Texas Water Research Articles

Adapting Petroleum Exploration Tools To Identify and Prioritize Potential CCS Sites, With Application to Texas and Louisiana

Optimization of storage resource is a key parameter in siting and financing storage hubs. We invert petroleum exploration approaches at a geologic play level to assess subsurface risks to long-term storage, as a mechanism to lower cost and increase security. Basin-scale screening, play definition and prospect description are core tasks of petroleum exploration however and there is a well-defined suite of tools to deal with the problem. The work described here adapts those tools to the identification of CCS sites, using the U.S. Gulf of Mexico basin as a timely example. The approach is essentially a three-part one. First, we use regional cross-sections to identify and describe potential storage plays. Second, we use maps of layered surface and subsurface elements to describe the suitability of potential sites, based on the areal quality variation of available reservoirs and seals, the locations of potential traps and CO2 sources, and the distribution of surface constraints such as land usage, available infrastructure and accessibility. Third, we use risk matrices and historical analog data from petroleum exploration to describe the subsurface risks to successful project delivery. With respect to the Gulf of Mexico, CO2 source locations, current land use, site access and the density of existing well penetrations all favor offshore storage. Accordingly, we have focused our efforts on the coastal waters of Texas and Louisiana, constructing a series of exploration-inspired cross-sections and maps that serve both to help adapt the tools of exploration for CCS and to identify and high-grade potential storage sites in coastal waters. The depth window for CO2 injection is defined by subsurface temperature and fluid pressure. Specifically, it lies between the minimum depth for supercritical CO2, which lies at roughly 1km depth and the top of hard over-pressure, which varies between 1.5 and 4km depth, based on extensive drill data. Within this window, stratal ages vary from Early Cretaceous at the northern (onshore) basin edge to Plio-Pleistocene in the south (offshore), reflecting the long-term progradation of depositional systems toward the basin. For each of these stratigraphic intervals, play fairways are defined by a regional seal and its underlying reservoirs. Focussing on the coastal region (i.e. the Oligo-Miocene), we construct a series of maps for each play. The first describes the regional variation in seal capacity (essentially the clay fraction, calibrated by known hydrocarbon columns). The second and third describe reservoir presence and quality, respectively. Historically such maps are based on depositional environment and sediment provenance and they tend to show rather blocky distributions. In an effort to more faithfully represent geologic variability and gradational transitions, we experiment with using modern algorithms and large log databases to create a more variable visualization. Site selection will determine maximum injection rate, ultimate storage capacity and risk of future leakage. In short, regional subsurface characterization is critical to planning investment and may spell the difference between storage project success and failure. Together, the maps developed here describe the regional variation in storage capacity. Combined with maps of surface factors such as accessibility, land ownership, existing land use and CO2 point source locations, they clearly prioritize areas of the basin for investment in infrastructure and development of large-scale storage projects. Adding potential local traps to the map defines a series of concrete leads for storage sites that can be evaluated in more detail as needed for specific projects.

Commentary: Fresh, Clean Water for Texans Now and for Generations to Come

Editor-in-Chief's Note: The Texas Water Journal invited Texas state Representative Tracy O. King, incoming chair of the House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources, to share his thoughts on what is ahead for the Natural Resources Committee. The opinion expressed in this commentary is the opinion of the individual author and not the opinion of the Texas Water Journal or the Texas Water Resources Institute. Received 26 February 2021, Accepted 3 March 2021, Published online 4 March 2021 Citation: King TO. 2021. Commentary: Fresh, Clean Water for Texans Now and for Generations to Come. Texas Water Journal. 12(1):40-41. Available from: https://doi.org/10.21423/twj.v12i1.7135.

Enhancing landowner adoption of the Natural Resource Conservation Service’s recommended beef cattle grazing management practices

Water has a significant role in society, whether through human consumption or agricultural use. The Lavaca Watershed is an agricultural community affected by nonpoint source pollution, and water quality protection is of high concern. Beef cattle operations are linked to nonpoint source pollution which contaminates surrounding water sources. If proper grazing management practices are not used, wastes from the operation impair water quality in the area. Landowners should use proper stocking rates and implement best management practices to benefit land and water quality in addition to overall operation profit. Females reported a higher intention to adopt, indicating these respondents are more open to practice changes on their own operation. Results indicated a need for the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and Texas Soil and Water Conservation Board to conduct further outreach to increase interaction with landowners. NRCS agencies could help increase the use of water conservation plans and inquiries by making this clear to current landowners participating in their program as well as potential clients by sending informational flyers or speaking at local organizational gatherings. The importance of adopting water management practices and barriers to adoption are ongoing global concerns.

