Texas Earthquakes
Texas was historically one of the quietest states in the country for earthquakes. That changed over the last decade: the TexNet seismic network (operated by UT Austin's Bureau of Economic Geology) now records thousands of events per year, concentrated in the Permian Basin of West Texas — with six magnitude 5+ earthquakes since 2020.
TexNet and RRC studies link the increase to oilfield produced-water disposal: high-volume injection into deep formations raises pressure on ancient basement faults. In response, the Railroad Commission has designated Seismic Response Areas (SRAs) in the Midland and Delaware basins that curtail deep disposal — a constraint that directly reshapes where produced water can go.
M2+ Events (12mo)
2,017
M3+ Events (12mo)
158
M5+ Since 2017
10
Largest Recorded
M5.4
Recorded Events by Year (TexNet, M2+ threshold)
Early-year growth partly reflects the TexNet network expanding after 2017; M3+ counts are complete throughout.
Most Active Counties (M2+ events, 24mo)
| COUNTY | M2+ | M3+ | MAX |
|---|---|---|---|
| Culberson | 1,778 | 160 | M5.4 |
| Frio | 298 | 2 | M3.5 |
| Reeves | 260 | 6 | M3.4 |
| Martin | 229 | 27 | M5.1 |
| Loving | 198 | 21 | M3.7 |
| Mitchell | 128 | 9 | M4.3 |
| Wheeler | 82 | 4 | M3.6 |
| Wilson | 75 | 11 | M3.7 |
| Winkler | 59 | 5 | M3.5 |
| Scurry | 59 | 6 | M4.3 |
| Howard | 55 | 0 | M2.8 |
| Glasscock | 52 | 6 | M3.6 |
| Karnes | 49 | 4 | M4.6 |
| Cooke | 47 | 2 | M3.3 |
| Grayson | 46 | 6 | M3.7 |
| Jeff Davis | 42 | 1 | M3.1 |
| Live Oak | 37 | 3 | M3.5 |
| Atascosa | 32 | 2 | M3.8 |
| Wichita | 32 | 0 | M2.8 |
| Lipscomb | 31 | 3 | M3.4 |
| Midland | 30 | 0 | M2.8 |
| Ward | 28 | 2 | M3.0 |
| Andrews | 28 | 1 | M3.1 |
| Montague | 26 | 0 | M2.6 |
Recent M3.5+ Events
| DATE | MAG | LOCATION |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-05 | M3.6 | 26 km SW of Garden City, Texas |
| 2026-09-01 | M3.6 | 12 km SW of Falls City, Texas |
| 2026-07-27 | M3.5 | 16 km SSW of Goldsmith, Texas |
| 2026-07-23 | M3.9 | 23 km NW of Westbrook, Texas |
| 2026-07-23 | M5.0 | 38 km SSE of Spearman, Texas |
| 2026-07-12 | M3.6 | 11 km SSE of Dilley, Texas |
| 2026-07-05 | M3.5 | 17 km WSW of Los Ojos, New Mexico |
| 2026-06-17 | M3.6 | 2 km WNW of Las Nutrias, New Mexico |
| 2026-06-15 | M3.6 | 20 km SW of Eunice, New Mexico |
| 2026-06-14 | M3.9 | 1 km SSE of Las Nutrias, New Mexico |
| 2026-06-05 | M3.8 | 57 km S of Whites City, New Mexico |
| 2026-05-19 | M3.5 | 2 km ESE of Johnson, Oklahoma |
| 2026-04-16 | M3.6 | 56 km S of Whites City, New Mexico |
| 2026-04-16 | M3.5 | 56 km S of Whites City, New Mexico |
| 2026-04-08 | M3.5 | 19 km WNW of Pawnee, Texas |
Events from the TexNet seismic network via the USGS catalog, M1.5+ since 2017. County assignment is approximate (nearest county area). See also produced water & disposal and basin activity.