Ogallala Aquiferinteractive map

Aquifer Facts

  • Aquifer type: unconfined
  • Area of aquifer: 36,293 square miles
  • Proportion of aquifer with groundwater conservation districts: 86 percent
  • Number of counties containing the aquifer: 49

Summary

The Ogallala Aquifer is the largest aquifer in the United States and is a major aquifer of Texas underlying much of the High Plains region. The aquifer consists of sand, gravel, clay, and silt and has a maximum thickness of 800 feet. Freshwater saturated thickness averages 95 feet.

Water to the north of the Canadian River is generally fresh, with total dissolved solids typically less than 400 milligrams per liter. However, water quality diminishes to the south, where large areas contain total dissolved solids in excess of 1,000 milligrams per liter. Increased salinity may be associated with evaporative concentration of groundwater in saline playa lakes in the southern portion of the aquifer, up flow of more saline groundwater from the underlying Dockum Aquifer and other sources./p>

The Ogallala Aquifer provides significantly more water for users than any other aquifer in the state. The availability of this water is critical to the economy of the region, as approximately 95 percent of groundwater pumped is used for irrigated agriculture. Throughout much of the aquifer, groundwater withdrawals exceed the amount of recharge, and water levels have declined fairly consistently through time. Although water level declines in excess of 300 feet have occurred in several areas over the last 50 to 60 years, the rate of decline has slowed, and water levels have risen in a few areas.

