Underground Water Resources of Lubbock. Texas
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71-27,624 KELLY', Charles Robert, 1932- THE CANADIAN RIVER MUNICIPAL WATER AUTHORITY PROJECT IN WEST TEXAS: A GEOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS. The University of Oklahoma, Ph.D., 1971 Geography I University Microfilms, A XEROX Company, Ann Arbor, Michigan THIS DISSERTATIŒ HAS BEEN MICROFimED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA GRADUATE COLLEGE THE CANADIAN RIVER MUNICIPAL WATER AUTHORITY PROJECT IN WEST TEXAS: A GEOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE FACULTY in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY BY CHARLES ROBERT KELLY Norman, Oklahoma 1971 THE CANADIAN RIVER MUNICIPAL WATER AUTHORITY PROJECT IN WEST TEXAS; A GEOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS APPROVED BY JISSERTATION COMMITTEE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The writer wishes to express his appreciation to his instructors in geography for their continued encouragement and guidance throughout many years of study at the University of Colorado and the University of Oklahoma. The author feels especially indebted to Dr. Harold A, Hoffmeister and Dr. Tim Kelley of the University of Colorado for their help in di recting his undergraduate program. Gratitude is extended to Dr. Ralph E. Olson for his understanding and helpful direction in the writing of this dissertation, and to Dr. John W. Morris who was largely re sponsible for making a program of study at the University of Oklahoma possible for the author. The author also extends his gratitude to Dr. J. Edwin Becht, Dr. Harry E. Hoy, and Dr. James M. Goodman for serving on his committee. Among the many fine people who provided assistance during periods of research in west Texas, a special note of thanks is due Mr. John C. Williams, General Manager, Canadian Municipal Water Authority, for the many hours he spent pa tiently answering questions about the Canadian River Project; Mr. George Loomis, Agricultural Economist, Bureau of Reclama tion, for making the files of the Bureau available, without iii restriction, to the writer; and to Mr. William Clayton, Mr. Duncan Ellison, and Mr. Gerald Ivey of Water Incorporated for many helpful comments pertinent to the problem of water resource management in west Texas. IV This dissertation is dedicated to my wife, Helen; sons, Robert, David and Tom; and daughters, Kathleen and Karen. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABL E S.................................. ix LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.......................... xi Chapter I. INTRODUCTION .......................... 1 General Introduction to the Study 1 Statement of Problem .......... 12 Need for the Study ............ 13 Procedures Used in the Investigation .................. 14 II. LOCATION AND PHYSICAL SETTING 16 Location ...................... 16 Physical Environment .......... 17 Climate of the Llano Estacado 17 Climate of the Canadian River Basin above Sanford Dam . 32 Geology and Ground Water . 3 Topography and Surface Hydrology . 4 Soils and Vegetation............ $2 III. SETTLEMENT HISTORY AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF WATER RESOURCES BY THE CANADIAN RIVER PROJECT CITI E S .................. 62 Early History...................... 62 Water Development.................. 68 Amarillo........................ 69 L u b b o c k ........................ 77 The Smaller C i t i e s .............. 86 Early Efforts to Promote a Surface Water Supply ...................... 96 IV. THE CANADIAN RIVER PROJECT ............ 115 History of Water Investigations on the Southern High Plains of Texas . 115 Period of Negotiation .............. 129 Financing the Project .......... 130 Bureau of Reclamation Planning Resumes .................. 135 vi Page Well and Pipeline Relocation ........ Summary of the Construction Phase . 13Ô Sanford Dam ....................... 13Ô Aqueduct System ................... 139 Description of the Structural Features of the Canadian River Project .... 142 Sanford Dam ....................... .142 Aqueduct System ................... 151 General Operation of the Project . 158 Cost Adjustments ..................... 163 Problems of Water Conservation .... 167 Multi-purpose Features of the Canadian River Project ....................... 169 Flood Control ..................... 170 Recreation ....................... 171 Fish and Wildlife ................. 152 V. WATER SUPPLY ALTERNATIVES FOR THE SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS OF T E X A S ............ 1Ô5 Possibilities for Surface Diversion to West T e x a s ........................ IS6 The Texas Water P l a n .................. 191 History............................ 192 Some Features of the Texas Water P l a n .............................. 194 Miscellaneous Plans for Augmenting the Water S u p p l y ...................... 199 Desalinization .................... 