Storage and Regulation of River Flows by Dams and Reservoirs

Water management in Texas is driven by dramatic spatial and temporal hydrologic variability, continual rapid population growth, declining groundwater supplies, and intensifying demands on surface water resources. Dams and reservoirs are essential for providing reliable water supplies and reducing flood risks. Numerous reservoir projects, most constructed during the 1940s through 1980s era of large scale water project construction nationwide, are operated throughout the state to store and regulate extremely variable river flows for beneficial purposes. This paper explores river system hydrology in Texas, operation of dams and reservoirs statewide to deal with extreme flow fluctuations, and associated complexities, issues, and water management strategies. The central focus of the paper is the role of large reservoirs in managing hydrologic variability and associated future uncertainty in an environment of growing demands on limited resources. Received 18 October 2019, Accepted 5 January 2021, Published online 22 February 2021 Citation: Wurbs RA. 2021. Storage and regulation of river flows by dams and reservoirs. Texas Water Journal. 12(1):10-29. Available from: https://doi.org/10.21423/twj.v12i1.7106.

Best Management Practices for Firefighting in the Karstic Edwards (Balcones Fault Zone) Aquifer of South-Central Texas

Karst aquifers are highly vulnerable to hazardous contaminants and pollution that can rapidly harm drinking water supplies. This paper presents tools and best management practices designed to enable first responders to protect karst watersheds and important aquifer drinking water supplies from potentially catastrophic hazardous and polluting materials that can enter the aquifer in water or other liquids runoff from firefighting and other response to emergencies, including ordinary accidental fire and fire caused by arson, terrorist attack, flood, high wind, lightening, and explosion in structures and along transportation corridors. Received 2 February 2020, Accepted 10 October 2020, Published online 1 February 2021. Citation: Schindel GM, Rosen RA. 2021. Best management practices for firefighting in the karstic Edwards (Balcones Fault Zone) Aquifer of south-central Texas. Texas Water Journal. 12(1):1-9. Available from: https://doi.org/10.21423/twj.v12i1.7110.

テキサス水環境プロジェクトから「地域資源循環型社会」へ

テキサス水環境プロジェクトから「地域資源循環型社会」へ

Water: A Preventable Disaster

Editor-in-Chief's Note: The Texas Water Journal invited Texas state Senator Charles Perry, Chair of the Senate Committee on Water and Rural Affairs, to share his thoughts on the role of water in the coming 87th legislative session of the Texas Legislature. In the upcoming legislative session, Senator Perry said Texas will be navigating the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, the road to recovery and continuing water supply development. In the commentary, Senator Perry addresses how leveraging technology, public-private partnerships, and regulations will encourage the creation of new water sources while also expanding existing strategies. The opinion expressed in this commentary is the opinion of the individual author and not the opinion of the Texas Water Journal or the Texas Water Resources Institute. Citation: Perry C. 2020. Commentary: Water: A Preventable Disaster. Texas Water Journal. 11(1):172-173. Available from: https://doi.org/10.21423/twj.v11i1.7129.

Exploring Groundwater Recoverability in Texas: Maximum Economically Recoverable Storage

The 2017 Texas state water plan projects total supply deficits of 4.8 and 8.9 million acre-feet under drought-of-record conditions by the year 2020 and 2070, respectively, driven by a growing population concurrent with declining available water supplies. Reductions in groundwater supply account for 95% of anticipated declines in total water supply. Meanwhile, restrictive groundwater management plans may be creating a regulation-induced shortage of groundwater in Texas, given the significant groundwater storage volumes that are unutilized under many management plans. However, these estimates do not account for many of the physical and none of the economic constraints to groundwater recoverability. We report an analysis of groundwater extraction feasibility and simulate maximum economically recoverable storage for conditions representative of the central section of the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer under economic constraints associated with agricultural uses. Two key limitations are applied to simulate recoverability: (1) the value of water pumped relative to pumping costs and (2) the capacity of the aquifer and well to meet demand. Our results indicate that these constraints may limit certain uses to as little as 1% of current groundwater availability estimates. We suggest that Texas groundwater managers, stakeholders, and policymakers assessing groundwater availability need an alternate approach for estimating recoverability. Citation: Thompson JC, Kreitler CW, Young MH. 2020. Exploring groundwater recoverability in Texas: maximum economically recoverable storage. Texas Water Journal. 11(1):152-171. Available from: https://doi.org/10.21423/twj.v11i1.7113.

