This　article　summarizes　land　subsidence　and　groundwater　level　changes　that　have　occurred　in　the　Houston　metropolitan　area　during　an　eight-year　period　(2005-2012).　The　Chicot　and　Evangeline　aquifers　are　the　major　aquifers　that　underlie　the　Houston　metropolitan　area.　Subsidence　measurements　from　95　permanent　global　positioning　system　(GPS)　stations　and　11　borehole　extensometers,　as　well　as　groundwater　level　measurements　from　170　wells　screened　in　the　Chicot　aquifer　and　320　wells　screened　in　the　Evangeline　aquifer,　were　investigated.　The　Evangeline　aquifer　is　currently　the　primary　source　of　municipal,　agricultural,　and　industrial　water　for　urban　and　rural　areas　in　the　western　and　northern　regions　of　the　Houston　area.　Global　positioning　system　and　extensometer　observations　indicate　that　the　overall　subsidence　rate　in　the　Houston　area　has　been　decreasing　since　2005.　This　decrease　is　a　result　of　groundwater　withdrawal　regulations　enforced　by　the　Harris-Galveston　Subsidence　District,　the　Fort　Bend　Subsidence　District,　and　other　local　agencies.　Currently,　subsidence　in　downtown　Houston　and　in　the　southeastern　region　of　the　Houston　metropolitan　area　has　nearly　ceased　(＜　3　mm/year).　Slight　land　rebound　has　been　observed　at　several　GPS　and　extensometer　sites　along　the　Houston　Ship　Channel　area　since　2005.　However,　subsidence　is　occurring　at　a　rate　as　rapid　as　2.5　cm/year　in　the　western　and　northern　regions　of　the　Houston　metropolitan　area.　This　study　indicates　that　the　local　preconsolidation　heads,　the　groundwater　levels　of　the　Chicot　and　Evangeline　aquifers　before　human　pumping　of　groundwater　began,　were　approximately　30-40　m　below　the　land　surface.　Presently,　the　water　level　of　the　Chicot　is　close　to　the　preconsolidation　head　throughout　most　parts　of　the　Houston　metropolitan　area.　However,　the　Evangeline　water　level　is　approximately　70　m　below　the　preconsolidation　head　in　the　northern　region　and　50　m　below　the　preconsolidation　head　in　the　western　region.　The　land　subsidence　rate　is　decreasing　in　the　areas　where　the　water　level　is　rising,　but　is　still　below　the　preconsolidation　head.　Some　such　areas　include　Addicks　and　Jersey　Village.　The　rate　of　land　subsidence　is　steady　in　the　areas　that　groundwater　head　is　declining　and　below　the　preconsolidation　head,　such　as　in　The　Woodlands　area.　It　will　take　a　long　period　of　time　(e.g.,　＞　50　years)　for　the　current　groundwater　level　to　rise　to　the　preconsolidation　level　in　the　northern　and　western　regions　of　the　study　area　and　for　subsidence　to　cease.　In　general,　groundwater　and　aquifer　systems　respond　slowly　to　human　actions.　Therefore,　a　long-term　perspective　is　needed　to　manage　groundwater　resources　and　control　land　subsidence.　(C)　2015　American　Society　of　Civil　Engineers.