What Harris Galveston Subsidence District does

Harris-Galveston Subsidence District (HGSD) is a special-purpose government district created by the Texas Legislature in 1975 to regulate groundwater withdrawal in Harris and Galveston counties and end land subsidence. It was the first district of its kind globally and remains governed by an appointed Board of Directors. The district's mandate is to ensure a sustainable water supply for the Texas Gulf Coast by reducing reliance on groundwater through a science-based regulatory plan, alternative water supply planning, and water conservation programming. Public outcomes include subsidence rates reduced from over one foot per decade to below 0.5 cm/year in Regulatory Areas One and Two, and groundwater use held to approximately 21% of total regional water demand (986.7 million gallons per day in 2021).

HGSD's technical platform combines GPS/GNSS monitoring (140+ benchmarks across 10 counties, maintained since 1978 in cooperation with the National Geodetic Survey), InSAR satellite-based land-surface deformation mapping (in collaboration with Southern Methodist University since 2019/2020), and USGS cooperative datasets on the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers. Outputs are delivered through an ArcGIS-based interactive subsidence map, an Annual Groundwater Report (currently in its 47th volume), the 2023-2027 Science and Research Plan, and online permitting and meter-reporting portals. The district also operates supplementary consumer-facing tools such as the Water My Yard application and integrates WaterSmart AMI data with the City of Friendswood.

The district is self-funded primarily through permit fees paid by regulated well owners and water utilities, with no general-purpose tax revenue or external investment. Programs include the Water Conservation Grant Program (up to $450,000 annually in matching funds), the H2O Lab! school curriculum (276 schools serving nearly 28,000 students in 2024-2025), the annual Gulf Coast Water Conservation Symposium, and the SmarterAboutWater.org education portal (reaching over 2.6 million Texans via the Water My Yard campaign). Stakeholder relationships span municipal water authorities (West Harris County RWA, North Harris County RWA, Gulf Coast Water Authority) and neighboring districts (Fort Bend Subsidence District, Brazoria County GCD, Brazosport Water Authority). Leadership consists of General Manager Mike Turco, Deputy General Manager Dr. Tina Petersen, and Director of Research and Water Conservation Ashley Greuter.

Name

Harris Galveston Subsidence District

Legal name

Harris-Galveston Subsidence District

Website

https://hgsubsidence.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Harris-Galveston Subsidence District is a Texas special-purpose government district created in 1975 that regulates groundwater withdrawal in Harris and Galveston counties to prevent subsidence. It is self-funded through permit fees and conducts monitoring via GPS/GNSS and InSAR networks.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Resource Regulation

NAICS

Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (924110), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213)

SIC

Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Wetlands & Waters of the U.S. Delineation / Riparian Assessments (EUAHAHAC)

Keywords

• Groundwater regulation
• Subsidence management
• Water resource management
• Regulatory permits
• Special-purpose district

Headquarters

HQ city

Friendswood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Harris Galveston Subsidence District (HGSD) is a special-purpose district created by the Texas Legislature in 1975 to regulate groundwater withdrawal in Harris and Galveston counties. The district issues permits, monitors groundwater use, and enforces regulations to prevent land subsidence caused by excessive aquifer pumping.

Product overview

The Harris-Galveston Subsidence District operates as a regulatory agency offering a suite of interconnected products and services focused on groundwater management and subsidence prevention. The core offerings include a science-based Groundwater Regulation Program with an online Permitting Portal for well permitting and annual pumpage reporting, supported by GPS and satellite-based monitoring through the Interactive Subsidence Map and InSAR Monitoring research. The Water Conservation Program is a major component comprising the award-winning Water My Yard web/mobile application, the H2O Lab! School Program reaching thousands of students, the Water Conservation Grant Program providing matching funds, and the SmarterAboutWater.org resource portal. Annual scientific outputs include the Annual Groundwater Report and Aquifer Data datasets developed with USGS. The District also facilitates the annual Gulf Coast Water Conservation Symposium. These products work together to fulfill the District's mission of preventing subsidence through groundwater regulation, alternative water supply planning, and water conservation education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Groundwater Withdrawal Permits Regulatory permits issued to entities (utilities, businesses, and well owners) to withdraw groundwater in Harris and Galveston counties. Permits are required for new and existing large-capacity water wells to ensure withdrawals comply with district regulations aimed at preventing land subsidence.
• Groundwater Subsidence Monitoring and Regulation Ongoing regulatory program to monitor groundwater withdrawal, track aquifer levels, and enforce regulations preventing land subsidence across Harris and Galveston counties. The program includes data collection and enforcement actions against non-compliant well operators.