Internet of Texas Water Data Update: Use Cases for Flood, Drought, and Surface Water–Groundwater Interactions

Experts representative of Texas’ water sectors identified critical water data needs and described the design of a comprehensive open access data system that facilitates use of public water data in Texas at the April 2018 Connecting Texas Water Data Workshop as reported in the Texas Water Journal. Participants described potential use cases to initiate work on the most critical data hubs for connecting Texas water data. This update describes progress on a flood dashboard by the Texas Water Development Board and development of use cases by stakeholders with expertise in water data for drought and surface water – groundwater interactions. Citation: Rosen RA, Mace RE, Hermitte SM, Wade R. 2020. Internet of Texas water: use cases for flood, drought, and surface water–groundwater interactions. Texas Water Journal. 11(1):133-151. Available from: https://doi.org/10.21423/twj.v11i1.7109.

Association between red tide exposure and detection of corresponding neurotoxins in bottlenose dolphins from Texas waters during 2007–2017

Harmful algal blooms produced by the phytoplankton species Karenia brevis and its associated neurotoxin, brevetoxin (PbTx), occur throughout the Gulf of Mexico and have had devastating impacts on co-occurring populations of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), an important marine sentinel species. The majority of documented impacts, however, are from the eastern Gulf of Mexico, with a critical lack of information on the degree and frequency of PbTx exposure in bottlenose dolphins from Texas coastal waters. This study documents PbTx exposure in Texas bottlenose dolphins between 2007 and 2017 and their association with co-occurring K. brevis blooms. PbTx was detected in 60% (n = 112) of the animals tested. Liver tissue samples had the highest frequency of detection (62%), followed by feces (41.4%) and gastric contents (30.4%). PbTx was not detected in urine or intestinal tissue. The concentration ranges of PbTx detected in feces (1.2–216, mean 38.4 ng/g), gastric contents (3.3–1016, mean 158 ng/g) and liver (0.6–52.4, mean 8.5 ng/g) samples were an order of magnitude less than values reported for Florida dolphins for the same sample types. The proportion of dolphins recovered within 4 weeks of a bloom that tested positive for PbTx (‘Bloom’ group; 75%) was significantly higher compared to those that were recovered 5–8 weeks after termination of a bloom (‘Post-Bloom’ group; 36%; p = 0.004). The proportion of PbTx-positive animals with no observed bloom association (‘Baseline’ group; 60%) was also significantly greater than the Post-Bloom group (p = 0.012). No significant difference in proportion of PbTx-positive animals was detected between Bloom and Baseline groups (p = 0.242). No significant differences in liver PbTx concentrations were observed between any pairwise combinations of the 3 exposure groups (p = 0.261). Overall, these findings suggest persistent PbTx exposure for many individuals in these populations, although the health impacts of such exposure are not known.

Review of Pueblo Sovereignty: Indian Land and Water in New Mexico and Texas. By Malcolm Ebright and Rick Hendricks. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2019. Pp. 245. $45.00 cloth–Erratum

Review of <i>Pueblo Sovereignty: Indian Land and Water in New Mexico and Texas</i>. By Malcolm Ebright and Rick Hendricks. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2019. Pp. 245. $45.00 cloth–Erratum

Commentary: Fact vs. Fiction on Rio Grande Deliveries

Editor-in-Chief's Note: The Texas Water Journal invited The Honorable Jayne Harkins, P.E., U.S. Commissioner for the International Boundary and Water Commission to share her thoughts on water deliveries from Mexico to the Rio Grande. The opinion expressed in the resulting commentary is the opinion of Commissioner Harkins and not the opinion of the Texas Water Journal or the Texas Water Resources Institute. Citation: Harkins J. 2020. Commentrary: Fact vs. fiction on Rio Grande deliveries. Texas Water Journal. 11(1):130-132. Available from: https://doi.org/10.21423/twj.v11i1.7120.

