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Mark C. Kasmarek

Publications and source records attributed to Mark C. Kasmarek.

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USGS2004

Summary of hydrogeology and simulation of ground-water flow and land-surface subsidence in the northern part of the Gulf Coast aquifer system, Texas

The northern part of the Gulf Coast aquifer system in Texas, which includes the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers, supplies most of the water used for industrial, municipal, agricultural, and commercial purposes for an approximately 25,000- square-mile (mi 2 ) area that includes the Beaumont and Houston metropolitan areas. The area has an abundant amount of potable ground water, but withdrawals of large quantities of ground water have resulted in potentiometric-surface declines in the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers and land-surface subsidence from depressurization and compaction of clay layers interbedded in the aquifer sediments. This fact sheet summarizes a study done in cooperation with the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) and the Harris-Galveston Coastal Subsidence District (HGCSD) as a part of the TWDB Ground-Water Availability Modeling (or Model) (GAM) program. The study was designed to develop and test a ground-water-flow model of the northern part of the Gulf Coast aquifer system in the GAM area (fig. 1) that waterresource managers can use as a tool to address future groundwater- availability issues.

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USGS2004

Water-level altitudes 2004 and water-level changes in the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers and compaction 1973-2003 in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, Houston-Galveston region, Texas

This report is one in an annual series of reports that depicts water-level altitudes and water-level changes in the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers, and compaction in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers in the Houston-Galveston region. The Houston-Galveston region comprises Harris, Galveston, Fort Bend, Waller, and Montgomery Counties and adjacent parts of Brazoria, Grimes, Walker, San Jacinto, Liberty, and Chambers Counties. The report was prepared in cooperation with the Harris-Galveston Coastal Subsidence District, the City of Houston, the Fort Bend Subsidence District, and the Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District. For the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, maps show approximate water-level altitudes in 2004, water-level changes from 2003 to 2004, approximate water-level changes from 1977 to 2004, and approximate water-level changes from 1990 to 2004 (figs. 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ). For the Jasper aquifer, maps show approximate water-level altitudes in 2004 and water-level changes from 2003 to 2004 and 2000 to 2004 (figs. 9 , 10 , 11 ). The report also contains a map showing borehole extensometer (well equipped with compaction monitor) site locations ( fig. 12 ) and graphs showing measured compaction of subsurface material at these sites from 1973 or later to 2003 ( fig. 13 ). The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has published annual reports of water-level altitudes and water-level changes for the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers in the Houston-Galveston region since 1979; and annual reports of same for the Fort Bend subregion (Fort Bend County and adjacent areas) since 1990. The USGS published its first water-level-altitude map for the Jasper aquifer in the greater Houston area (primarily Montgomery County) in 2001. The 2004 water-level-altitude and water-level-change maps for the three aquifers are included in this report.

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USGS2004

Water-level changes 2000-2004 in the Chicot and Evangeline Aquifers, Houston-Galveston Region, Texas

This report depicts 2000–2004 water-level changes in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers in the Houston-Galveston region (figs. 1 and 2). The Houston-Galveston region comprises Harris, Galveston, Fort Bend, Waller, and Montgomery Counties and adjacent parts of Brazoria, Grimes, Walker, San Jacinto, Liberty, and Chambers Counties. The report was prepared in cooperation with the Harris-Galveston Coastal Subsidence District and the Fort Bend Subsidence District. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has published annual reports of water-level altitudes and water-level changes for the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers in the Houston-Galveston region since 1979 and separate similar annual reports for the Fort Bend subregion since 1990. Beginning with 2002, the separate annual reports were combined into one report.

