2 Coastal Hydrogeology in an Age of Rising Seas
As sea levels rise, understanding hydrogeology is crucial in coastal areas. Seawater intrusion can lead to loss of potable or agricultural water supplies, and water table rise due to increasing sea level can lead to increased flooding and affect infrastructure.
Sunday, 19 October 2025
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
HBGCC, 210AB
The Land Surface—Groundwater Nexus: A Case Study on the Brownwood Subdivision, the Science, and Implications for Coastal Communities
Paper number: 2-5
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 9:10 AM – 9:30 AM
Authors
Abstract
The plight of Brownwood, a suburb in Baytown, Texas, garnered national attention in the 1960s and 1970s after four hurricanes and three tropical storms caused repeated widespread flooding, ultimately leading to the demise of the neighborhood. Although the suburb was abandoned in 1983 following Hurricane Alicia, the roots of the problem had begun more than 60 years prior. The devastating flooding between 1961 and 1983 was only partially due to the series of storms that struck the neighborhood. In the background, the subdivision land had been irreversibly slipping into the sea year after year. This land subsidence began slowly with little notice by the residents and the surrounding community. However, by 1959, subsidence had left the neighborhood perilously close to sea level, essentially sealing the fate of the suburb before construction was complete. At the peak of the subsidence rate between 1971 and 1973, the suburb was subsiding nearly half a foot per year—the greatest subsidence rate recorded in the greater Houston area. This is the story of Brownwood, with a discussion on the implications for coastal communities.
Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 57, No. 6
doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-412169
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