Sparta Aquiferinteractive map | cross-section
Aquifer Facts
- Aquifer type: confined and unconfined
- Area of outcrop: 1,549 square miles
- Area of subsurface: 6,321 square miles
- Proportion of aquifer with groundwater conservation districts: 76 percent
- Number of counties containing the aquifer: 25
Summary
The Sparta Aquifer is a minor aquifer extending across East and South Texas, parallel to the Gulf of Mexico coastline and about 100 miles inland. Water is contained within a part of the Claiborne Group known as the Sparta Formation, a sand-rich unit interbedded with silt and clay layers and with massive sand beds in the bottom section. The thickness of the formation changes gradually from more than 700 feet at the Sabine River to about 200 feet in South Texas. Freshwater saturated thickness averages about 120 feet.
In outcrop areas and for a few miles in the subsurface, the water is usually fresh, with an average concentration of 300 milligrams per liter of total dissolved solids; however, water quality deteriorates with depth (below about 2,000 feet), where groundwater has an average concentration of 800 milligrams per liter of total dissolved solids. Excess iron concentrations are common throughout the aquifer.
Water from the aquifer is predominantly used for domestic and livestock purposes, and its quality has not been significantly impacted by pumping. Elkhart Creek Springs originates from the Sparta Sand in Houston County and flows at a rate of as much as 3.4 cubic feet per second. In some areas, such as in Houston and Brazos counties, the aquifer is used for municipal, industrial, and irrigation purposes.
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 |
| HA-05 | 1/1/1997 | Hydrologic atlas | Water Quality in the Sparta Aquifer |
| B-6310 | 12/1/1973 | Groundwater bulletin | Reconnaissance Investigation of the Ground-Water Resources of the Brazos River Basin, Texas |
| R-186 | 9/1/1974 | TWDB numbered report | Ground-Water Resources of Grimes County, Texas |
| R-185 | 9/1/1974 | TWDB numbered report | Ground-Water Resources of Brazos and Burleson Counties, Texas |
| R-327 | 2/1/1991 | TWDB numbered report | Evaluation of Ground Water Resources in the Vicinity of the Cities of Henderson, Jacksonville, Kilgore, Lufkin, Nacogdoches, Rusk, and Tyler in East Texas |
| B-5710 | 7/1/1957 | Groundwater bulletin | Ground-Water Geology of Wilson County, Texas |
| R-004 | 11/1/1965 | TWDB numbered report | Ground-Water Resources of Gonzales County, Texas |
| B-6513 | 5/1/1965 | Groundwater bulletin | Availability and Quality of Ground Water in Leon County, Texas |
| R-150 | 8/1/1972 | TWDB numbered report | Ground-Water Conditions in Anderson, Cherokee, Freestone, and Henderson Counties, Texas |
| R-109 | 3/1/1970 | TWDB numbered report | Ground-Water Resources of Bastrop County, Texas |
| R-020 | 3/1/1966 | TWDB numbered report | Ground-Water Resources of Lee County, Texas |
| R-018 | 3/1/1966 | TWDB numbered report | Ground-Water Resources of Houston County, Texas |
| R-037 | 1/1/1967 | TWDB numbered report | Ground-Water Resources of Sabine and San Augustine Counties, Texas |
| R-110 | 3/1/1970 | TWDB numbered report | Ground-Water Conditions in Angelina and Nacogdoches Counties, Texas |
| R-032 | 12/1/1966 | TWDB numbered report | Ground-Water Resources of Atascosa and Frio Counties, Texas |
| R-026 | 8/1/1966 | TWDB numbered report | Base-Flow Studies, Big Elkhart and Little Elkhart Creeks, Trinity River Basin, Texas: Quantity and Quality, September 15-16, 1965 |
| R-056 | 8/1/1967 | TWDB numbered report | Availability and Quality of Ground Water in Fayette County, Texas |
| GMA14_DFC_01 | 8/25/2010 | DFC submission | Desired future conditions for the Gulf Coast, Carrizo-Wilcox, Queen City, Sparta, Yegua-Jackson, and River Alluvium aquifers |
| GT10-020 | 11/22/2010 | GAM task | Depth to aquifer layers for the Carrizo-Wilcox, Queen City, and Sparta aquifers in McMullen County |
| GR10-029_MP | 1/4/2011 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Post Oak Savannah GCD |
| GT10-009 | 9/3/2010 | GAM task | Predictive simulations for the Carrizo-Wilcox, Queen City, Sparta, and Yegua-Jackson aquifers in Groundwater Management Area 11 |
| GR10-024_MP | 8/18/2010 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Wintergarden GCD |
| GT10-024 | 7/16/2010 | GAM task | Analysis of pumping information for the Carrizo-Wilcox, Queen City, and Sparta aquifers in Groundwater Management Area 12 |
| GR10-015_MP | 6/15/2010 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Evergreen UWCD |
| GR10-014_MP | 6/9/2010 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Lost Pines GCD |
| GR10-013_MP | 10/4/2011 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Brazos Valley GCD |
| GR09-034 | 6/29/2010 | GAM run | Predictive simulations for the Carrizo-Wilcox, Queen City, and Sparta aquifers in Groundwater Management Area 13 |