Reports

ID Date Type Description
Texas Aquifers Study 12/31/2016 Legislative Report Texas Aquifers Study: Groundwater Quantity, Quality, Flow, and Contributions to Surface Water
R-111 3/11/1970 TWDB numbered report An Investigation of Clouds and Precipitation for the Texas High Plains
R-116 5/1/1970 TWDB numbered report Quantity and Chemical Quality of Low Flow in the Prairie Dog Town Fork Red River near Wayside, Texas, February 6-9,1968
R-288 5/1/1984 TWDB numbered report Evaluating the Ground-Water Resources of the High Plains of Texas, Volumes 1-4
R-341 9/1/1993 TWDB numbered report The High Plains Aquifer System of Texas, 1980 to 1990 - Overview and Projections
R-315 11/1/1989 TWDB numbered report Evaluation of Ground-Water Resources in Dallam County, Texas
R-355 1/1/2003 TWDB numbered report Evaluation of Enhanced Recharge Potential to the Ogallala Aquifer in the Brazos River Basin, Hale County, Texas
HA-10 1/1/1998 Hydrologic atlas Updated Water-Quality Evaluation of the Ogallala Aquifer, Including Selected Metallic and Non-Metallic Inorganic Constituents
R-010 12/1/1965 TWDB numbered report Studies of Playa Lakes in the High Plains of Texas
B-6010 11/1/1960 Groundwater bulletin Geology and Ground-Water Resources of Hale County, Texas
R-015 2/1/1966 TWDB numbered report Ground-Water Resources of Gaines County, Texas
B-6310 12/1/1973 Groundwater bulletin Reconnaissance Investigation of the Ground-Water Resources of the Brazos River Basin, Texas
R-360 2/9/2004 TWDB numbered report Conference Proceedings: Aquifers of the Edwards Plateau
R-342 8/1/1993 TWDB numbered report Water-Quality Evaluation of the Ogallala Aquifer, Texas
R-313 2/1/1989 TWDB numbered report Evaluation of Ground-Water Resources in Briscoe, Hale, and Swisher Counties, Texas
R-330 7/1/1991 TWDB numbered report Evaluation of Ground-Water Resources in the Southern High Plains of Texas
R-119 7/1/1970 TWDB numbered report Ground-Water Resources of Collingsworth County, Texas
R-167 4/1/1973 TWDB numbered report Ground-Water Resources of Hall and Eastern Briscoe Counties, Texas
HA-01 1/1/1991 Hydrologic atlas Water-Level Changes in the High Plains Aquifer of Texas, 1980-1990
GR11-014_MP 10/4/2011 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for Hemphill County UWCD
GR11-009_MP 6/24/2011 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for High Plains UWCD No. 1
GT11-010 6/14/2011 GAM task Total pumping estimates for the Ogallala, Edwards-Trinity (High Plains), and Dockum aquifers in High Plains UWCD No. 1
GR10-007_MP 7/20/2010 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for Gateway GCD
GR09-027 6/21/2010 GAM run Predictive simulations for the Ogallala and Edwards-Trinity (High Plains) aquifers in Groundwater Management Area 7
GR09-023 5/21/2010 GAM run Predictive simulation for the Ogallala and Edwards-Trinity (High Plains) aquifers in Groundwater Management Area 2
GR09-018_MP 7/24/2009 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for Llano Estacado UWCD
GR09-007_MP 3/17/2009 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for Garza County UWCD
GR09-006_MP 3/17/2009 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for High Plains UWCD No. 1
GR09-005_MP 3/17/2009 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for Sandy Land UWCD
GR09-001 2/17/2009 GAM run Predictive simulations for the Ogallala Aquifer in Groundwater Management Area 1
GR09-001_S 2/26/2009 GAM run Predictive simulations for the Ogallala Aquifer in Groundwater Management Area 1
GR08-085 4/23/2009 GAM run Predictive simulations for the Ogallala Aquifer in Groundwater Management Area2
GR08-085_Add 5/21/2010 GAM run Initial and final water volumes for the simulations presented in GAM Run 08-085
GR08-063_MP 9/24/2008 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for High Plains UWCD No. 1
GR08-061 11/21/2008 GAM run Predictive simulation for the Ogallala Aquifer in Groundwater Management Area 2
GR08-055_MP 8/1/2008 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for Garza County Underground and FWCD
GR08-047_MP 6/27/2008 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for Sandy Land UWCD
GR08-046_MP 8/1/2008 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for Mesa UWCD
GR08-033_MP 5/28/2008 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for Permian Basin UWCD
GR08-028_MP 5/16/2008 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for Panhandle GCD
GR08-025_MP 5/21/2008 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for Glasscock GCD
GR08-018_MP 5/30/2008 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for South Plains UWCD
GR08-016 7/31/2008 GAM run Predictive simulations for the Ogallala Aquifer in Groundwater Management Area 1
GR08-016_S 9/30/2008 GAM run Predictive simulations for the Ogallala Aquifer in Groundwater Management Area 1
GR07-044_Rev1 2/25/2008 GAM run Predictive simulations for the Ogallala Aquifer in Groundwater Management Area 2
GR07-038_Rev1 1/15/2008 GAM run Volume calculations for the Ogallala Aquifer in Groundwater Management Area 1
GR07-031 11/11/2007 GAM run Volume calculations and pump rates for the Ogallala Aquifer in Groundwater Management Area 1
GR07-019 8/10/2007 GAM run Analysis using specified depletions for districts in Groundwater Management Area 1
GR07-006_MP 3/27/2007 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for North Plains GCD
GR07-001 1/22/2007 GAM run Volume calculations for the Ogallala Aquifer in Groundwater Management Area 1
GR06-025 11/2/2006 GAM run Volume calculations for the Ogallala Aquifer in Groundwater Management Area 1
GR05-026 9/1/2005 GAM run Water budget and GIS information for the Ogallala Aquifer in Hemphill County
GR05-021 6/20/2005 GAM run Saturated thickness shapefile for the Ogallala Aquifer in Hemphill County
GR05-021_Att 6/20/2005 GAM run Saturated thickness shapefile for the Ogallala Aquifer in Hemphill County (zip file)
GR05-016 6/12/2005 GAM run Saturated thickness maps for the Ogallala Aquifer in Region A
GR05-011 3/4/2005 GAM run Groundwater volumes for the Ogallala Aquifer in Randall and Oldham counties
GR05-010 3/3/2005 GAM run Comparison of groundwater volumes between GR 04-13 and GR 05-09 for the Ogallala Aquifer in Region A
GR05-009 2/28/2005 GAM run Saturated thickness, groundwater volumes, and water level maps for the Ogallala Aquifer in Region A
GR05-012 4/8/2005 GAM run Various pumping scenarios for the Ogallala Aquifer in Hemphill County
GR04-016 3/21/2005 GAM run Water budget and volume of water in storage for Hemphill County using a predictive simulation
GR04-015 10/21/2004 GAM run Saturated thickness map for the Ogallala (north) Aquifer
GR04-014 9/22/2004 GAM run Recharge rates per model cell in the Ogallala (north) Aquifer GAM
GR04-014_Att 9/22/2004 GAM run Recharge data for GAM run 04-014
