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Regional Groundwater Issues Hill Country-Gulf Coastal Plain

William Feathergail Wilson, PG # 21. Regional Groundwater Issues Hill Country-Gulf Coastal Plain . Regional Planning Groups & GMA’s. Recharge – Very Complex. Very small recharge. G roundwater age dating Geologic flow concepts Geochemical analytics Multiple correlation factors

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Regional Groundwater Issues Hill Country-Gulf Coastal Plain

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  1. William Feathergail Wilson, PG # 21 Regional Groundwater IssuesHill Country-Gulf Coastal Plain

  2. Regional Planning Groups & GMA’s

  3. Recharge – Very Complex Very small recharge • Groundwater age dating • Geologic flow concepts • Geochemical analytics • Multiple correlation factors • Vertical & horizontal flow • Local & regional factors • Aquifers & aquitards • Climate past and present • Carbonates and clastics • Structural factors • Diagenesis

  4. Combined (Conjunctive) Use • Surface and groundwater • Both over allocated • Demand exceeds supply • Texas will double its population • IH-35 Corridor

  5. Recharge Areas - Hill Country

  6. Fast Growth – No More Water • Growth will cease without water • IH-35 Corridor • San Antonio • Austin • Belton-Temple • Everything in between

  7. Edwards Plateau 38,000 Miles2 • Edwards Plateau covers ~ 40 counties • Provides ~ 90% of all spring flow for Hill • Country rivers and streams • Two primary units • Edwards carbonates • Hensell sands

  8. Edwards BFZ • A thin line • Balcones Fault Zone • Highly permeable • Cavernous • Rapid recharge • Large springs • Del Rio • Bracketville • San Antonio • New Braunfels • San Marcos

  9. Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifers • Major Gulf Coastal Plain aquifer couplet • Major export targets for the IH-35 corridor • Gonzales County • Bastrop County • Lee County • SE Caldwell County • $1 million/mile pipelines • Growing political controversies (water wars) • Demand exceeds supply • Alternatives? • Hosston • Desalination

  10. IH-35 Alternate Aquifer • Hosston sands and gravels • 500-1,000 mg/liter TDS • Drilling depths 3,200’ • Bell Co. test • Taylor city well • Test well ~ $400,000 • Production well ~ $1.2 million • Compare to $400 million cost • Pipeline • Drilling • Imports

  11. Groundwater Demand Population of Texas will double by 2050 Texas Hill Country growth-demand IH-35 Corridor – no more local groundwater Pipeline transport demand & issues $1 million/mile Landowner resistance Shale gas demand: 3-5 million gallons/well – may drill >30,000 wells in south central Texas

  12. Summary • San Antonio to Belton IH-35 corridor water demand exceeds supply • Fastest growing area in Texas • Alternative supplies • Desalination • Edwards • Hosston • Sea water • Import water • Drill a Hosston test well

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