New Study Finds Houston Is Fastest Subsiding City in Country
5/15/25 – According to a new study by researchers at Columbia University, on average, Houston is subsiding faster than any major city in America. The study looked at the 28 most populous cities in America. Satellite measurements collected between 2015 and 2021 showed all are sinking to some degree. However, the sinking is not uniform.
Parts of Area Sinking at Different Rates
More than 40% of Houston’s area is subsiding more than 5 millimeters (about 1/5 inch) per year. 12% is sinking at twice that rate, according to the study.
“Subsidence-induced infrastructure damage can occur even with minor changes in land motion,” the study’s authors wrote in the journal Nature Cities on May 8, 2025. “One of the most harmful yet less visible effects of urban land subsidence is the potential damage to buildings, foundations and infrastructure, primarily caused by differential land motion,” they say.
Damage Caused by Subsidence
Imagine underground pipes, for instance, that reach the limit of the flexibility and then get pushed beyond it.
Other subsidence studies have shown that subsidence can trigger geologic faults and exacerbate flooding.
The Columbia study also showed high levels of subsidence elsewhere in Texas, including Dallas, Austin, San Antonio and Fort Worth.
Subsidence Linked to Groundwater Extraction Due to Growth
The primary cause: ground water extraction related to rapid growth. The study found that about 80% of all subsidence relates to groundwater extraction.
As if on cue, the Census Bureau released today updated population statistics. They showed that from 2023 to 2024, Houston gained more people than any other major city in America with the exception of New York.
The new census data also shows that Fulshear on Houston’s west side had the second highest percentage gain in population of any city in America in 2023. Fulshear, on Houston’s west side, grew an astonishing 26.9% from 2023 to 2024.
Subsidence Hotspots in Houston Area
Coincidentally, the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District released its 2024 Annual Groundwater Report today and an updated interactive subsidence map. They showed that the highest rate of subsidence in the Houston region was near Fulshear. That area is subsiding at a rate of 1.3 inches/year – more than a foot per decade!
One of the most visible signs of subsidence is cracks in pavement and parking lots.
The Subsidence District’s latest groundwater report shows that their efforts have almost halted subsidence where they have succeeded in shifting areas from ground to surface water. Those are the areas where the Subsidence District first started regulating groundwater 50 years ago.
However, the relentless growth of Houston, especially on the north and west sides, has created a belt of subsidence where new areas have largely not yet converted to surface water. See below.
More on that in coming days. I’ll also discuss how differential subsidence can create bowls in the landscape that exacerbate flooding. And I’ll cover the largest water infrastructure project in the country. It will bring more surface water to those fast subsiding areas above.
Being the fastest subsiding city in America is one claim that I am sure Houston would be happy to relinquish.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/15/25
2816 Days since Hurricane Harvey
