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- Current Groundwater News
- Groundwater Basics
- Groundwater Management
- Groundwater Classification
- Groundwater in Texas
- Monitoring and Data
- Agricultural Resources
- Resources for Small Communities
- National Groundwater Awareness Week in Texas
- Groundwater White Papers
- Groundwater Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Well Basics
The Groundwater Foundation's Wells and How they Work has more information on well construction. Wellowner.org provides information regarding Water Well Basics and offers free online Well Owner Lessons.
ACC Edwards Aquifer Monitoring Wellhouse; photo courtesy of Kathy McCormack (TCEQ)
The inside of a water well can be fascinating, as seen in a 40-second video taken with a camera lowered down Austin Community College's Edwards Aquifer monitoring well. To watch the video, click on the image (on the left side of this page) of the Northridge Campus building which houses this well and download the .wmv file. The numbers in the center of the video indicate the depth in feet below the land surface. Video provided by GeoCam, Inc. for Austin Community College.
Statewide Water Well Databases
Six searchable, online water well databases provide a wealth of data on the water wells that exist in Texas:
- Created in 2001, the joint Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) and Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) Submitted Drillers Reports (SDR) Database includes over 650,000 well reports and over 230,000 plugging reports submitted by water well drillers. An explanation of the Reports Toolbar is available.
- For wells drilled as early as 1820, the TWDB Groundwater Database (GWDB) includes over 140,000 water well records. An explanation of the Reports Toolbar is available.
- Data from both the GWDB and SDR Database can be viewed in the TWDB Groundwater Data Viewer, an interactive map application. A Quick Reference Guide for this system is available.
- The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) Water Well Report Viewer allows users to geographically locate and view copies of at least one million scanned water well reports submitted by drillers since 1960. A User Guide for this Viewer is available.
- For public drinking water sources, the TCEQ Source Water Assessment and Protection Viewer displays not only water wells and surface water intakes, but also provides information such as well depth and drilling date. A User Guide for this Viewer is available.
- The TCEQ Texas Drinking Water Watch (DWW) Database displays detailed information on public water systems, including their drinking water sources, and users can obtain information such as drilling date and pumping rate for the public drinking water wells. Instructions for using the Texas DWW Database are available.
Groundwater Conservation Districts (GCDs) also maintain records and registrations for water wells specific to their jurisdictions - contact your local GCD for assistance in obtaining up-to-date information on water levels, pump levels, and any recent changes made to your water well. Most GCDs are members of the Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts. You can click on "MEMBERS \ CURRENT MEMBERS \ DISTRICT MEMBERS" to get specific GCD contact information. A local licensed water well driller may also be familiar with nearby water wells.
In addition, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Information System has historical records from water wells across the country and this online database can be searched for detailed location, depth, aquifer, water level, and water quality information for selected water wells in Texas.
For more information, see the TGPC's What are the Statewide Water Well Databases? FAQ.
