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The water in new Texas wells sits 10 feet lower than 20 years ago

When a home well was finished in Texas in 2003 to 2007, the water settled at a median of 90 feet below ground (57,571 wells). In 2021 to 2025 it settled at 100 feet (47,483 wells): 10 feet lower, with a 95% interval of 9 to 10 feet. The depth of the wells themselves barely moved, from 260 to 255 feet. County by county, the level is lower in 63 of 169 comparable counties and higher in 5.

Updated every day from Texas Water Development Board driller reports. Last update: November 11, 2026, using the state file of November 10, 2026.

Download the table (CSV)Sources and how to check it

The figures

Water level, 2003 to 2007
90 feet
57,571 wells
Water level, 2021 to 2025
100 feet
47,483 wells
Change
+10 feet
95% interval 9 to 10
Same areas of about 6 miles
68%
with the water lower, of 988 areas
Counties with the water lower
63 of 169

Water level by county, then and now

Feet below ground when the well was finished. Counties with at least 30 wells with a water level in each period. Tap a heading to sort.

County2003 to 2007 (ft)2021 to 2025 (ft)Change (ft)95% interval (ft)ResultWells (then / now)
Webb130280+150+87 to +206Lower117 / 33
Burnet101213+112+89 to +131Lower520 / 707
Travis214325+111+77 to +151Lower484 / 272
Ellis230340+110+20 to +179Lower47 / 87
Frio120224+104+72 to +125Lower96 / 161
Starr107210+103+52 to +125Lower101 / 31
Real214305+91+32 to +165Lower172 / 135
Williamson300388+88+71 to +106Lower520 / 505
Uvalde68152+84+38 to +102Lower280 / 178
Dallam300376+76+12 to +130Lower47 / 35
Dimmit210285+75+23 to +145Lower66 / 31
Cherokee100174+74+49 to +120Lower111 / 172
Hill210282+72−26 to +178No clear change47 / 220
Anderson74145+71+28 to +95Lower124 / 119
Hartley349420+71+34 to +188Lower58 / 33
Medina196265+69+47 to +90Lower465 / 470
Carson220288+68−5 to +148No clear change33 / 30
Smith106173+67+21 to +113Lower230 / 179
Kerr286352+66+40 to +93Lower574 / 527
Bosque302361+58−13 to +92No clear change208 / 186
Moore290346+56+18 to +90Lower73 / 69
Blanco133184+51+26 to +72Lower369 / 379
Hays266313+47+25 to +60Lower737 / 408
Henderson120165+45+16 to +75Lower232 / 315
Tarrant190235+45+20 to +60Lower1,047 / 646
Hamilton290332+42+20 to +60Lower274 / 182
Bandera200240+40+22 to +57Lower666 / 559
Gaines80120+40+30 to +45Lower255 / 445
Hidalgo2566+40+17 to +55Lower164 / 44
Randall201240+39+29 to +50Lower1,005 / 1,759
Bastrop78114+36+27 to +50Lower263 / 371
Atascosa118150+32+15 to +51Lower145 / 347
Morris122154+32−10 to +54No clear change52 / 29
Wilson99130+31+18 to +43Lower376 / 602
Comal247276+30+13 to +43Lower837 / 318
Lampasas135165+30−5 to +70No clear change142 / 59
Potter150180+30+15 to +50Lower346 / 359
Trinity5080+30+1 to +51Lower51 / 71
Val Verde102130+28+2 to +42Lower318 / 79
Kimble142169+27+3 to +49Lower227 / 279
Jeff Davis180206+26−39 to +78No clear change59 / 48
Wheeler4067+26−2 to +46No clear change60 / 38
Freestone109134+25+10 to +52Lower77 / 148
Hunt3560+25+20 to +28Lower151 / 136
Burleson6690+24+11 to +30Lower237 / 348
Karnes96120+24+8 to +40Lower118 / 167
Gonzales6788+21+10 to +32Lower226 / 273
Bexar230250+20−7 to +41No clear change462 / 413
Brazos6685+20+5 to +30Lower188 / 121
Caldwell7090+20+8 to +30Lower119 / 269
Ector80100+20+15 to +35Lower183 / 199
Fayette80100+20+13 to +22Lower610 / 714
Milam90110+20+4 to +34Lower169 / 185
Upshur180200+20+2 to +43Lower153 / 86
Washington85105+20+14 to +24Lower768 / 1,020
Gillespie100118+18+6 to +29Lower914 / 861
Hood232250+18−10 to +50No clear change510 / 390
Kendall220238+18−4 to +35No clear change1,013 / 496
Marion8097+18−29 to +41No clear change32 / 47
Comanche6380+170 to +31No clear change324 / 175
Walker7592+17+9 to +21Lower359 / 341
Austin6480+16+8 to +18Lower698 / 676
Lavaca6480+16+11 to +19Lower602 / 721
Robertson100116+16+1 to +26Lower124 / 228
Lee95110+15−1 to +33No clear change121 / 114
Matagorda4560+15+10 to +22Lower324 / 303
Polk5772+15+7 to +24Lower245 / 429
Harrison90104+140 to +30No clear change251 / 190
Donley7588+13−9 to +35No clear change73 / 45
San Saba6881+13−9 to +57No clear change84 / 54
Nacogdoches154166+12−20 to +71No clear change106 / 169
Brazoria5060+10+8 to +10Lower2,571 / 1,693
Coryell300310+10−25 to +50No clear change73 / 83
Edwards270280+10−15 to +33No clear change257 / 201
