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Fracking and Texas Water Resources: Case Study in the Barnett Shale

Explore the effects of fracking on water resources in the Barnett Shale region of Texas, focusing on Tarrant County. Data analysis from TWDB groundwater monitoring wells reveals trends in water levels from 1993 to 2012 and raises questions about the correlation between fracking activities and water decline. Future considerations include exploring other potential influencing factors like population growth, industrial activities, and precipitation patterns.

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Fracking and Texas Water Resources: Case Study in the Barnett Shale

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  1. Fracking and Texas Water Resources: Case Study in the Barnett Shale Dana Lazarus, GIS in Water Resources, Dec. 3, 2013

  2. Outline • Background • Data Source • Methodology • Results • Conclusion / Next Steps

  3. Background: Major Aquifers in the Barnett Shale

  4. Background: Population vs. Natural Gas Production Focus on Tarrant County

  5. Data Source: TWDB Groundwater Monitoring Wells • Texas Water Development Board Groundwater Database Continuous water level data through 2012

  6. Data Source: Continuous Water Level Monitoring Data

  7. Methodology • Water Level • Interpolate water level acrossthe area based on observations for a single time period • Repeat interpolation for all time periods • Construct time series to evaluate trends over time • Water Quality • Data limited for parameters of interest

  8. Results: Interpolated Water Levels for 2012 Inverse Distance Kriging Nearest Neighbor Splines

  9. Results: Interpolated Water Levels 1993-2012

  10. Conclusion / Next Steps • Water levels experiencing some decline • Can trend be correlated to frackingactivity? • Consider otherfactors • Precipitation, Population, Industry, Agriculture

  11. Thank You! • Questions?

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