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R.K. Gabrysch

Publications and source records attributed to R.K. Gabrysch.

29 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
USGS1977

Development of ground water in the Houston District, Texas, 1970-74

Total withdrawals of ground water in the Houston district increased 9 percent from about 488 million gallons per day (21.4 cubic meters per second) in 1970 to about 532 million gallons per day (23.3 cubic meters per second) in 1974. The average annual rate of increase from 1960 to 1969 was about 6.3 percent. During 1970-74, increases in pumpage occurred in the Houston, Katy, and NASA areas; decreases occurred in the Pasadena and Alta Loma areas; and the pumpage in the Baytown-La Porte and Texas City areas remained almost constant. Water levels continued to decline throughout the district during 197074, but the rate of decline generally was not as great as in previous years. The greatest declines in the past several years were in the Houston area, but the center of decline is still in the Pasadena and Baytown-La Porte areas. The decrease in the rate of decline suggests that the aquifers in the Houston district could support the amount of pumping during 1970-74 with little, if any, further decline. Although saltwater encroachment has probably occurred in the district, particularly in Galveston County, no large increases in chloride were measured at the monitoring points.

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USGS1976

Land-surface subsidence in the area of Moses Lake near Texas City, Texas

Removal of water, oil, and gas from the subsurface in Harris and Galveston Counties has caused declines in fluid pressures, which in turn have resulted in subsidence of the land surface. Subsidence of the land surface at Moses Lake in due principally to the removal of ground water in adjacent areas. Significant subsidence of the land surface at Moses Lake began after 1900, and as much as 1.8 feet of subsidence had occurred in the ara by 1973. Probable future subsidence was calculated by two methods for two loading situations. In the first loading situation, the artesian head in the middle Chicot aquifer, in the Alta Loma Sand (Rose, 1943), and in the Evangeline aquifer would continue to decline at respective rates of 1, 3, and 3 feet per year until 1980 and then cease. In the second loading situation, the artesian head in the middle Chicot aquifer, in the Alta Loma Sand, and in the Evangeline aquifer would continue to decline at respective rates of 1, 3, and 3 feet per year until 1990 and then cease.

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USGS1975

Land-surface subsidence at Seabrook, Texas

Removal of water, oil, and gas from the subsurface in Harris and Galveston Counties, Texas, has caused a decline in fluid pressures, which is turn had resulted in subsidence of the land surface. Subsidence of the land surface at Seabrook is due principally to the removal of water. Significnt subsidence of the land surface probably began after 1920, and a minimum of about 3.3 feet and a maximum of about 4.3 feet of subsidence had occurred at Seabrook by 1973. Probable future subsidence was calculated by two different methods for each of two different loading situations. In the first loading situation, the artesian heads in the Alta Loma Sand (Rose, 1943) and Evangeline aquifer would continue to decline at the respective rates of 8 feet per year and 7 feet per year until 1980 and then cease. In the second loading situation, the artesian heads in the Alta Loma Sand and Evangeline aquifer would continue to decline at rates of 8 and 7 feet per year ulntil 1990 and then cease.

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USGS1974

Land-surface subsidence in the Houston-Galveston region, Texas

The pumping of large amounts of ground water in the Houston-Galveston region, Texas, has resulted in water-level declines of as much as 200 feet (61 metres) in wells completed in the Chicot aquifer and as much as 325 feet (99 metres) in wells completed in the Evangeline aquifer during 1943-73. The maximum annual rates of decline for 1943-73 were 6.7 feet (2.0 metres) in the Chicot aquifer and 10.8 feet (3.3 metres) in the Evangeline aquifer. During 1964-73, the maximum rates were 10 feet (3.0 metres) in the Chicot and 17.8 feet (5.4 metres) in the Evangeline. The declines in artesian pressures have resulted in pronounced regional subsidence of the land surface. The center of subsidence is at Pasadena, where as much as 7.5 feet (2.3 metres) of subsidence occurred between 1943 and 1973. More than 1.0 foot (0.3 metre) of subsidence occurred at Pasadena between 1906 and 1943. The maximum amount of subsidence during 1964-73 was about 3.5 feet (1.1 metres). In the southern part of Harris County, about 55 percent of the subsidence is a result of compaction in the Chicot aquifer. The area in which subsidence is 1 foot (0.3 metre) or more has increased from about 350 square miles (906 square kilometres) in 1954 to about 2,500 square miles (6,475 square kilometres) in 1973. Estimates of subsidence are based on the amount of water-level decline, the thickness of the clay, and the compressibility of the clay. At Seabrook, it is estimated that for each 1 foot (0.3 metre) of average water-level decline, 1 foot (0.3 metre) of clay would compact 0.000031 foot (0.00094 centimetre). At Seabrook, for 1 foot (0.3 metre) of water-level decline, 0.0248 foot (0.756 centimetre) of subsidence would occur. Planned use of surface water instead of ground water will probably result in some recovery of artesian pressures. If pressure recovery occurs the rate of subsidence should decrease substantially in the more critical areas.