| GR09-021_MP | 7/31/2009 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Neches & Trinity Valleys GCD |
| GR09-020_MP | 8/6/2009 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Rusk County GCD |
| GR09-004 | 6/29/2010 | GAM run | Predictive simulations for the Carrizo-Wilcox, Queen City, and Sparta aquifers in Groundwater Management Area 13 |
| GR08-089_MP | 5/20/2009 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Lost Pines GCD |
| GR08-087_MP | 5/8/2009 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Bluebonnet GCD |
| GR08-077_MP | 2/25/2009 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Mid-East Texas GCD |
| GR08-073_MP | 12/9/2008 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Brazos Valley GCD |
| GR08-071_MP | 10/3/2008 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Neches & Trinity Valleys GCD |
| GR08-062_MP | 9/3/2008 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Evergreen UWCD |
| GR08-050_MP | 7/16/2008 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Panola County GCD |
| GR08-049_MP | 7/7/2008 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Pineywoods GCD |
| GR08-043 | 9/19/2008 | GAM run | Predictive simulation for the Carrizo-Wilcox, Queen City, and Sparta aquifers in Groundwater Management Area 13 |
| GR08-043_CM | 9/29/2008 | GAM run | Average drawdowns by county for GAM Runs 08-41, 08-42, and 08-43 in Groundwater Management Area 13 |
| GR08-042 | 9/12/2008 | GAM run | Predictive simulation for the Carrizo-Wilcox, Queen City, and Sparta aquifers in Groundwater Management Area 13 |
| GR08-041 | 9/17/2008 | GAM run | Predictive simulation for the Carrizo-Wilcox, Queen City, and Sparta aquifers in Groundwater Management Area 13 |
| GR08-038_MP | 5/30/2008 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Pecan Valley GCD |
| GR08-035_MP | 5/29/2008 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Fayette County GCD |
| GR08-002_MP | 4/10/2008 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for McMullen GCD |
| GR08-001_MP | 3/10/2008 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Bee GCD |
| GR07-025_MP | 9/6/2007 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Guadalupe GCD |
| GR07-020 | 9/28/2007 | GAM run | Predictive simulation for the Carrizo-Wilcox, Queen City, and Sparta aquifers in Groundwater Management Area 11 |
| GR07-017 | 9/28/2007 | GAM run | Predictive simulation for the Carrizo-Wilcox, Queen City, and Sparta aquifers in Groundwater Management Area 13 |
| GR07-016 | 6/26/2007 | GAM run | Predictive simulation for the Carrizo-Wilcox, Queen City, and Sparta aquifers in Groundwater Management Area 13 |
| GR07-007_MP | 4/3/2007 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Anderson County UWCD |
| GR06-029 | 1/11/2007 | GAM run | Predictive simulation for the Carrizo-Wilcox, Queen City, and Sparta aquifers in Groundwater Management Area 13 |
| GR06-029_CM | 11/8/2011 | GAM run | Average drawdowns for the Carrizo-Wilcox, Queen City, and Sparta aquifers based on the analysis completed in GAM Run 06-029 |
| GR06-024_MP | 1/3/2007 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Pineywoods GCD |
| GR06-019 | 9/7/2006 | GAM run | Predictive simulation for the Carrizo-Wilcox, Queen City, and Sparta aquifers in Fayette County GCD |
| GR06-018_MP | 8/2/2006 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Plum Creek Conservation District |
| GR06-009 | 5/31/2006 | GAM run | Predictive simulation for the Carrizo-Wilcox, Queen City, and Sparta aquifers in Mid-East Texas GCD |
| GR05-036_MP | 11/28/2005 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for McMullen GCD |
| GR05-034_MP | 9/8/2005 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Wintergarden GCD |
| GR05-028 | 7/20/2005 | GAM run | Recharge information for the Queen City and Sparta aquifers in Dimmit, La Salle, and Zavala counties |
| GR05-028_Add | 7/25/2005 | GAM run | Water budget information for the Queen City and Sparta aquifers in Dimmit, La Salle, and Zavala counties |
| GR05-022 | 6/3/2005 | GAM run | Water level information for the Gulf Coast, Carrizo-Wilcox, Queen City, and Sparta aquifers in Live Oak County |
| GR05-020 | 7/19/2005 | GAM run | Recharge information for the Queen City and Sparta aquifers in Rusk County GCD |
| GR05-018 | 4/29/2005 | GAM run | Water budget information for the Carrizo-Wilcox, Queen City, and Sparta aquifers in Bee, Live Oak, and McMullen counties |
| GR05-005 | 3/31/2005 | GAM run | Post Oak Savannah GCD, water budget, water levels, drawdown through 2050, 2002 State Water Plan pumping summary, and interaction with the Brazos River Alluvium Aquifer |
| GR03-017 | 8/18/2003 | GAM run | Recharge and total storage data for the Carrizo-Wilcox, Queen City, Sparta, and Gulf Coast aquifers in Fayette County GCD |
| GR08-023 | 8/29/2008 | GAM run | Predictive simulation for the Carrizo-Wilcox, Queen City, and Sparta aquifers in Groundwater Management Area 11 |
