6. 2011 Texas Drought
New Data Point
worst 12-month drought on record
hottest
reservoirs lowest since 1978
huge agriculture losses
Water right calls - in East Texas!
Emergency calls
“out of water” in 8-12 months
Power and chemical plants, refineries
10. West Texas Response
It will rain and flood again – but until then -
expand the safety net
CRMWD – new wellfield and pipeline (no GCD)
Midland - new wellfield and pipeline (no GCD)
San Angelo – new pipeline to existing wells
(long-term groundwater banking in GCD)
Odessa – assessing potential groundwater
projects
11. Outcomes of the Situation
Diversified water supply
Drought-ready supply to augment surface
water
Conjunctive use – good use of
groundwater
Potential to expand supplies through ASR
and brackish treatment
Not inexpensive
Similar approach as much of the desert
southwest
12. Important revelations
Current drought is “outside” of recorded water
history
Not over yet
We have not recorded everything there is to see
There are serious implications of the new data
18. Drought Impact on
Groundwater
Water levels declines in drought are
often related to increased pumping to
meet peak demands – not long-term
Shallow outcrop wells can be sensitive
to drought due to lack of local recharge
Deep wells are usually not impacted by
drought
28. Outcrop Well
Pumping Well
Middle Wilcox or
Simsboro Aquifer
Outcrop
Page 28
29. Outcrop and Downdip Hydrographs
in Brazos and Robertson Counties
Outcrop Well
Depth to Water (feet)
Pumping Well
State Well Number, Screened Interval
Page 29
31. Carrizo-Wilcox
Volume in Storage ~ 50,000,000 AF
in some counties –
How do we manage?
32. Stream-Aquifer Interaction and
Drought
1. Pumping from the shallow outcrop:
• May reduce water levels in the outcrop
• has the potential to impact streams (especially pumping close
to streams)
2. Pumping from deep confined aquifer:
• may not significantly reduce water levels in outcrop
• may not significantly impact streamflow
3. Historical data confirm this conclusion for Carrizo and
Wilcox
4. Carrizo and Wilcox respond differently than the Edwards
Aquifer
5. Most groundwater models don’t simulate this dynamic
appropriately
Page 32
33. Aquifers and Drought
Groundwater can offer a constant long-term
supply and/or a drought-ready safety net
Volumes stored in some aquifer are huge -
and most are not sensitive to drought
Aquifers are not created the same – and they
don’t respond the same to drought
The “same” aquifer can respond differently in
different locations
34. Questions for you…..
Is there a new “Drought of Record” in
your future?
Do you have a safety net?
Are we doing what we can to allow
conjunctive use during droughts?
35. Questions for you…..
Is there a new “Drought of Record” in
your future?
Do you have a safety net?
Are we doing what we can to allow
conjunctive use during droughts?