External costs of land subsidence in the Houston-Baytown area [Texas]

Groundwater withdrawal from underground aquifers in excess of natural recharge is causing land surface subsidence along the Texas coast. External costs of subsidence are estimated from a survey of damages and losses in property value in the Houston-Baytown area of Texas. Estimates of total costs, pr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of agricultural economics 1975-08, Vol.57 (3), p.450-455
Main Authors: Warren, John P., Jones, Lonnie L., Lacewell, Ronald D., Griffin, Wade L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Breakeven analysis
Cost estimates
cost minimization
externalities
Flood damage
Groundwater
land subsidence
Negative externalities
Pumping
Subsidence
Surface areas
Surface water
Total costs
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Summary:Groundwater withdrawal from underground aquifers in excess of natural recharge is causing land surface subsidence along the Texas coast. External costs of subsidence are estimated from a survey of damages and losses in property value in the Houston-Baytown area of Texas. Estimates of total costs, primarily in fresh- and saltwater flooding, are used in a break-even analysis to compare areal costs of groundwater to costs of water from surface sources. Substitution of surface water for all groundwater that results in subsidence is suggested as a means of minimizing total water costs to the area.
ISSN:0002-9092
1467-8276
DOI:10.2307/1238407