| GR11-007 | 6/12/2012 | GAM run | Estimated drawdown under assumed future pumping for the Carrizo-Wilcox, Queen City, and Sparta aquifers in Groundwater Management Area 13 |
| GR11-007_Add | 6/12/2012 | GAM run | Drawdown maps and water budget for GAM run 11-007 |
| GR09-034_Add | 6/27/2012 | GAM run | Predictive simulations for the Carrizo-Wilcox, Queen City, and Sparta aquifers in Groundwater Management Area 13 |
| GR12-011_MP | 6/25/2012 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for McMullen GCD |
| GR11-010 | 7/30/2012 | GAM run | Predictive simulations for the Carrizo-Wilcox, Queen City, and Sparta aquifers in Groundwater Management Area 11 |
| R-380 | 7/1/2011 | TWDB numbered report | Aquifers of Texas |
| GR08-022_MP_Ver2 | 8/14/2008 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Gonzales County UWCD |
| GR13-002_MP | 3/21/2013 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan data for Fayette County GCD |
| GR13-014_MP | 6/25/2013 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management Plan data for Gonzales County UWCD |
| GR13-013_MP | 7/3/2013 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan data for Neches & Trinity Valleys GCD |
| GR13-003_MP | 7/26/2013 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management Plan Data for Pineywoods GCD |
| GR13-024_MP | 8/28/2013 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan data for Mid-East Texas GCD |
| GR13-028_MP | 8/30/2013 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan data for Bluebonnet GCD |
| GT13-036_TERS_Ver2 | 7/15/2013 | GAM task - Total Estimated Recoverable Storage | Total Estimated Recoverable Storage for aquifers in Groundwater Management Area 13 |
| GT13-038_TERS | 1/15/2014 | GAM task - Total Estimated Recoverable Storage | Total Estimated Recoverable Storage for aquifers in Groundwater Management Area 15 |
| GR14-005_MP | 3/26/2014 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management Plan data for Brazos Valley GCD |
| GT13-034_TERS | 4/2/2014 | GAM task - Total Estimated Recoverable Storage | Total Estimated Recoverable Storage for aquifers in Groundwater Management Area 11 |
| GT13-035_TERS_Ver2 | 5/16/2014 | GAM task - Total Estimated Recoverable Storage | Total Estimated Recoverable Storage for aquifers in Groundwater Management Area 12 |
| GT13-037_TERS | 6/9/2014 | GAM task - Total Estimated Recoverable Storage | Total Estimated Recoverable Storage for aquifers in Groundwater Management Area 14 |
| GR15-004_MP | 6/30/2015 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management Plan data for Evergreen UWCD |
| GR15-007_MP | 7/29/2015 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management Plan data for Wintergarden GCD |
| GR16-014_MP | 3/17/2017 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Lost Pines GCD |
| GR17-020_MP | 12/15/2017 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Bluebonnet GCD |
| GR17-021_MP | 1/3/2018 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Pineywoods GCD |
| GR17-015_MP | 1/31/2018 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Bee GCD |
| GR17-019_MP | 2/2/2018 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Fayette County GCD |
| GR18-006_MP | 4/9/2018 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Gonzales County UWCD |
| GR18-019_MP | 7/6/2018 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Brazos Valley GCD |
| GR18-021_MP | 1/25/2019 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Brazos Valley GCD |
| GR18-020_MP | 2/11/2019 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Mid-East Texas GCD |
| GR18-017_MP | 3/6/2019 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Neches and Trinity Valleys GCD |
| GR19-022_MP | 1/29/2020 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Rusk County GCD |
| GR20-004_MP | 9/30/2020 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Wintergarden GCD |
| GR22-007_MP | 6/28/2022 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Post Oak Savannah GCD |
| GR22-008_MP | 8/12/2022 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Lost Pines GCD |
| GR23-003_MP | 5/17/2023 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Pineywoods GCD |
| GR23-009_MP | 6/2/2023 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Brazos Valley GCD |
| GR23-005_MP | 06/09/2023 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Bluebonnet GCD |
| GR23-008_MP | 06/12/2023 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Fayette County GCD |
| GR23-015_MP | 07/28/2023 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for McMullen GCD |
| GR23-018_MP | 10/09/2023 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Gonzales County UWCD |
| GR24-002_MP | 02/29/2024 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Neches & Trinity Valleys GCD |
| GR24-001_MP | 03/19/2024 | GAM run - Management Plan | Management plan information for Mid-East Texas GCD |