Jack8090+10−20 to +30No clear change256 / 51
Live Oak7484+10−4 to +27No clear change329 / 123
Mitchell6070+10−10 to +25No clear change44 / 25
Refugio2636+10+6 to +13Lower122 / 111
Shelby8494+10−4 to +22No clear change129 / 98
Aransas4251+9+8 to +12Lower392 / 334
Coke7685+9−20 to +35No clear change68 / 27
Goliad6069+9+4 to +14Lower355 / 201
Terry8089+9−29 to +34No clear change36 / 80
Bee6270+8+1 to +17Lower293 / 280
Guadalupe6068+8−4 to +16No clear change392 / 419
Runnels2735+8−8 to +19No clear change69 / 36
Sabine3038+8−3 to +20No clear change79 / 46
San Jacinto5058+8+1 to +15Lower321 / 375
Llano3037+7+4 to +11Lower518 / 345
Brown7985+6−20 to +113No clear change112 / 31
Cass128134+6−6 to +19No clear change268 / 194
Denton274280+6−25 to +38No clear change360 / 240
Eastland4045+6−2 to +27No clear change116 / 71
Houston8692+6−15 to +28No clear change66 / 172
Victoria4652+6+3 to +7Lower676 / 633
Bell280285+5−58 to +80No clear change236 / 147
Clay6570+50 to +25No clear change95 / 59
Concho5560+5−16 to +19No clear change34 / 57
Jim Wells105110+5−3 to +12No clear change576 / 251
Montague7075+5−5 to +10No clear change473 / 512
Panola5560+5−5 to +16No clear change189 / 132
Wharton4550+5+3 to +7Lower445 / 550
Wise8085+50 to +15No clear change838 / 1,119
Angelina4650+4−8 to +15No clear change95 / 143
Calhoun1518+30 to +6No clear change177 / 146
Dallas2124+3−6 to +16No clear change34 / 24
DeWitt7477+3−4 to +12No clear change423 / 304
Liberty5255+3−1 to +8No clear change482 / 467
Madison7780+3−7 to +11No clear change136 / 214
Navarro2023+30 to +22No clear change33 / 29
Cameron810+2+2 to +3No clear change348 / 81
Erath240242+2−3 to +20No clear change726 / 690
Grimes9698+2−10 to +10No clear change495 / 545
San Augustine4042+2−10 to +8No clear change111 / 112
Van Zandt153155+2−11 to +16No clear change505 / 362
Waller8890+2−3 to +7No clear change907 / 587
Cooke312312+1−29 to +21No clear change272 / 230
Deaf Smith2202200−33 to +38No clear change29 / 57
Falls26260−11 to +8No clear change33 / 85
Grayson1501500−20 to +30No clear change193 / 115
Howard60600−10 to +19No clear change67 / 83
Irion90900−54 to +34No clear change69 / 38
Jasper36360−3 to +3No clear change382 / 404
Jefferson22220−5 to +1No clear change145 / 117
Leon1001000−10 to +18No clear change94 / 192
Newton30300−5 to +9No clear change116 / 178
Parker1101100−5 to +10No clear change2,750 / 1,737
Rusk1501500−18 to +14No clear change170 / 156
Mason4746−1−16 to +14No clear change207 / 187
Jackson4038−2−8 to +2No clear change163 / 150
Montgomery7068−2−5 to +4No clear change2,671 / 1,836
Nueces5048−2−9 to +5No clear change372 / 125
Duval123120−3−28 to +16No clear change207 / 71
Fort Bend6360−3−5 to −1No clear change1,629 / 1,008
Titus10098−3−29 to +20No clear change50 / 28
Tyler4542−3−6 to +8No clear change249 / 311
Bowie3531−4−9 to 0No clear change266 / 185
Callahan3025−4−9 to +47No clear change64 / 21
Collingsworth5955−4−34 to +19No clear change31 / 43
Jones2622−4−14 to +6No clear change43 / 22
Kaufman2622−4−10 to +5No clear change40 / 23
Orange4036−4−6 to −4No clear change459 / 302
San Patricio3935−4−7 to +2No clear change263 / 136
Martin7065−5−35 to +10No clear change57 / 133
Somervell310305−5−54 to +40No clear change249 / 65
Colorado7265−7−12 to −1No clear change623 / 778
Limestone7568−7−23 to +5No clear change43 / 217
Brewster108100−8−29 to +19No clear change130 / 73
Hardin3828−10−12 to −1Higher309 / 401
Harris110100−10−13 to −5No clear change2,491 / 1,051
Midland6555−10−15 to 0No clear change317 / 171
Tom Green6050−10−15 to +2No clear change394 / 285
Lubbock125114−11−14 to −8No clear change839 / 400
Hockley130117−13−29 to +7No clear change71 / 50
Galveston8066−14−21 to −5Higher786 / 456
Palo Pinto9683−14−70 to +20No clear change94 / 43
Wood11096−14−38 to +14No clear change211 / 107
Gregg180165−15−50 to +26No clear change142 / 42
Mills150135−15−45 to +36No clear change161 / 113
Nolan10080−20−60 to +10No clear change87 / 39
Taylor6034−26−74 to +37No clear change48 / 24
Schleicher225198−28−77 to +20No clear change60 / 40
Sutton270242−28−60 to +15No clear change139 / 56
Chambers6230−32−42 to −10Higher247 / 151
Gray308272−36−205 to +44No clear change98 / 43
McCulloch10267−36−86 to +13No clear change52 / 38
Menard180144−36−66 to 0Higher63 / 82
Johnson310255−55−105 to 0No clear change314 / 494
Hopkins15076−74−100 to −10Higher41 / 41