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USGS1974

Simulated water-level changes resulting from proposed changes in ground-water pumping in the Houston area, Texas

The need for additional water supplies in the Houston area prompted construction of Lake Livingston on the Trinity River in Polk and San Jacinto Counties, about 60 miles (96 km) northeast of Houston, as a source of surface water for municipal supply, industrial use, and irrigation. Water from the Lake Livingston will become available to users in the Houston area early in 1976.

Open-File Report↗
USGS1974

Land-surface subsidence in the area of Burnett, Scott, and Crystal Bays near Baytown, Texas

Removal of water, oil, and gas from the subsurface in Harris County has caused declines in fluid pressures, which in turn have resulted in subsidence of the land surface. Subsidence in the area of Burnett, Scott, and Crystal Bays near Baytown is becoming critical because much of the area is now subject to inundation by high tides. Production of oil and gas from the Goose Creek Field on the southeast edge of Baytown had caused as much as 3.25 feet (1 meter) of subsidence by 1925. The subsidence due to oil and gas production is restricted to the area of production and has not extended to the area of Burnett, Scott, and Crystal Bays. Withdrawals of water from large-capacity industrial wells, which resulted in declines in artesian pressure, began about 1918. As much as 280 feet (85.3 meters) of artesian-head decline has occurred in the Evangeline aquifer, and as much as 320 feet (97.5 meters) of artesianhead decline has occurred in the Alta Lorna Sand of Rose (1943). Significant subsidence of the land surface probably began about 1920 or later and as much as 8.2 feet (2.5 meters) of subsidence had occurred in the area by 1973. The study of subsidence in the area of the three bays included the collection of undisturbed clay samples for laboratory analyses, collection of water-level records, and installation and monitoring of pressure transducers in clays and of observation wells in sands. Probable future subsidence was calculated for two loading situations. Case I provided that the artesian head in both the Alta Lorna Sand and Evangeline aquifer would continue to decline at a rate of 6 feet (1.8 meters) per year until 1980 and then cease. Case II provided that artesian head in the Alta Lorna Sand would continue to decline at a rate of about 6 feet (1.8 meters) per year until about 1995, when the potentiometric surface would reach the top of the Alta Lorna Sand. The artesian head in the Evangeline aquifer would also decline about 6 feet (1.8 meters) per year until 1995. The ultimate subsidence expected for the assumed conditions of case I and case II is 11.4 feet (3.47 meters) and 15.1 feet (4.60 meters), respectively. However, only 1.4 feet (0.43 meter) of subsidence below present land surface would occur if artesian heads were maintained at their present levels. To halt subsidence in the near future, artesian head must be increased, either by decreasing pumpage or by repressurization by artificial recharge.

Texas↗
USGS1973

Preliminary report on land-surface subsidence in the area of Burnett, Scott, and Crystal Bays near Baytown, Texas

Removal of water, oil, and gas from the subsurface in Harris County has caused declines in fluid pressures which in turn have resulted in subsidence of the land surface. One critical area of subsidence is in the area of Burnett, Scott, and Crystal Bays near Baytown. Much of this area is now subject to inundation by high tides. Production of oil and gas from the Goose Creek Field at the southern edge of Baytown had caused as much as 3.25 feet of subsidence by 1925. The subsidence bowl is restricted to the area of production and has not extended to the area of Burnett, Scott, and Crystal Bays. Withdrawals of water from large-capacity industrial wells, which resulted in declines in artesian pressure, began about 1918; as much as 250 feet of water-pressure decline has occurred in the Evangeline aquifer, Significant subsidence of the land surface probably began about 1920 or later. Possibly as much as 7.5 feet of subsidence had occurred in the area by 1971. The study of subsidence in the area of the three bays included the collection of undisturbed clay samples for laboratory analyses, collection of water-level records, and installation and monitoring of pressure transducers in clays and of observation wells in sands. Probable future subsidence was calculated for two loading situations. Case I provided that the artesian pressure in both the Alta Loma Sand of Rose (1943) and Evangeline aquifer would continue to decline at a rate of 6 feet per year until 1980 and then cease. Case II provided that artesian pressure in the Alta Loma Sand would continue to decline at a rate of about 6 feet per year until about 1995, when the potentiometric head would reach the top of the Alta Loma Sand. The artesian pressure in the Evangeline aquifer would also decline about 6 feet per year until 1995. The ultimate subsidence expected for the assumed conditions of case I and case II is 11.2 feet and 14.5 feet, respectively. However, only 1.8 feet of subsidence below present land surface would occur if artesian pressures were maintained at their present levels. To halt subsidence in the near future, artesian pressure must be increased. The most logical method of increasing artesian pressure is by decreasing pumpage rather than repressurization by artificial recharge.

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