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USGS2004

Hydrogeology and simulation of ground-water flow and land-surface subsidence in the northern part of the Gulf Coast aquifer system, Texas

As a part of the Texas Water Development Board Ground- Water Availability Modeling program, the U.S. Geological Survey developed and tested a numerical finite-difference (MODFLOW) model to simulate ground-water flow and land-surface subsidence in the northern part of the Gulf Coast aquifer system in Texas from predevelopment (before 1891) through 2000. The model is intended to be a tool that water-resource managers can use to address future ground-water-availability issues. From land surface downward, the Chicot aquifer, the Evangeline aquifer, the Burkeville confining unit, the Jasper aquifer, and the Catahoula confining unit are the hydrogeologic units of the Gulf Coast aquifer system. Withdrawals of large quantities of ground water have resulted in potentiometric surface (head) declines in the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers and land-surface subsidence (primarily in the Houston area) from depressurization and compaction of clay layers interbedded in the aquifer sediments. In a generalized conceptual model of the aquifer system, water enters the ground-waterflow system in topographically high outcrops of the hydrogeologic units in the northwestern part of the approximately 25,000-square-mile model area. Water that does not discharge to streams flows to intermediate and deep zones of the system southeastward of the outcrop areas where it is discharged by wells and by upward leakage in topographically low areas near the coast. The uppermost parts of the aquifer system, which include outcrop areas, are under water-table conditions. As depth increases in the aquifer system and as interbedded sand and clay accumulate, water-table conditions evolve into confined conditions. The model comprises four layers, one for each of the hydrogeologic units of the aquifer system except the Catahoula confining unit, the assumed no-flow base of the system. Each layer consists of 137 rows and 245 columns of uniformly spaced grid blocks, each block representing 1 square mile. Lateral no-flow boundaries were located on the basis of outcrop extent (northwestern), major streams (southwestern, northeastern), and downdip limit of freshwater (southeastern). The MODFLOW general-head boundary package was used to simulate recharge and discharge in the outcrops of the hydrogeologic units. Simulation of land-surface subsidence (actually, compaction of clays) and release of water from storage in the clays of the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers was accomplished using the Interbed-Storage Package designed for use with the MODFLOW model. The model was calibrated by trial-anderror adjustment of selected model input data in a series of transient simulations until the model output (potentiometric surfaces, land-surface subsidence, and selected water-budget components) reasonably reproduced field measured (or estimated) aquifer responses. Model calibration comprised four elements: The first was qualitative comparison of simulated and measured heads in the aquifers for 1977 and 2000; and quantitative comparison by computation and areal distribution of the root-mean-square error between simulated and measured heads. The second calibration element was comparison of simulated and measured hydrographs from wells in the aquifers in a number of counties throughout the modeled area. The third calibration element was comparison of simulated water-budget componentsprimarily recharge and dischargeto estimates of physically reasonable ranges of actual water-budget components. The fourth calibration element was comparison of simulated land-surface subsidence from predevelopment to 2000 to measured land surface subsidence from 1906 through 1995.

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USGS2002

Water-level changes 1977-87, 1987-95, and 1995-2000 in the Chicot and Evangeline Aquifers, Houston-Galveston region, Texas

This report depicts long-term water-level changes in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers in the Houston-Galveston region. The Houston-Galveston region comprises Harris, Galveston, Fort Bend, Waller, and Montgomery Counties and adjacent parts of Brazoria, Grimes, Walker, San Jacinto, Liberty, and Chambers Counties. The report was prepared in cooperation with the Harris-Galveston Coastal Subsidence District and the Fort Bend Subsidence District. For the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, maps show approximate water-level changes for the periods 1977 to 1987 (figs. 1 and 4), 1987 to 1995 (figs. 2 and 5), and 1995 to 2000 (figs. 3 and 6). Nineteen seventy-seven was the first year that water levels in a network of wells were measured and water-levelaltitude maps made for the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers. Nineteen eighty-seven, 1995, and 2000 were years in which land-surface altitudes throughout Harris, Galveston, and Fort Bend Counties were releveled using spirit leveling (1987) and Global Positioning Satellite technology (1995 and 2000); thus the selection of those years for the maps. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has published annual reports of water-level altitudes and water-level changes for the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers in the Houston-Galveston region since 1979 and separate similar annual reports for the Fort Bend subregion since 1990. Beginning with 2002, the separate annual reports were combined into one report.