What this shows and what it doesn't

  • The water level is measured once, when each well is finished, so drought years pull it down. 2022 and 2023 were dry years in much of Texas.
  • These are wells people chose to drill, not a monitoring network. Where and why people drill changes over time.
  • Each well is measured once, so this is not the same well measured twice: it compares the wells of one period with the wells of the other.

Questions

Is the water table dropping in Texas?

When a home well was finished in Texas in 2003 to 2007, the water settled at a median of 90 feet below ground (57,571 wells). In 2021 to 2025 it settled at 100 feet (47,483 wells): 10 feet lower, with a 95% interval of 9 to 10 feet. The depth of the wells themselves barely moved, from 260 to 255 feet. County by county, the level is lower in 63 of 169 comparable counties and higher in 5.

Where did the water level in Texas wells drop the most?

Among counties with at least 30 wells in each period, the largest drops are in Webb County (130 to 280 feet, 150 feet lower), Burnet County (101 to 213 feet, 112 feet lower) and Travis County (214 to 325 feet, 111 feet lower).

Sources you can check

Check it yourself

  1. Download this page's table as a CSV (texas-well-water-level-drop.csv): every figure in the text is in it.
  2. Open any county in the table. Its page lists its figures, and each well on its map opens the official report on the state's site.
  3. For the raw data, download the state file from the TWDB link in the sources and keep the wells whose proposed use is Domestic and whose work is a new well or a replacement.
  4. If a figure does not match, write to us with the county and the number: we correct it in the next update and say so.

How we got it

We count new and replacement domestic (home) wells with a valid depth on their report. Monitoring wells, soil borings, injection, geothermal and oilfield wells are left out. A depth under 10 feet or over 5,000 feet is treated as an entry error.

The water level is the first measurement on the report: where the water stood when the well was finished, in feet below ground. It is dropped when negative or deeper than the well.

We compare the wells finished in 2003 to 2007 with those finished in 2021 to 2025, in every county with at least 30 wells in each period. The 95% interval for the difference in medians comes from 2,000 bootstrap resamples. A county counts as deeper or shallower only when that interval excludes zero and the change is at least 10%. For the water level we require at least 5 feet and 10%.

The full method · All open data

How to cite this

TerraFunded (2026). "The water in new Texas wells sits 10 feet lower than 20 years ago." Texas Well Atlas. From the Texas Water Development Board, Submitted Driller's Reports database (state file of November 10, 2026). https://terrafunded.com/wells/findings/texas-well-water-level-drop. License CC BY 4.0. Dataset: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.24126380.

Free to use with credit under CC BY 4.0. Journalists: write to us for any county's figures.

More findings

All the findings · Texas Well Atlas: search any address