The urban corridors associated with the Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio metropolitan areas lie on Austin Chalk outcrop. In these areas of rapid urbanization, ground-water information is needed to resolve environmental issues. The Austin Chalk also produces hydrocarbons in the deep subsurface.

Fluvial-deltaic reservoirs contain large volumes of oil and gas. These reservoirsandstones may have complex stacking patterns, and shales or very fine grained sandstone may form baffles or barriers to flow. As a result, significant compartmentalization or baffling may occur in fluvial-deltaic reservoirs.