Texas Almanac, 1945-1946 Page: 165
[610] p. : ill. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this book.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Water Resources of Texas
The great expansion of Texas industry for
purposes of war production, and the evident
need of continued industrialization In the
postwar period as a means of maintaining a
balanced Texas economy has confronted the
people of the state more imperatively than
ever before with the need of water conserva-
tion
Throughout the history of the state the
development of the evidently rich mineral
resources has been a shibboleth of hopeful
Texans. And this development has come-in
oil, sulphur and two score other minerals-
In such quantity that Texas has been for a
number of years the leading mineral pro-
ducing state of the nation. But latterly there
has come the realization that Texas is i ela-
tively more in need of water than of oil.
Texas possesses sufficient surface and un-
derground water resources for its future in-
dustrial expansion, but careful conservation
of these resources will be necessary.
The problem of an adequate and healthful
water supply was long ignored. Early Anglo-
American migration into Texas was largely
into the Pine Belt and Coastal Plains regions
where ample rainfall maintained an abundant
water supply for the needs of that day, both
in the many meandering streams and in sub-
surface strata that could be tapped by shallow
wells. Previously, the Spanish and Mexican
population that had settled largely in South-
west Texas had solved the water problem by
establishing their communities either on the
Rio Grande or on the spring-fed streams that
flow from the Edwards Plateau limestone
An abundant supply of spring water was the
determining factor in the selection of the site
of San Antonio in 1718. The sparseness of
population and lack of industrial plants mini-
mized the problem of contamination of sur-
face and underground water supply in those
early days.
As the Anglo-American population began
to push into the central and western parts of
the state, however, the problem of an ade-
qate water supply arose. At the same time,
e growth o communities on the upper
reaches of the streams marked the beginning
of the problem of contamination.
Population and Water.
Moving westward into the regions of di-
minishing rainfall, the pioneers settled prin-
cipally along streams, around springs and in
localities where undergrouernd water could be
reached by shallow wells. The distribution
of easily available water in those early days
is impressed on today's pattern of poula-
tion distribution in Texas. As population
grew and cities arose, demand began to out-
run the supply of water that nature had
made easily available. Man had to turn to
his own resourcefulness (1) by drilling wells
to tap the great reservoirs in deep strata,
and (2) by building dams across streams to
impound excess surface waters.
Underground Water Resources
The underground waters of Texas have
been, and are today, of incalculable economic
value. More than 700 million gallons are
produced daily for the domestic and indus-
trial needs of more than half of Texas cities
and towns, and for the irrigation of several
hundred thousands of acres of fertile lands.
The underground water reesources of this
region were advertised to the early Spanish
and Mexican explorers and settlers by the
great number of springs that flow from the
foot of the Balcones Escarpment and the
deep canyons of the Edwards Plateau above.
As early as 1828, a monopoly on drilling arte-
sian wells in Texas for a period of six years
was granted by the Mexican Government to
Leo R. Alemy. In 1856, after annexation,
the Federal Congress appropriated $100,000
for drilling artesian wells in the area between
the Rio iiande and the Nueces. Results of
this experiment seem to have been disappoint-ing. though part of this area was later dis-
covered to have great underground water
resources
Scientific knowledge of the water-bearing
structures of parts of Texas, notably the
Black and Grand Prairies, was worked out by
Dr. Robert T. Hill about 1896 Twenty years
later, a scientific study of the great reser-
voirs of the coastal region was made by Dr.
Alexander Deussen. In more recent years
much has been contributed to knowledge of
water-bearing strata by the widespread drill-
ing for oil. A comprehensive survey* of the
underground water resources of the state has
been under way by the State Board of Water
Engineers in co-operation with the United
States Geological Survey. Many of these
studies* have been published.
In a preceding chapter something was told
of the complex geological structui e of sub-
surface Texas. Into these strata of sand.
porous limestone and other absorbent mate-
rials, deposited between strata of impervious
stone or clay, water filters from the surface
of the earth, frequently moving long dis-
tances horizontally while descending 1.000 to
3,000 feet beneath the surface. Where the
head pressure exerted at the bottom of the
well is sufficient to raise the water to the
surface, it is known as an artesian well. The
wells of most of the Texas ground-water
areas are artesian wells, the Great Plains
area being the notable exception.
Underground Reservoirs.
The greatest of the underground reservoirs
of Texas, according to Walter N. White, sen-
ior hydraulic engineer of the United States
Geological Survey, stationed at Austin, is the
Edwards limestone of the Balcones Fault zone
and the Edwards Plateau region of Southwest
Texas. At San Antonio an average of 100.-
000,000 gallons daily is drawn from wells and
springs originating in this limestone. An
average of approximately 300,000.000 gallons
daily flows from the Comal Springs at New
Braunfels, and there are thousands of other
springs in this region.
Coastal Ground Waters.
Next to the Edwards limestone, Mr. White
ranks the Tertiary and Pleistocene sands and
sandstones of the Gulf Coastal Plain. some
of which extend across the state from the
Rio Grande to the Louisiana border. Among
these, the Carrizo, Goliad and Willis sands,
and the sands of the Lissle Formation and
Beaumont clay are the principal contributors.
The Carrizo supplies water for the irrigation
of 25,000 acres in the Winter Garden section
of Zavala, Dimmit, La Salle and Frino Coun-
ties. These sands yield an average of 210,000
gallons daily in the Houston-Galveston area.
Great Plains Water Belt.
The gravels and sands in the Tertiary de-
posits of the Great Plains of Northwest Texas
constitute u ti the third of the three greatest
ground-water reservoirs of the state. This
area depends entirely on its underground
water supply, including the domestic and in-
dustrial supply for Amarillo, Lubbock, Plain-
view and other large and small cities of the
Great Plains. There are approximately 3,200
wells which irrigate about 400,000 acres.
About 300 000 acre-feet annually are
pumped for irrigation, the equivalent of a
continuous flow of 270,000 gallons daily.
Noteworthy characteristics of the Great
Plains wells are that they are not artesian
wells and that in some sections they produce
enormous quantities of water at shallow
depths, especially near Plainview. This area
is known as the shallow-water belt.
"A list of publicatons giving the results of these
studies is found m the Progress Report of the
State Board of Water Engineers for the two years
ended Aug. 31, 1944. A limited number of copies
are available for distribution to any who are
especially interested. Requests should be addressed
to Chairman C S Clark of the State Board of
Water Engineers, Austin, Texas,
L65
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This book can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Book.
Texas Almanac, 1945-1946, book, 1945; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth117166/m1/167/: accessed May 5, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.