The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) provided updates on several groundwater projects and programs to the Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts. The TWDB is completing work on several groundwater availability models and seeking qualifications for additional models. Research projects also include brackish aquifer characterization and agricultural conservation. The TWDB is reviewing explanatory reports and providing modeled available groundwater status to various groundwater management areas. Additional brackish aquifer and groundwater monitoring work was also discussed.

1. Texas Water
Development Board
Updates
Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts
Business Meeting
May 17, 2022

2. Presentation Topics
Research Projects
Modeled Available Groundwater Status
Groundwater Modeling
Brackish Aquifers
Groundwater Monitoring
Note: If any districts would like TWDB staff to speak on
any particular topic at a meeting (data, recorder wells,
management plans, joint planning basics, etc.) we’d be
more than happy to set something up.

3. Research Projects:
Groundwater Modeling
• Completing work on:
• Edwards-Trinity (Plateau)
• groundwater-surface water relationships and recharge
• groundwater pumping estimates
• Seeking qualifications for:
• Seymour/Blaine
• Groundwater pumping estimates
• Statewide
• Remote sensing
• Database of transmissivity and storage coefficient values
• Cross Timbers Aquifer
• Develop a groundwater availability model

4. Research Projects: BRACS and
Agricultural Conservation
• BRACS:
• Will be issuing request for qualifications for various
BRACS-related tasks
• TWDB Board approved 5/11
• Agricultural Conservation grants
• (TWDB Board approved 5/11):
GCD Project
Edwards Aquifer Authority Irrigation Efficiency Improvements
Evergreen UWCD Flow Meter Installations
Panhandle GCD Remote Monitoring
North Plains GCD Irrigation Metering Equipment

5. Research Projects: ASR
• Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer characterization for the
Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority ASR project
webinar: May 19 at 10:00 a.m.
• https://www.twdb.texas.gov/innovativewater/as
r/projects/GBRA/index.asp

6. Modeled Available
Groundwater
GMA Status
1 Administrative completeness review
2 Complete – MAGs delivered to districts
3 Complete – MAGs delivered to districts
4 Complete – MAGs delivered to districts
6 Administrative completeness review
7 Administrative complete – MAG report in preparation
8 Administrative completeness review – final modeling checks
9 Administrative completeness review
10 Administrative completeness review – getting clarifications
11 Complete – MAGs delivered to districts
12 Administrative completeness review – getting clarifications
13 Administrative complete – MAG report in preparation
14 Administrative completeness review – nearing completion.
15 Administrative complete – MAG report in preparation
16 Administrative completeness review.

7. Reviewing Explanatory
Reports for administrative
completeness

8. Blossom Aquifer – model complete, mailout in the works
Marathon Aquifer conceptual model – mid 2022
Southern Carrizo-Wilcox, Queen City, and Sparta
aquifers –
mid 2022
Southern/Central Gulf Coast Aquifer – mid 2022
Northern Edwards (BFZ) and Trinity aquifers – mid
2022
Southern portion of the Trinity Aquifer (aka, Trinity Hill
Country Aquifer) – 2023
Edwards-Trinity (Plateau), Trinity (Hill Country), and
Pecos Valley aquifers – 2023
Nacatoch Aquifer – just started, estimated completion
New groundwater models in
progress with estimated completion
year:

9. Upcoming groundwater
modeling activities:
• Stakeholder Advisory Forum
Central and Southern Portions of the Gulf
Coast Aquifer System Groundwater Availability
Model on May 23.
• Hiring 4 additional groundwater modelers.

10. Brackish Aquifer
Characterization System
(BRACS)
• Brackish Groundwater Production Zone
(BGPZ) amendment process stakeholder
feedback meeting scheduled for June 22
• Expect to issue RFQ for BRACS
contracts on 6/20.
• Preparing guidance documents:
• Injectate mapping tool
• Guidance for zone adjustments

11. Southern portion of the Trinity Aquifer (aka Hill
Country portion of the Trinity Aquifer) – report in final
review; TWDB presentations of draft results presented at
GeoGulf 2021 are available on BRACS website
Edwards-Trinity (Plateau) Aquifer – underway;
expanding study area to include the ‘Maverick’ Aquifer
Upper Coastal Plains East aquifers (Carrizo-Wilcox,
Queen City, Sparta, and Yegua-Jackson aquifers) –
underway
Woodbine Aquifer – early stages
BRACS Updates

12. Maverick Basin
aquifer
Working with BEG,
RRC, and TWRI to
coordinate data
collection and analysis
Will consider potential
aquifer designation
based on findings (with
GCD involvement)
www.twdb.texas.gov/groundwater/special_projects/
maverick/index.asp

13. Groundwater Monitoring
• Sampling wells in the Blaine, Blossom, Bone
Spring-Victorio Peak, Capitan Reef Complex,
Carrizo-Wilcox, Hueco-Mesilla Bolson, Nacatoch,
Pecos Valley, Queen City, Seymour, Sparta, West
Texas Bolson, and Yegua-Jackson aquifers. Staff
will contact districts as needed to coordinate
sampling. Contact Phillip Valladolid
(phillip.valladolid@twdb.texas.gov, 512-936-0862).
• We’re hiring staff – we welcome qualified
candidates to apply. All interested applicants must
complete a State of Texas application and submit it
to our HR inbox or via Work in Texas.
http://www.twdb.texas.gov/jobs/index.asp

14. Recorder Well Program
• We have secured funding from the USGS National
Groundwater Monitoring Network (NGWMN) for recorder
well upgrades that will replace equipment at 28 recorder
well. This funding is only for NGWMN recorder wells. For
GCDs with non-NGWMN recorders in need of upgrades,
contact Andrew Weinberg
(andrew.weinberg@twdb.texas.gov, 512-463-3210).
• TWDB receives funding from the TCEQ Supplemental
Environmental Program for new recorder wells in counties
without recorder wells. We’re always looking for new
unused monitoring or private wells that may be good
candidates for annual measurements. Contact Rebecca
Storms (rebecca.storms@twdb.texas.gov, 512-475-3302) if
you know of potential sites.

15. Robert Bradley
Groundwater Division
robert.bradley@twdb.texas.gov
512-936-0870