The sprawling master-planned community of Tamarron west of Houston features lush lawns, fountains, pools and man-made lakes – but few signs that heavy groundwater extraction is slowly causing the area to sink.
Measurements by local officials show that Tamarron’s fenced-off homes between Katy and Fulshear sit next to the fastest-sinking ground in the Houston area. A nearby sensor indicates the ground is dropping over 3 centimeters per year through a phenomenon known as subsidence.
Newcomers to the newly constructed suburban utopia haven’t had time to notice the changes or the risks to their homes. It’s more obvious to those familiar with the ranches and rice fields that once dominated the landscape, who have seen the rising demands on the aquifer…