GR04-013 9/22/2004 GAM run Groundwater in storage for Region A using a 1.25% annual depletion rate
GR04-012 10/1/2004 GAM run Hydraulic conductivity data for the Ogallala Aquifer GAMs
GR04-007 7/27/2004 GAM run Volumetric calculations for all counties in Llano Estacado Regional Water Planning Group
GR04-005 5/10/2004 GAM run Groundwater volume in each county-basin zone of Region O (Llano Estacado)
GR04-002 4/30/2004 GAM run Determine pumping rate equivalent to a volume depletion rate of no more than 1% per year
GR03-036 3/16/2004 GAM run Predictive run with Region O provided increase in irrigation pumping
GR03-035 6/23/2004 GAM run Water table declines and water budget in South Plains UWCD
GR04-005_CM 6/1/2004 GAM run Groundwater volume in each county-basin zone of Region O (Llano Estacado) − Clarification memo
GR03-023 8/22/2003 GAM run Water budget and total available storage for the Ogallala Aquifer in Permian Basin UWCD
GR03-022 3/9/2004 GAM run Volume of water in storage and recharge information for the Ogallala Aquifer in High Plains UWCD No. 1
GR03-021 11/3/2003 GAM run Water table decline maps for the Ogallala Aquifer in South Plains UWCD
GR03-020 8/22/2003 GAM run Water budget and total available storage for the Ogallala Aquifer in Garza County UFWCD
GR03-010 6/20/2003 GAM run Water budget and total available storage for the Ogallala Aquifer in Mesa UWCD
GR03-009 7/21/2003 GAM run Terry county water budget for the Ogallala Aquifer
GR11-021_MP 1/27/2012 GAM run - Management Plan Panhandle GCD Management Plan
GT10-023 6/8/2010 GAM task Predictive simulations for the Ogallala and Edwards-Trinity (High Plains) aquifers in Groundwater Management Area 2
GR12-006_MP 4/11/2012 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for South Plains UWCD
GR12-007_MP 6/13/2012 GAM run - Management Plan Permian Basin UWCD Management Plan
GR12-008_MP 6/20/2012 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan data for Mesa UWCD
GR12-003_MP 7/2/2012 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan data for North Plains GCD
R-380 7/1/2011 TWDB numbered report Aquifers of Texas
GR12-020_MP 10/19/2012 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan data for Glasscock GCD
CR-0704830686 1/1/2009 Contract report Groundwater Recharge in the Central High Plains of Texas: Roberts and Hemphill Counties
GR07-038_Ver2 1/5/2008 GAM run Volume calculations for the Ogallala Aquifer in Groundwater Management Area 1
GR05-013_Ver2 5/17/2012 GAM run Saturated thickness maps for the Ogallala Aquifer in Region A
GR12-003_MP_Ver2 9/17/2012 GAM run - Management Plan Revised management plan data for North Plains GCD
GR13-017_MP 8/7/2013 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan data for Mesquite GCD
GR13-022_MP 8/28/2013 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan data for Sandy Land UWCD
GR13-021_MP 8/28/2013 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan data for Garza County UWCD
GT13-025_TERS 8/20/2013 GAM task - Total Estimated Recoverable Storage Total Estimated Recoverable Storage for aquifers in Groundwater Management Area 1
GT13-026_TERS 9/19/2013 GAM task - Total Estimated Recoverable Storage Total Estimated Recoverable Storage for aquifers in Groundwater Management Area 2
GT13-027_TERS 9/19/2013 GAM task - Total Estimated Recoverable Storage Total Estimated Recoverable Storage for aquifers in Groundwater Management Area 3
GT13-029_TERS 9/19/2013 GAM task - Total Estimated Recoverable Storage Total Estimated Recoverable Storage for aquifers in Groundwater Management Area 6
GT13-030_TERS 10/2/2013 GAM task - Total Estimated Recoverable Storage Total Estimated Recoverable Storage for aquifers in Groundwater Management Area 7
GT13-042_TERS 11/1/2013 GAM task - Total Estimated Recoverable Storage Total Estimated Recoverable Storage by county for aquifers in High Plains UWCD No. 1
GR14-002_MP 6/30/2014 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan data for Llano Estacado UWCD
GR14-013_MP 4/10/2015 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan data for Gateway GCD
GT15-006_TERS 12/17/2015 GAM task - Total Estimated Recoverable Storage Total Estimated Recoverable Storage for aquifers in Groundwater Management Area 1
GR16-001_MP 4/28/2016 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for Panhandle GCD
GR16-013_MP 8/31/2016 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for Permian Basin UWCD
GR16-010 10/31/2016 GAM run Management Plan Information for Hemphill County UWCD
GR17-008_MP 4/7/2017 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for North Plains GCD
GR18-004_MP 3/29/2018 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for South Plains UWCD
GR18-010_MP 5/3/2018 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for Mesquite GCD
GR18-009_MP 5/25/2018 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for Mesa UWCD
GR18-014_MP 1/15/2019 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for Sandy Land UWCD
GR18-022_MP 2/11/2019 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for Glasscock GCD
GR19-002_MP 3/1/2019 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for High Plains UWCD #1
GR19-001_MP 5/3/2019 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for Garza County UWCD
GR19-017_MP 7/22/2019 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for Llano Estacado UWCD
GR19-023_MP 10/1/2019 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for Gateway GCD
GR22-001_MP 2/2/2022 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for Hemphil County UWCD
GR22-005_MP 5/23/2022 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for Permian Basin UWCD
GR22-015_MP 1/13/2023 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for North Plains GCD
GR21-007_MAG 2/28/2023 GAM run - MAG Modeled available groundwater estimates for the High Plains Aquifer System in Groundwater Management Area 1
GR23-007_MP 5/1/2023 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for South Plains UWCD
GR23-013_MP 07/14/2023 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for Mesquite GCD
GR23-022_MP 09/19/2023 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for Mesa UWCD
GR23-024_MP 12/14/2023 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for Sandy Land Underground Water Conservation District
GR24-004_MP 03/14/2024 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for Garza County UWCD
GR24-003_MP 04/02/2024 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for Panhandle Groundwater Conservation District
GR24-006_MP 05/20/2024 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for High Plains UWCD #1
GR24-010_MP 10/28/2024 GAM run - Management Plan Management plan information for Glasscock GCD
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