Blossom Aquiferinteractive map | cross-section
Aquifer Facts
- Aquifer type: confined and unconfined
- Area of outcrop: 182 square miles
- Area of subsurface: 95 square miles
- Proportion of aquifer with groundwater conservation districts: 0 percent
- Number of counties containing the aquifer: 3
Summary
The Blossom Aquifer is a minor aquifer located in Bowie, Red River, and Lamar counties in the northeast corner of Texas. The aquifer consists of the Blossom Sand Formation, composed of alternating sequences of sand and clay. In places, the aquifer is as much as 400 feet thick, although no more than about one-third of this thickness consists of sand, and freshwater saturated thickness averages 25 feet.
The aquifer yields water of usable quality to wells located mostly in outcrop areas. However, in part of Red River County, slightly saline water, with total dissolved solids less than 3,000 milligrams per liter, extends underground for about 6 miles south of the outcrop. Groundwater in the Blossom Aquifer is generally soft, slightly alkaline, and, in some areas, high in sodium, bicarbonate, iron, and fluoride.
Although water quality is not acceptable for irrigation, it is generally acceptable for nonindustrial uses. Municipal pumping accounts for a large percentage of total pumpage from the aquifer. Clarksville and the Red River County Water Supply Corporation in Red River County have historically pumped the greatest amounts from the aquifer, causing water level declines. In recent years, however, the rate of decline has slowed or even stabilized in some wells as a result of more surface water use in the area.
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-380 | 7/1/2011 | TWDB numbered report | Aquifers of Texas |
| R-269 | 4/1/1982 | TWDB numbered report | Occurrence, Availability and Chemical Quality of Ground Water in the Cretaceous Aquifers of North-Central Texas, Volumes 1 & 2 |
| R-307 | 8/1/1988 | TWDB numbered report | Occurrence, Availability, and Chemical Quality of Ground Water in the Blossom Sand Aquifer |
| R-349 | 11/1/1999 | TWDB numbered report | Updated Evaluation of Water Resources in Part of North-Central Texas, 1990-1999 |
| R-318 | 1/1/1990 | TWDB numbered report | Evaluation of Water Resources in Part of North-Central Texas |
| CR-1004831116 | 7/11/2012 | Contract report | Aquifer Test and Related Well Information from Public Water Supply Wells in Groundwater Management Area 8 |
| CR-1004831114 | 8/9/2012 | Contract report | Ground Water Recharge Model: Calibration and Validation for Remotely-Sensed Dual Coefficient (RDC) GMA8 ET Estimation |
| GT13-031_TERS | 1/15/2014 | GAM task - Total Estimated Recoverable Storage | Total Estimated Recoverable Storage for aquifers in Groundwater Management Area 8 |