRA Regional Council Meeting

  2. Outline • Description of Aquifer • Groundwater Usage • Future Groundwater Usage

  3. Major Aquifers of Texas

  4. Hydrostratigraphy .1 mill yrs ago Gulf Coast Aquifer 2 mill yrs ago 7 mill yrs ago 26 mill yrs ago

  5. Hydrologic Cross-Section

  6. Groundwater Management Areas

  7. GMA 15

  8. Computer Simulations of the Gulf Coast Aquifer

  9. 3-D Conceptual Model

  10. GAM Runs: Chicot Aquifer Pumpage Comparison

  11. SimulationResults: Chicot Aquifer

  12. Pumpage versus Water Level Change Chicot Evangeline Jasper

  13. Pumpage versus Water Level Change Chicot Evangeline

  14. Pumpage versus Water Level Change Chicot Evangeline

  15. Summary of Gulf Coast Aquifer • Composed of Chicot, Evangeline and Jasper Aquifers (along with Burkeville Confining Unit) • Chicot is best and Jasper is poorest quality • Aquifers dip and thicken from NW to SE • Computer simulations can project aquifer conditions based on pumpage assumptions at future points in time

  16. Types of Groundwater Usage • Municipal or Public Supply • Domestic • Livestock • Commercial • Irrigation • Mining

  17. Irrigation

  18. Mining

  19. Colorado County Groundwater Usage

  20. Colorado County Groundwater Usage

  21. Ave water level of index wells (CBGCD) 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

  22. Future Water Usage • Up until now: • High availability of Colorado River water for irrigation • Abundant groundwater in most of the county • No accurate estimate of groundwater usage or availability – plenty of water • No regulation needed

  23. Region K Water Plan

  24. Projections of Irrigation Usage (Surface and Groundwater) (p) – denotes that only the portion of the county in Region K was considered Lower Colorado Regional Water Planning Group (Region K) – July 2010

  25. Projections of Mining Usage (Surface and Groundwater) (p) – denotes that only the portion of the county in Region K was considered Lower Colorado Regional Water Planning Group (Region K) – July 2010

  26. Projections of Municipal Usage (Surface and Groundwater) (p) – denotes that only the portion of the county in Region K was considered Lower Colorado Regional Water Planning Group (Region K) – July 2010

  27. Projections of Municipal Usage (Surface and Groundwater) (p) – denotes that only the portion of the county in Region K was considered Lower Colorado Regional Water Planning Group (Region K) – July 2010

  28. Future Water Use Projections • Currently a shortage in some major urban areas such as San Antonio • Projected Population of Texas expected to increase by 80% in the next 50 years • State Water Management Plan prescribes how LCRA will allocate water during supply shortages • Plan directs curtailment of interruptible water supplies so that firm water users are protected • In August of 2009, plans were developed to totally cut interruptible water supply to rice farmers • Likelihood of interruptible supply of Colorado River water being maintained is low

  29. Future Water Use Projections • Locally, project only small population increases, but… • Colorado, Wharton and Matagorda Counties will be viewed as prime areas to exploit for transport of water to urban areas! • LCRA-SAWS Project was an example • Project underway to transport water from Gonzales County to San Antonio

  30. Future Groundwater Usage • Up until now: • High availability of Colorado River water for irrigation • Abundant groundwater in most of the county • No accurate estimate of groundwater usage or availability – plenty of water • No regulation needed • What’s in store for the future: • Dramatic population increases will dictate water needs • Surface water availability from the Colorado River will likely be restricted • Projections of rice production and irrigation to decrease

  31. Future Groundwater Usage • Water will increasingly be treated as a commodity • Anyone who can deliver water to urban areas could be well compensated (i.e. conducive to water marketers) • Result: • The days of no regulation of • groundwater are gone! • Local control or state control?

  32. Questions?

  33. Geological Interpretations

  34. Pumpage versus Water Level Change Chicot Chicot Evangeline Evangeline Jasper Chicot Chicot Evangeline Evangeline

  35. Colorado County Rice

  36. 3-Dimensional Computer Simulation

  37. Outcrop Map in Computer Simulation

  38. Approximate Chicot Thickness

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