Simulation of groundwater flow in the Edwards-Trinity and related aquifers in the Pecos County region, Texas

Abstract

The Edwards-Trinity aquifer, a major aquifer in the Pecos County region of western Texas, is a vital groundwater resource for agricultural, industrial, and public supply uses. Resource managers would like to better understand the future availability of water in the Edwards-Trinity aquifer in the Pecos County region and the effects of the possible increase or temporal redistribution of groundwater withdrawals. To that end, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Middle Pecos Groundwater Conservation District, Pecos County, City of Fort Stockton, Brewster County, and Pecos County Water Control and Improvement District No. 1, completed a comprehensive, integrated analysis of available hydrogeologic data to develop a groundwater-flow model of the Edwards-Trinity and related aquifers in parts of Brewster, Jeff Davis, Pecos, and Reeves Counties. Following calibration, the model was used to evaluate the sustainability of recent (2008) and projected water-use demands on groundwater resources in the study area.