Texas is home to more than 15 river authorities, including but not limited to:
- Angelina-Neches River Authority
- Bandera County River Authority
- Brazos River Authority
- Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority
- Lavaca-Navidad River Authority
- Lower Colorado River Authority
- Lower Neches River Authority
- Nueces River Authority
- Red River Authority
- Sabine River Authority
- San Antonio River Authority
- San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA)
- Trinity River Authority
- Upper Colorado River Authority, and
- Upper Guadalupe River Authority.
River Authorities were established by the Texas Legislature for the purpose of preserving, protecting, and managing surface water in the state. They have boards of directors that are either appointed by the governor or elected that assist with the governance of the authority.
Surface water from creeks, rivers, and lakes is owned by the state, but the river authorities are assigned the job of managing these water resources.
Additional tasks assigned to river authorities can vary greatly, from treating and supplying safe drinking water, to management of the ecosystem in bodies of water, to flood management, to treating wastewater, to helping with water conservation and more. Some river authorities, such as the Lower Colorado River Authority, are tasked with supplying electricity to their jurisdiction.
What does SJRA do?
SJRA was created by the Texas Legislature in 1937 (Article 8280-121, as amended) with the mission to develop, conserve, and protect the water resources of the San Jacinto River basin. Spanning all or part of seven counties, the organization’s jurisdiction includes the entire San Jacinto River watershed, excluding Harris County.
SJRA’s primary purpose is to facilitate and/or implement long-term, regional water supply, wastewater treatment, and flood mitigation strategies. The SJRA does not have taxing authority; instead, revenue is generated from providing water and wastewater services to local retail utility providers and industrial customers.
While the SJRA covers a small area geographically, it is the sixth largest river authority in terms of population density that it covers.
To learn more about the SJRA, visit www.sjra.net.
