Where is the Carrizo aquifer?
The Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer is a major aquifer extending from the Louisiana border to the border of Mexico in a wide band adjacent to and northwest of the Gulf Coast Aquifer. It consists of the Hooper, Simsboro, and Calvert Bluff formations of the Wilcox Group and the overlying Carrizo Formation of the Claiborne Group.
What is the biggest aquifer in Texas?
The Ogallala Aquifer
Summary. The Ogallala Aquifer is the largest aquifer in the United States and is a major aquifer of Texas underlying much of the High Plains region.
What is happening to the Carrizo-Wilcox aquifer?
The effects of over-pumping are seen in other parts of the Carrizo-Wilcox. Southeast of San Antonio, the aquifer has been intensely pumped for agriculture, and well levels have fallen by 500 feet in many places that previously had artesian wells.
Who uses the Carrizo-Wilcox aquifer?
It supplies the water, all or in part, for 66 counties. The water that is pumped out of this aquifer is mostly fresh to slightly saline and is used mostly for irrigation in South Texas and for public consumption in the Central and Northern parts of the state.
What feeds the Carrizo Aquifer?
The Aquifer is recharged with water from rainfall or from streams that cross the outcrop and lose a portion of their flow to the underlying sands. The groundwater in the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer is naturally fresh to slightly saline in some places.
What aquifers are in Texas?
Major Aquifers
- Pecos Valley.
- Seymour.
- Gulf Coast.
- Carrizo-Wilcox.
- Hueco-Mesilla Bolsons.
- Ogallala.
- Edwards-Trinity (Plateau)
- Edwards (Balcones Fault Zone)
What part of Texas has the most water?
Panhandle
In Texas, the Panhandle is the most extensive region irrigated with groundwater. In 2008, almost 96 percent of the water pumped from the Ogallala was used for irrigation. Water-level declines are occurring in part of the region because of extensive pumping that far exceeds recharge.
Where do Texans get most of their drinking water?
groundwater
Of all the water we use in Texas, about 60% is groundwater; the other 40 percent is surface water. In the next 25 years, the fastest growing users of water are projected to be cities and industry.
What is the Trinity Aquifer?
The Trinity Aquifer is a major aquifer that extends across much of the central and northeastern part of the state. These aquifers consist of limestones, sands, clays, gravels, and conglomerates. Their combined freshwater saturated thickness averages about 600 feet in North Texas and about 1,900 feet in Central Texas.
Is the Carrizo-Wilcox aquifer confined or unconfined?
Carrizo-Wilcox aquifer is typical of Gulf Coastal Plain dipping aquifers that have generally narrow, uncon- fined outcrop sections and much wider confined sections.
What are the 3 largest aquifers in Texas?
This system has been divided into three major water-producing components referred to as the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers. In 2008, municipal uses accounted for 62 percent and irrigation accounted for 25 percent of the total pumpage from the aquifer.
What’s wrong with Texas water?
At the height of the water crisis on February 19, nearly 15 million people across Texas lost access to clean water, according to Gary Rasp, a spokesperson for TCEQ. At the same time, the freezing temperatures broke water mains and people started to turn on their faucets to prevent their pipes from freezing.