Identification of Geographic Areas in Texas Suitable for Groundwater Banking

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Identification of Geographic Areas in Texas Suitable for Groundwater Banking , , {'ll ) Identification of Geographic Areas in Texas Suitable for Groundwater Banking Prepared for Texas Water Development Board Austin, Texas Kenneth Calhoun Bridget R. Scanlon T. Neil Blandford Robert C. Reedy Mark D. Ankeny Bureau of Economic Geology December 31, 2002 Daniel B. Stephens & Associates, Inc. 6020 Academy NE, Suite 100' Albuquerque, New Mexico 87109 2001-I/f:5 - 3fJ8 Daniel B. Stephens & Associates, Inc. Table of Contents Section Page Executive Summary .................................................................................................................. vii 1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Types of Artificial Recharge Systems ............................................................................ 1 1.1.1 Artificial Recharge at the Ground Surface .......................................................... 2 1.1.2 Artificial Recharge in the Unsaturated Zone ....................................................... 4 1.1.3 Artificial Recharge in the Saturated Zone ........................................................... 4 1.2 Historical Use of Artificial Recharge in Texas ................................................................ 5 1.2.1 Use of Spreading Basins in Texas ...................................................................... 5 1.2.2 Use of In-Channel Infiltration Techniques in Texas ............................................ 7 1.2.3 Use of Aquifer Storage and Recovery in Texas .................................................. 7 1.3 Project Objectives and Scope of Work .......................................................................... 8 2. Statewide Screening Analysis ............................................................................................ 11 2.1 Geographic Information Systems ................................................................................ 11 2.2 Screening Methods ..................................................................................................... 12 2.3 Statewide Screening Criteria ....................................................................................... 13 2.3.1 Surface Water Quality ...................................................................................... 14 2.3.2 Groundwater Quality ........................................................................................ 16 2.3.3 High Demand Regions ..................................................................................... 17 2.3.4 Aquifer Characteristics ..................................................................................... 17 2.3.5 Distance from Surface Water ........................................................................... 18 2.3.6 Topography (Slope of Area) ............................................................................. 19 3. Site-Specific Analysis ......................................................................................................... 33 3.1 Regional Grouping of Counties ................................................................................... 33 3.2 Site-Specific Analysis Methodology ............................................................................. 35 3.2.1 Rate of Infiltration ............................................................................................. 37 3.2.2 Slope of Area ................................................................................................... 38 3.2.3 Distance from Surface Water ........................................................................... 38 3.2.4 Water Quality and Environmental Hazards ....................................................... 39 3.2.5 Water Storage and Conveyance Systems ........................................................ 40 3.3 Water Availability and Infiltration Computations ........................................................... 40 3.3.1 Basin I nfiltration Calculations ........................................................................... 41 3.3.2 TCEQ Surface Water Availability Models ......................................................... 44 3.4 Calculation of Recovery Efficiency .............................................................................. 46 4. South Central Texas Region ............................................................................................... 57 4.1 Water Resources Overview ......................................................................................... 57 4.2 Rate, Area and Time Period of Infiltration .................................................................... 59 5. Brazos Region .................................................................................................................... 73 5.1 Water Resources Overview ......................................................................................... 73 5.2 Rate, Area, and Time Period for Infiltration ................................................................. 74 P:\9408\TxGrdWtrFin.D-2002\GrdWtrBkgFin_113_TF.doc Daniel B. Stephens & Associates, Inc. Table of Contents (Continued) Section Page 6. Region C ............................................................................................................................ 89 6.1 Water Resources Overview ......................................................................................... 89 6.2 Rate, Area, and Time Period for Infiltration ................................................................. 90 7. Region F ........................................................................................................................... 105 7.1 Water Resources Overview ....................................................................................... 105 7.2 Rate, Area and Time Period for Infiltration ................................................................ 106 8. Ogallala Region ................................................................................................................ 121 8.1 Water Resources Overview ....................................................................................... 121 8.2 Rate, Area, and Time Period for Infiltration ............................................................... 123 9. Far West Texas Region .................................................................................................... 137 9.1 Water Resources Overview ....................................................................................... 137 9.2 Rate, Area, and Time Period for Infiltration ............................................................... 138 10. Conclusions and Recommendations ................................................................................ 151 10.1 South Central Texas Region ..................................................................................... 152 10.2 Brazos Region .......................................................................................................... 154 10.3 Region C ................................................................................................................... 155 10.4 Region F ................................................................................................................... 155 10.5 Ogallala Region ........................................................................................................ 157 10.6 Far West Texas Region ............................................................................................ 157 10.7 Recommendations and Additional Research ............................................................. 158 References ............................................................................................................................. 161 List of Figures Figure Page 1 Project Flow Chart ........................................................................................................... 9 2 Groundwater Quality Locations with Sulfate Concentrations Greater than the EPA Secondary Standard ...................................................................................................... 21 3 Projected 2050 Water Demand ..................................................................................... 23 4 Major Aquifer Outcrop Areas ......................................................................................... 25 P:\9408\TxGrdWtrFin.D-2002\GrdWtrBkgFin_113_TF.doc ii Daniel B. Stephens & Associates, Inc. List of Figures (Continued) Figure Page 5 Suitable Depth to Groundwater in Major Aquifer Outcrop Areas .................................... 27 6 Distance to Surface Water Screen ................................................................................. 29 7 Topographic Slope Screen ............................................................................................ 31 8 Counties Selected for Site-Specific Analysis ................................................................. 49 9 Counties Selected for Site-Specific Analysis with SSURGO Data Available .................. 51 10 Stream Hydrographs and Corresponding Available Recharge Hydrographs, Uvalde County ........................................................................................................................... 53 11 Available Recharge Hydrographs for 10-Acre and 1DO-Acre Basin Areas ...................... 55 12 South Central Texas Suitable Recharge Areas .............................................................. 61 13 South Central
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