Quantifiable outcome

• Subsidence rates reduced from over one foot per decade to nearly stable in areas where groundwater use cut to 20% of total water demand
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Fort Bend Subsidence DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint Regulatory Plan Review (JRPR) collaboration on regulatory planning, groundwater modeling, and subsidence prevention. Cooperatively reviewing and updating regulatory frameworks for groundwater management across both districts.
• Brazoria County Groundwater Conservation DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative subsidence monitoring network partner. Jointly operates GPS monitoring stations in the Houston-Galveston region.
• Brazosport Water AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative subsidence monitoring network partner. Jointly operates GPS monitoring stations in the region.
• University of HoustoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProcesses GPS data from monitoring stations. Published collaborative study on subsidence in the Houston area. Collaboration on groundwater-flow modeling and research.
• Southern Methodist University (SMU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2019, SMU conducts InSAR research for subsidence mapping. Developed methodology to evaluate land-surface deformation using satellite data from 1992-2023.
• National Geodetic Survey (NGS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration since 1978 on GNSS surveys and benchmarks. HGSD data published in NGS Integrated Database and supports National Spatial Reference System Modernization.
• U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative groundwater-level and aquifer-sediment-compaction data collection. Published groundwater-flow models and water-level altitude reports for Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper aquifers.
• Texas Water Development BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipates in Region H Regional Water Planning Group. Oversees Groundwater Management Area 14 planning. Data informs State Water Plan.
• Groundwater Management Area 14 (GMA 14)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterlocal participant in GMA 14 Water Planning Group. Collaborates on Desired Future Conditions (DFCs) for the Upper Gulf Coast Aquifer.
• Galveston Bay FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaborated on Water My Yard program promotional campaign that reached over 2.6 million Texans.
• Texas A&M AgriLife Extension ServiceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for Water My Yard program providing customized lawn watering recommendations.
• Houston Public WorksminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWaterSense partner collaboration on water-saving information reaching over 200,000 people.
• West Harris County Regional Water AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey player in regional water projects including Luce Bayou Project and Northeast Water Purification Plant Expansion. Works with HGSD on conversion from groundwater to surface water.
• North Harris County Regional Water AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner in water supply planning and alternative water infrastructure development.
• Gulf Coast Water AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides up to 200 million gallons of water daily to industrial, municipal, and agricultural customers. Instrumental in groundwater to surface water conversion in Galveston County.
• Region H Water Planning GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner15-county regional water planning group where HGSD General Manager provides leadership and groundwater expertise.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District: Texas groundwater conservation district serving Montgomery and surrounding counties; comparable regulatory structure and permitting framework but operates in a different geographic area north of the HGSD jurisdiction.
• Post Oak Savannah Groundwater Conservation District: Texas GCD covering parts of the Gulf Coast and Carrizo-Wilcox aquifers with comparable groundwater permitting and Desired Future Conditions planning under GMA 12; non-overlapping geography but analogous regulatory model.

Others

• Texas Water Development Board: State agency that oversees Groundwater Management Area 14 planning and integrates HGSD data into the State Water Plan; functions as an upstream regulator and funding partner rather than a direct competitor.
• U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): Federal scientific partner that co-operates aquifer monitoring and subsidence research with HGSD; comparable in subsurface monitoring capability but operates nationally and provides data infrastructure rather than regulatory authority.
• Southern Methodist University (SMU) - InSAR Research Group: Academic partner that has conducted InSAR-based subsidence research for HGSD since 2019; comparable research capability but functions as a contracted R&D provider rather than a regulatory peer.
• Gulf Coast Water Authority: Regional water authority providing up to 200 MGD to industrial, municipal, and agricultural customers; instrumental in HGSD's mandated groundwater-to-surface-water conversion in Galveston County—partner and downstream customer rather than competitor.

Direct peers

• Fort Bend Subsidence District: Adjacent Texas subsidence district with which HGSD conducts the Joint Regulatory Plan Review; operates under the same Texas legislative framework to regulate groundwater and prevent subsidence in Fort Bend County.
• Brazoria County Groundwater Conservation District: Neighboring groundwater conservation district that co-operates GPS monitoring stations with HGSD and shares the mandate of regulating groundwater withdrawal to prevent subsidence in the Houston-Galveston region.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hg_subsidence
• Facebookfacebook.com/HarrisGalvestonSubsidenceDistrict
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/harris---galveston-subsidence-district

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Harris Galveston Subsidence District