Groundwater-Level Altitudes and Long-Term Groundwater-Level Changes in the Chicot and Evangeline (Undifferentiated) and Jasper Aquifers, Greater Houston area, Texas, 2021

The geochemical data included here were generated as part of the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI), which was developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in response to a Federal directive calling on various Federal agencies to address potential vulnerabilities in the Nation's supply of critical mineral resources. Earth MRI is a partnership between the USGS, State Geological Surveys, and industry coordinating with other federal agencies to accomplish the mission. The primary purpose of this initiative is to identify potentially mineralized areas containing critical minerals by gathering new basic geologic data about the United States and its territories and to make these data publicly available through the Earth MRI web applications (https://www.usgs.gov/special-topic/earthmri/maps). The USGS is working in partnership with the State Geological Surveys to collect data and improve knowledge of the geologic framework in areas that may have the potential to contain undiscovered critical mineral resources. This data release includes all geochemical data generated by each project partnership funded through Earth MRI and will be updated periodically as additional geochemical data from these projects becomes available.The geochemical data included here were generated as part of the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI), which was developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in response to a Federal directive calling on various Federal agencies to address potential vulnerabilities in the Nation's supply of critical mineral resources. Earth MRI is a partnership between the USGS, State Geological Surveys, and industry coordinating with other federal agencies to accomplish the mission. The primary purpose of this initiative is to identify potentially mineralized areas containing critical minerals by gathering new basic geologic data about the United States and its territories and to make these data publicly available through the Earth MRI web applications (https://www.usgs.gov/special-topic/earthmri/maps). The USGS is working in partnership with the State Geological Surveys to collect data and improve knowledge of the geologic framework in areas that may have the potential to contain undiscovered critical mineral resources. This data release includes all geochemical data generated by each project partnership funded through Earth MRI and will be updated periodically as additional geochemical data from these projects becomes available.The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District, City of Houston, Fort Bend Subsidence District, Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District, and Brazoria County Groundwater Conservation District produced this dataset of groundwater-level altitudes and groundwater-level altitude changes in the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers (undifferentiated) and Jasper aquifers in the greater Houston area, Texas. This dataset shows current-year (2021) groundwater-level altitudes for each aquifer, 1-year (2020-21), 5-year (2016-21) groundwater-level changes for each aquifer, long-term (1990-2021 and 1977-2021) groundwater-level changes for the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers (undifferentiated) and long-term (2000-2021) groundwater-level change for the Jasper aquifer. The groundwater-level measurements from which the dataset was built are stored in the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) (http://doi.org/10.5066/F7P55KJN) and are accessible through the NWIS Web Interface. In 2021, measured groundwater-level-altitudes for the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers (undifferentiated) ranged from about 295 feet (ft) below the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 to about 214 ft above datum. Measured groundwater-level-altitudes for Jasper aquifer ranged from about 235 ft below datum to about 272 ft above datum. This dataset was created by the USGS to provide resource managers, public officials, researchers, and the general public with ready access to accurate, impartial, scientific information regarding groundwater-level changes and altitudes in Harris, Galveston, Fort Bend, Montgomery, Brazoria, Chambers, Grimes, Liberty, San Jacinto, Walker, and Waller Counties, Texas.