Dams are coming down, but not always by choice: the geography of Texas dams, dam failures, and dam removals

This study examines spatial and temporal trends in Texas dams, dam failures, and dam removals. Dams were examined from a state-wide perspective and within 10 major river basins that collectively account for over 80% of all dams in the state. The state-scale and basin-scale analysis revealed similar patterns of dam occurrence, however there was greater variation in the patterns observed in both the purpose of dams and the timing for when most of the storage was created in each basin. Climate factors, mainly precipitation, influenced dam location. Population was not directly measured in this study but was an obvious influence on the spatial distribution of dams and their functions. While new dams are being built in Texas to secure future water supplies, documented dam incidents/failures have occurred in 15 of the 23 major river basins in Texas, with 328 total instances occurring since 1900. As the number of newly constructed dams and dam failures continue to grow across the state, so should the number of planned dam removals. Between 1983 and 2016, 50 dams have been removed across the state. The purpose for the majority of removals was to eliminate liability concerns associated with aging dams. Future dam removals will likely continue to occur based on the number of older, smaller dams with potential liability concerns. As Texas’ dam infrastructure continues to age, dam removal is a practical management option for mitigating potential dam-related hazards and improving the connectivity and ecological function of the river systems. Citation: Dascher ED, Meitzen K. 2020. Dams are coming down, but not always by choice: the geograph of Texas dams, dam failures, and dam removals. Texas Water Journal. 11(1):89-129. Available from: https://doi.org/10.21423/twj.v11i1.7092.

Unprecedented Drought Challenges for Texas Water Resources in a Changing Climate: What Do Researchers and Stakeholders Need to Know?

AbstractLong‐range water planning is complicated by factors that are rapidly changing in the 21st century, including climate, population, and water use. Here, we analyze climate factors and drought projections for Texas as an example of a diverse society straddling an aridity gradient to examine how the projections can best serve water stakeholder needs. We find that climate models are robust in projecting drying of summer‐season soil moisture and decreasing reservoir supplies for both the eastern and western portions of Texas during the 21st century. Further, projections indicate drier conditions during the latter half of the 21st century than even the most arid centuries of the last 1,000 years that included megadroughts. To illustrate how accounting for drought nonstationarity may increase water resiliency, we consider generalized case studies involving four key stakeholder groups: agricultural producers, large surface water suppliers, small groundwater management districts, and regional water planning districts. We also examine an example of customized climate information being used as input to long‐range water planning. We find that while stakeholders value the quantitative capability of climate model outputs, more specific climate‐related information better supports resilience planning across multiple stakeholder groups. New suites of tools could provide necessary capacity for both short‐ and long‐term, stakeholder‐specific adaptive planning.

Hurricane Harvey Caused Unprecedented Freshwater Inflow to Galveston Bay

Hurricane Harvey heavily impacted Texas in August 2017 due to an extreme amount of rainfall, especially in the large metropolitan area in and around Houston. There was an offshore storm surge associated with Harvey, and while it raised the water level in the bay, possibly prolonging flooding in the Houston area by slowing drainage, it was not responsible for flooding, as water flowed continuously out of the bay during peak flooding. Salinity measured near the mouth of the San Jacinto river dropped to 0 from 15 psu in 1.5 days after the start of storm-related outflow from the bay; the whole bay was fully freshened in 3.6 days. Depth-averaged outflow from the entrance channel reached 2 m/s. Using publicly available oceanographic data within Galveston Bay, we estimate the amount of freshwater that flowed into the bay from this rainfall to be 17 ± 5 km3 (14 million acre feet), or about 5 times the volume of Galveston Bay itself. This is less than, but close to, the freshwater input source: 20 km3 of rain that was estimated from Doppler radar to have accumulated in the drainage basins contributing to the bay. By comparison, the freshwater inflow estimates by the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) predicts 13 km3 (11.5 million acre feet) of inflow to Galveston Bay during Hurricane Harvey.