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USGS2002

Hydrogeology and simulation of ground-water flow and land-surface subsidence in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, Houston area, Texas

In November 1997, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the City of Houston Utilities Planning Section and the City of Houston Department of Public Works & Engineering, began an investigation of the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers in the greater Houston area in Texas to better understand the hydrology, flow, and associated land-surface subsidence. The principal part of the investigation was a numerical finite-difference model (MODFLOW) developed to simulate ground-water flow and land-surface subsidence in an 18,100-square-mile area encompassing greater Houston. The focus of the study was Harris and Galveston Counties, but other counties were included to achieve the appropriate boundary conditions. The model was vertically discretized into three 103-row by 109-column layers resulting in a total of 33,681 grid cells. Layer 1 represents the water table using a specified head, layer 2 represents the Chicot aquifer, and layer 3 represents the Evangeline aquifer. Simulations were made under transient conditions for 31 ground-water-withdrawal (stress) periods spanning 1891–1996. The years 1977 and 1996 were chosen as potentiometric-surface calibration periods for the model. Simulated and measured potentiometric surfaces of the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers for 1977 match closely. Waterlevel measurements indicate that by 1977, large ground-water withdrawals in east-central and southeastern areas of Harris County had caused the potentiometric surfaces to decline as much as 250 feet below sea level in the Chicot aquifer and as much as 350 feet below sea level in the Evangeline aquifer. Simulated and measured potentiometric surfaces of the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers for 1996 also match closely. The large potentiometric-surface decline in 1977 in the southeastern Houston area showed significant recovery by 1996. The 1996 centers of potentiometric-surface decline are located much farther northwest. Potentiometric-surface declines of more than 200 feet below sea level in the Chicot aquifer and more than 350 feet below sea level in the Evangeline aquifer were measured in observation wells and simulated in the flow model. Simulation of land-surface subsidence and water released from storage in the clay layers was accomplished using the Interbed-Storage Package of the MODFLOW model. Land-surface subsidence was calibrated by comparing simulated long-term (1891–1995) and short-term (1978–95) land-surface subsidence with published maps of land-surface subsidence for about the same period until acceptable matches were achieved. Simulated 1996 Chicot aquifer flow rates indicate that a net flow of 562.5 cubic feet per second enters the Chicot aquifer in the outcrop area, and a net flow of 459.5 cubic feet per second passes through the Chicot aquifer into the Evangeline aquifer. The remaining 103.0 cubic feet per second of flow is withdrawn as pumpage, with a shortfall of about 84.9 cubic feet per second supplied to the wells from storage in sands and clays. Water simulated from storage in clays in the Chicot aquifer is about 19 percent of the total water withdrawn from the aquifer. Simulated 1996 Evangeline aquifer flow rates indicate that a net flow of 14.8 cubic feet per second enters the Evangeline aquifer in the outcrop area, and a net flow of 459.5 cubic feet per second passes through the Chicot aquifer into the Evangeline aquifer for a total inflow of 474.3 cubic feet per second. A greater amount, 528.6 cubic feet per second, is withdrawn by wells; the shortfall of about 54.8 cubic feet per second is supplied from storage in sands and clays. Water simulated from storage in clays in the Evangeline aquifer is about 10 percent of the total water withdrawn from the aquifer.

