TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD REPORT 113 OCCURRENCE AND QUALITY OF GROUND WATER IN THROCKMORTON COUNTY, TEXAS By Richard O. Preston Texas Water Development Board April 1970 TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD Marvin Shurbet, Chairman Searcy Bracewell, Vice Chairman Robert B. Gilmore John H. McCoy Milton T. Potts W. E. Tinsley Howard B. Boswell, Executive Director Authorization for use or reproduction of any material contained in this publication, i.e., not obtained from other sources, is freely granted without the necessity of securing permission therefor. The Board would appreciate acknowledgement of the source of original material so utilized. Published and distributed by the Texas Water Development Board Post Office Box 123B6 Austin, Texas 78711 ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT .......••........................•.........•.....•....•......•. INTRODUCTION .........•....•...••.....•...•....•.•..••....•.....••...... 3 Purpose and Scope .........•..........•....•...........•...•.........••.. 3 Methods of Investigation .....•..........•....•.........•................•.. 3 Previous Investigations ............••....••..••....•....•....••....•.....•. 3 Well·Numbering System ......••....•...•......•...••...••....••....•....•.. 4 Acknowledgements . ..............•.........•...............•............. 4 GEOGRAPHy ............•...•••...••....••..••....••...••.........••....•. 4 Location . ................•...............•............................ 4 Climate .................•.........•....••....•...••....••.........•.. 4 Topography and Drainage ..........••...................................... 5 History. Population, and Economy .....................•....•................. 6 GENERAL GEOLOGY ......................•....•.•..•••...••.........•...... 8 GENERAL GROUND-WATER HYDROLOGY ......••.........••...•....••....•.....• 8 Hydrologic Cycle ......................•.....•....•....•.....•....•....•• 8 Source, Occurrence, and Movement of Water . ...•..........•....•..........•...... 8 Water-Level Fluctuations .................................•.....•........... 12 GENERAL CHEMICAL QUALITY OF GROUND WATER ....•..........•....•..........• 12 Chemical-Quality Standards and Criteria . 12 Treatment of Water _ _._......•....•....•.....•..... 14 OCCURRENCE AND QUALITY OF GROUND WATER .......•....•....•.....•....•.•... 15 Permian System . 15 Wichita Group ................•.....•..........................•.... 15 Pueblo Formation ...............•............................... 15 Moran Formation . 15 iii TABLE OF CONTENTS (Cant'd.l Page Putnam Formation ......................•.....................•.. 16 Admiral Formation . 16 Belle Plains Formation ......•............................•........ 16 Clyde Formation . 16 Lueders Formation .....................•......................... 16 Clear Fork Group .........•.....•....•....••....•.....•....••....••.. 17 Arroyo Formation ............................................•.. 17 Quaternary System ... _.........•......................................... 17 Alluvium _ . 17 WATER·QUALITY PROTECTION PROGRAMS .......••....•.....•..........•........ 18 Surface Casing ..........................••....•.....•..........•.....•.. 18 Subsurface Disposal ..................................•.....•............. 19 OIL·FIELD BRINE PRODUCTION ANO OISPOSAL ....••....••....•.....•....••....•.. 20 Quantity and Distribution of Produced Brine . 20 Chemical Quality of Produced Brine . 20 ALTERATION OF NATIVE QUALITY OF GROUNO WATER ...••....••....••....•.....•. 20 SELECTEO REFERENCES ........................................•.....•....•• 29 TABLES 1. Stratigraphic Units and Their Water-Bearing Properties in Throckmorton County 9 2. Source and Significance of Dissolved-Mineral Constituents and Properties of Water . 13 3. Records of Water Wells and Sprin9s ....................................• , ....•• 32 4. Chemical Analyses of Water From Wells and Springs .....................•.....•..... 40 5. Chemical Analyses of Oil-Field Brines .......................•••....•....•••.... 46 6. Reported Oil-Field Brine Production and Disposal in 1961 and 1967 ..........••••..••.•.. 47 7. Oil and Gas Tests Selected as Data-Control Points . .................•................ 51 iv TABLE OF CONTENTS (Cont'd.) Page FIGURES 1. Map of Texas Showing Location of Throckmorton County . 4 2. Well·Numbering System. .......................... 5 3. Annual Precipitation at Throckmorton. 1924·66 6 4. Average Monthly Precipitation at Throckmorton and Average Monthly Lake-Surface Evaporation in Throckmorton County, . 7 5. Major Structural Features in North-Central Texas . 10 6. Hydrologic Cycle 11 7. Diagrams of Chemical Analyses of Ground Water and a Typical Oil-Field Brine 22 8. Photographs of Surface Disposal Pits and Vegetative-Kill Areas. 