Pueblo Peoples under Spanish, Mexican, and US Domination - Pueblo Sovereignty: Indian Land and Water in New Mexico and Texas. By Malcolm Ebright and Rick Hendricks. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2019. Pp. 245. $45.00 cloth.

Pueblo Peoples under Spanish, Mexican, and US Domination - Pueblo Sovereignty: Indian Land and Water in New Mexico and Texas. By Malcolm Ebright and Rick Hendricks. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2019. Pp. 245. $45.00 cloth. - Volume 77 Issue 3

Hydrodynamic Modeling Results Showing the Effects of the Luce Bayou Interbasin Transfer on Salinity in Lake Houston, TX

An over-reliance on groundwater resources in the Houston (Texas) metropolitan area led to aquifer drawdowns and land subsidence, so regional water suppliers have been turning to surface water resources to meet water demand. Lake Houston, an important water supply reservoir 25 miles northeast from downtown Houston, requires new water supply sources to continue to meet water supply demands for the next several decades. The upcoming Luce Bayou Interbasin Transfer Project will divert up to 500 million gallons per day of Trinity River water into Lake Houston. Trinity River water has significantly different water quality than the Lake Houston tributaries. To evaluate the project's impact on water quality, the U.S. Geological Survey used an enhanced version of a previously released Lake Houston hydrodynamic model. With a focus on salinity and water-surface elevations, the model combined data from 2009-2017 with simulated flow from the Luce Bayou Interbasin Transfer to evaluate potential outcomes from three hypothetical flow scenarios. Overall, these scenarios found that the Luce Bayou Interbasin Transfer would cause salinities to rise over most of the modeled time (2009-2017), although salinities were buffered under 2011 drought conditions. Large inflow events equalized salinities under baseline conditions as well as the enhanced flow scenarios. Citation: Smith EA, Shah S. 2020. Hydrodynamic modeling results showing the effects of the Luce Bayou Interbasin Transfer on salinity in Lake Houston, TX. Texas Water Journal. 11(1):64-88. Available from: https://doi.org/10.21423/twj.v11i1.7094.

Pueblo Sovereignty: Indian Land and Water in New Mexico and Texas

Pueblo Sovereignty: Indian Land and Water in New Mexico and Texas

Book Review: Regulating Water Security in Unconventional Oil and Gas

Regulating Water Security in Unconventional Oil and Gas is a collection of articles authored by professionals from disciplines as diverse as agriculture, zoology, law, and economics. The book takes a multidisciplinary look at how issues related to water for unconventional oil and gas production affect water security of a nation, state, community, or sector of industry—and possible pathways toward regulations that balance economic development with the human right to water. The authors examine what other regions have been experiencing to illustrate some of the common difficulties and differing perspectives, challenges, and solutions being attempted. Authors’ contributions are presented in four parts, making the dense subject matter digestible. Citation: Foster J. 2020. Book Review: Regulating water security in unconventional oil and gas. Texas Water Journal. 11(1):61-63. Available from: https://doi.org/10.21423/twj.v11i1.7114.

Runoff inflow volumes to the Highland Lakes in Central Texas: temporal trends in volumes, and relations between volumes and selected climatic indices

Inflow to the Highland Lakes has substantially decreased from 1942–2013, likely due to increased evapotranspiration from the proliferation of 19 major upstream reservoirs and about 69,500 minor reservoirs and water bodies. Increased evapotranspiration from land surfaces and stream channels also probably represent major causes for inflow reduction. Eight climatic indices were evaluated with respect to correlations with inflow volumes to the lakes. A combination of the indices for the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation and Oceanic Niño Index (Niño 3.4 region) was found to be, up to three months in advance, a fair indicator for the wettest three-month inflow periods, and a good indicator, up to nine months in advance, of the driest three-month inflow periods. The single best index indicator of dry periods is the Pacific Decadal Oscillation—a good indicator of the driest three-month periods up to a year in advance. Citation: Slade RM Jr. 2020. Runoff inflow volumes to the Highland Lakes in Central Texas: temporal trends in volumes and relations between volumes and selected climatic indices. Texas Water Journal. 11(1):32-60. Available from: https://doi.org/10.21423/twj.v11i1.7025.