199 Geothermal W a t e r .................. 200 Playa Water R e c o v e r y .............. 200 Ground Water Recharge .............. 204 Conservation and Management .......... 207 VI. WATER AWARENESS SURVEY OF THE TEXAS HIGH P L A I N S.............................. 216 Population............................ 2l6 Development of the Questionnaire .... 217 Hypotheses............................ 221 Statistical Treatment of the Data . 221 Results of the Chi-Square T e s t ........ 222 Conclusions .......................... 223 Recommendations Based on the Questionnaire ........................ 224 VII. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS.................. 225 Summary ..... .................... 225 Conclusions and Recommendations . 230 vii Page BIBLIOGRAPHY ....................................... 2]6 APPENDICES......................................... 257 I. Sample Information Leaflet Describing the Canadian River Project .................. 257 II. Repayment Contract between the United States and the Canadian River Municipal Water Authority, Texas .......... 263 III. Contract between the Canadian River Municipal Water Authority and the City of Plainview, Texas for Providing a Municipal Water Supply .................. 291 IV. The Objectives of the Texas Water Plan . 306 V. Research Questionnaire .................. 309 Vlll LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Summary of Climatic Data for Amarillo, Texas, 1892-1968 ............................. 19 2. Summary of Climatic Data for Lubbock, Texas (Climatological Standard Normals, 1931-1960) ................................... 20 3. Evaporation Pan Data for Amarillo and Lubbock, Texas ............................... 30 4 . Stratigraphie Units and Their Water-bearing Properties, Llano Estacado, Texas .......... 35 5. Number of Municipal Wells in Service at Lubbock, Texas, 1925-1970 8l 6. City of Lubbock Ground Water Rights Acquired Since 1950 ................................... 84 7 . Number of Wells in the Llano Estacado, 1930- 1 9 4 0 ......................................... 96 8. Summary of Streamflow Records of Canadian River and Tributaries ...................... II6 9. Results of Canadian River Municipal Water Authority Confirmation Election, November 24, 1953 128 10. Summary of Negotiated Distribution of Construction Costs and Rates Per Thousand Gallons of W a t e r ............................. 133 11. Summary of Annual Flood Control Benefits . 171 12. Visitor-Use Days, Sanford Recreation Area, July 1, 1965 to June 30, 1970 173 13. Visitor-Use Days, Sanford Recreation Area, 1 9 6 9......................................... 175 1 4 . Summary of Estimated Annual Fish and Wildlife Values, Lake Meredith, Texas ................ I83 IX Page 15 . Projected Total Benefits to Irrigation, Texas High Plains, 1970-2020 .............. 214 16. Tally of Total Response Values to the Water Awareness Questionnaire .................. 222 X LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Page 1. Location of the Canadian River Project, T e x a s .................................... 2 2. The Ogallala Formation ................... 6 3. The Southern High P l a i n s ................. 7 4. Canadian River Project Cities ............. 10 5. Physiography of the Llano Estacado .... 1Ô 6. Annual Rainfall Variability at Amarillo, Texas, 1900-1969 25 7. Rainfall Charts for Lubbock, Texas .... 26 Ô. Rainfall Charts for Amarillo, Texas.... 27 9. Canadian River Drainage Basin and Vicinity M a p ............................ 33 10. Generalized Geologic Cross Sections, Southern High Plains of T e x a s ............ 42 11. Topographic Map of a Typical Portion of the Southern High Plains New Abernathy, Texas ........................ 46 12. Typical Playa Soil Association ........... 56 13. Typical Brownfield-Tivoli Soil Association.............................. 56 14. Underground Water Resources of Amarillo, Texas .......................... 71 15. Underground Water Resources of Lubbock, Texas .......................... 65 16 . Proposed Locations for a Dam on the Canadian R i v e r ................ 116 17. The Aqueduct System of the Canadian River Project............................ 152 xi Figure Page lÔ. Public Use Sites, Sanford Recreation Area, LakeMeredith, T e x a s .................. 174 19. Proposed Diversion Systems of the Texas Water Pl a n ......................... 196 20. Rectangular Pit Modification Plan for P l a y a s .............................. 203 Plate 1. The unconsolidated sediments of the Ogallala formation approximately three miles south of Fritch, Texas, near State Highway 1 3 6 ........................ 41 2 . An aerial view of several water-filled playa basins on the nearly featureless Llano Estacado at the intersection of 34 th Avenue and Eastern Street approximately three miles southeast of Amarillo, Texas .......................... 47 3 . The Mescalero Escarpment near Elkins, New Mexico marks the western edge of the