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USGS1999

Ground-water data in Orange County and adjacent counties, Texas, 1985-90

The lower unit of the Chicot aquifer is a major source of freshwater for Orange County, Texas. In 1989, the average rate of ground-water withdrawal from the lower unit of the Chicot aquifer in Orange County for municipal and industrial use was 13.8 million gallons per day, a substantial decrease from the historical high of 23.1 million gallons per day in 1972. The average withdrawal for industrial use decreased substantially from 14.4 million gallons per day during 1963?84 to 6.9 million gallons per day during 1985?89. The average withdrawal for municipal use during 1985?89 was 6.8 million gallons per day, similar to the average withdrawal of 5.8 million gallons per day during 1963?84. Water levels in wells in most of the study area rose during 1985?90. The largest rise in water levels was more than 10 feet in parts of Orange and Pinehurst, north of site B (one of three areas of ground-water withdrawal for industrial use), while the largest decline in water levels was a localized decline of more than 60 feet at site C in south-central Orange County (also an area of withdrawal for industrial use). Chemical analyses of ground-water samples from the lower Chicot aquifer during 1985?90 indicate that the aquifer contained mostly freshwater (dissolved solids concentrations less than 1,000 milligrams per liter). Dissolved chloride concentrations remained relatively constant in most wells during 1985?90 but could vary greatly between wells within short distances. Saline-water encroachment continued to occur during 1985?89 but at a slower rate than in the 1970s and early 1980s. On the basis of chemical data collected during 1985?89, a relation was determined between specific conductance and dissolved chloride concentration that can be used to estimate dissolved chloride by multiplying the specific conductance by different factors for low or high conductances.

Open-File Report↗
USGS1995

Water-level altitudes 1995 and water-level changes 1990-95 and 1994-95 in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, Fort Bend County and adjacent areas, Texas

This report is one in an annual series of reports that depicts altitudes of water levels and water-level changes since 1990 in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers in Fort Bend Subsidence District, presents the approximate altitude of water levels (figs. 1, 4), January-February 1995, and approximate changes in water levels (figs. 2, 3, 5, 6), 1990-95 and 1994-95, in each of the aquifers. The most recent previously published water-level altitude maps for the aquifers are by Locke (1993), and the most recent previously published water-level change maps for the aquifers are by Coplin and Santos (1994). The earliest water-level altitude maps and the earliest water-level change maps for the Chicot aquifer are by Wesselman (1972). The first maps of water-level altitudes and water-level changes for the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers are by Locke (1990).

Open-File Report↗
USGS1994

Approximate changes in water levels in wells completed in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, 1977-94 and 1993-94, and measured compaction, 1973-93, in the Houston-Galveston region, Texas

This report is one in a series of reports that depict water-level changes since 1977 and compaction of subsurface material since 1973. The report was prepared in cooperation with the City of Houston and the Harris-Galveston Coastal Subsidence District, and presents maps showing the approximate changes in water levels in wells completed in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, 1977-94 and 1993-94 (figs. 1-4), extensometer site locations (fig. 5), and measured compaction, 1973-93 (fig. 6), in the Houston-Galveston region. Water-level change maps were prepared previously by Kasmarek and others (1993). The Houston-galveston region includes Harris and Galveston Counties and adjacent parts of Brazoria, Fort Bend, Waller, Montgomery, Liberty, and Chambers Counties.

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USGS1993

Approximate changes in water levels in wells completed in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, 1977-93 and 1992-93, and measured compaction, 1973-92, in the Houston-Galveston region, Texas

This report is one in a series of reports that depict water-level changes since 1977 and compaction of subsurface material since 1973. The report was prepared in cooperation with the Harris-Galveston Coastal Subsidence District and the City of Houston, and presents maps showing the approximate changes in water levels in wells completed in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, 1977-93 and 1992-93 (figs. 1-4), and measured compaction, 1973-92 (figs. 5 and 6), in the Houston-Galveston region. The Houston-Galveston region includes Harris and Galveston Counties and adjacent parts of Brazoria, Fort Bend, Waller, Montgomery, Liberty, and Chambers Counties.

Open-File Report↗
USGS1992

Approximate changes in water levels in wells completed in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, 1977-92 and 1991-92, and measured compaction, 1973-91, in the Houston-Galveston region, Texas

This report is one in a series of reports that depict water-level changes since 1977 and compaction of subsurface material since 1973. The report was prepared in cooperation with the Harris-Galveston Coastal Subsidence District and the City of Houston, and presents maps showing the approximate changes in water-levels in wells completed in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers, 1977-92 and 1991-92 (figs. 1-4), and measured compations, 1973-91 (figs. 5 and 6), in the Houston-Galveston region. The Houston-Galveston region includes Harris and Galveston Counties and adjacent parts of Brazoria, Fort Bend, Waller, Montgomery, Liberty, and Chambers Counties.

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