1968 . 23 9. Geologic Map Showin9 Location of Wells and Springs .. 53 10. Map Showing Location and Amounts of Reported 1967 Brine Disposal, Vegetative-Kill Areas, and Apparently Contaminated Water Wells , . 55 11. Chloride, Sulfate, and Dissolved-Solids Content in Water From Wells and Springs. ............. 57 12. Geologic Section A·A' 59 13. Geologic Section B·B· 61 v OCCURRENCE AND QUALITY OF GROUND WATER IN THROCKMORTON COUNTY, TEXAS ABSTRACT Throckmorton County is in the drainage basin of fall within this general range. This water is from the Brazos River in north-central Texas. Permian rocks apparently or possibly contaminated wells. Several wells of the Wichita and Clear Fork Groups, dipping gently to produce water high in nitrate content, indicating the the northwest, are found at the surface within the possibility of contamination by sewage or animal wastes. county. Alluvial deposits of Quaternary age are found along the major streams in the county. Methods of disposal of oil-field brines are the probable cause of some of the poorer water qual ity in Small amounts of ground water, used mostly for Throckmorton County. Disposal of brine is also respon­ household needs and watering livestock, are produced in sible for extensive soil damage and vegetative kill in Throckmorton County from the Moran, Putnam, Admi­ some areas of the county. In 1961, 10,664,726 barrels ral, Belle Plains, and Leuders Formations of Permian age of salt water was reported produced with oil and gas in and from Quaternary alluvial deposits. This water occurs the county. Of this amount, over 95 percent was erratically in zones of generally low permeability on or reported returned to the subsurface through injection near the outcrop. More than 87 percent of the wells are and disposal wells, 4 percent was reported placed into completed in the Lueders Formation and Quaternary surface pits, and less than 1 percent was reported alluvial deposits. disposed of by other methods. In 1967, 6,396,766 barrels of salt water was produced with oil and gas in the Water quality in the county varies widely. county. Of this amount, 98.6 percent was injected into Although a general range in the native quality of water is the subsurface, 0.2 percent was disposed in unlined apparent, water from some wells contains high concen­ surface pits, and 1.2 percent was disposed of by other trations of sodium, calcium, and chloride which do not methods. OCCURRENCE AND QUALITY OF GROUND WATER IN THROCKMORTON COUNTY, TEXAS INTRODUCTION Methods of Investigation During this investigation 143 water wells and Purpose and Scope springs were located in Throckmorton County, and for these information was compiled on well depth, depth to This investigation is one of several ground-water water in the wells, geologic formations in which the studies that are currently being conducted by the staff wells are completed, and methods of well construction. of the Texas Water Development Board in a block of 18 counties in north-central Texas to meet a growing need Surface elevations of wells and springs were for more detailed and accurate ground-water informa­ established with the aid of U.S. Geological Survey tion in this area. The Board recognizes the significance topographic maps. These elevations were used in com­ of ground water in this region and is aware of the vital paring the depths to water and in determining the need for obtaining detailed and accurate information on geologic formation in which the wells are completed. the depth of occurrence of usable-quality water as the basis for providing adequate and equitable protection tor Water samples were collected for chemical analysis those water supplies. Several towns with municipal water from 125 of the wells and springs, and these analyses supplies in north-central Texas are served by ground were studied to determine the chemical characteristics of water or have water wells as a standby supply. In the ground water and, where possible, to locate possible addition to meeting municipal needs for water in the areas of pollution. area, ground water is often the sole source supplying domestic, farm, and ranch needs. Reports from the Various published geologic maps and numerous results of the investigations in Archer, Brown, Coleman, electric logs of oil and gas tests were studied and used to Montague, Shackelford, Stephens, and Young Counties interpret the geologic conditions relating to the occur· have been published by the Board (See references at end renee of ground water. of text), and reports on each of the remaining counties will be prepared and published as field studies are Oil-field brine disposal practices were observed in completed. the field and available information on areas and amounts of brine production and methods of brine