San Antonio
Water System’s
H2Oaks is
the largest aquifer
storage and recovery facility
in Texas.
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Water is good for Texas
Manage
Conserve
Preserve
Aquifers
MAJOR TEXAS AQUIFERS
- CARRIZO-WILCOX
- EDWARDS-TRINITY (BALCONES FAULT ZONE)
- EDWARDS-TRINITY (PLATEAU)
- GULF COAST
- HUECO-MESILLA BOLSON
- OGALLALA
- PECOS VALLEY
- SEYMOUR
- TRINITY
Aquifers play a major role in providing water to many parts of Texas. There are nine major aquifers and 22 minor aquifers that supply groundwater for municipal and irrigation needs throughout the state. About 55 percent of all water used in Texas was sourced through aquifers in 2019. Aquifers are vital to the state’s economy and environment, highlighting the need for their proper management and conservation.
Water Use by Major Texas Aquifers and Total Groundwater use, 2019
| Major Aquifer | Irrigation | Municipal | Manufacturing | Livestock | Steam Electric Power | Mining | Total Groundwater Use (acre-feet) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carrizo-Wilcox | 39.7% | 50.7% | 0.9% | 2.7% | 4.0% | 1.9% | 399,905 |
| Edwards-Trinity (Balcones Fault Zone) | 22.4% | 73.3% | 1.3% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 2.5% | 391,644 |
| Edwards-Trinity (Plateau) | 81.0% | 14.5% | 0.1% | 3.8% | 0.0% | 0.5% | 168,213 |
| Gulf Coast | 39.5% | 46.8% | 9.8% | 2.1% | 1.6% | 0.2% | 739,814 |
| Hueco-Mesilla Bolson | 1.5% | 92.2% | 4.3% | 0.1% | 1.6% | 0.4% | 112,696 |
| Ogallala | 93.6% | 3.9% | 0.4% | 1.8% | 0.2% | 0.1% | 4,432,262 |
| Pecos Valley | 75.6% | 17.6% | 0.0% | 0.5% | 0.0% | 6.3% | 93,679 |
| Seymour | 94.3% | 5.2% | 0.0% | 0.5% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 125,936 |
| Trinity | 27.3% | 64.7% | 2.0% | 3.8% | 0.0% | 2.1% | 190,871 |
| All Major Aquifers | 76.1% | 19.3% | 1.6% | 1.8% | 0.6% | 0.5% | 6,655,020 |
Most water from aquifers is used for irrigation. However, some individual aquifers serve mostly municipal purposes. In 2019, more than 90 percent of the water pumped from the Ogallala was used for irrigation, while more than 90 percent of the Hueco-Mesilla pumpage served municipal purposes.
In 2019, more than 4.4 million acre-feet were pumped from the Ogallala Aquifer, accounting for 67 percent of the water sourced from all major Texas aquifers.
Texas Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) Facilities
ASR is the process of capturing water from heavy rainfall and injecting it into underground water wells where it is stored for later use. Texas has three ASR systems.
| FACILITY | SOURCE | ESTIMATED STORAGE VOLUME (ACRE-FEET) |
|---|---|---|
| ASR FACILITY AT H2OAKS CENTER, SAN ANTONIO WATER SYSTEM | GROUNDWATER | 174,635 |
| CITY OF KERRVILLE | TREATED RIVER WATER | 2,000 |
| FRED HERVEY
WATER RECLAMATION PLANT, EL PASO WATER UTILITIES, | TREATED WASTEWATER | 167,848 |
Preservation
Nearly 100 groundwater conservation districts work across the state to preserve Texas aquifers and their groundwater levels. The effects of over-pumping — removing more groundwater than what is entering an aquifer — pose continual challenges for aquifer managers across the state.
This is one in a series of reports the Comptroller has prepared on water in Texas.
Questions?
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the material on this page, please contact the Comptroller’s Data Analysis and Transparency Division.