Texas Water Commission

The 33rd Legislature (House Bill 37) created the State Board of Water Engineers in 1913, primarily to conserve state waters for the public welfare. The name of the Board was changed in 1962 to the Texas Water Commission (House Bill 12, 57th Legislature, 3rd Called Session).

Meanwhile, the Texas Water Development Board was created in 1957 by a constitutional amendment initiated by the 55th Legislature, Regular Session (House Joint Resolution 3), to administer state and federal financing programs for water-related projects and do long-term water resources planning. In 1965, the Water Development Board assumed certain functions from the Texas Water Commission, which was renamed the Texas Water Rights Commission (Senate Bill 145, 59th Legislature, Regular Session). In 1977, the Water Development Board and the Water Commission were combined to form the Department of Water Resources (Senate Bill 1139, 65th Legislature, Regular Session). The Department of Water Resources was later abolished (Senate Bill 249, 69th Legislature, Regular Session, 1985), and its responsibilities divided between the recreated Texas Water Commission and Texas Water Development Board.

In March 1913, the 33rd Texas Legislature (Regular Session) passed An Act to provide an adequate system of laws relating to irrigation (House Bill 37), which created the Texas State Board of Water Engineers. This three-member board had the broad mission of conserving state waters in the greatest practicable measure for the public welfare.

The name of the board was changed in 1962 to the Texas Water Commission (House Bill 12, 57th Legislature, 3rd Called Session). The Commission was now required to hire a Chief Engineer to perform its technical engineering, hydrologic and geologic duties, more clearly defined by this act. In 1965, the name was changed again to the Texas Water Rights Commission (Senate Bill 145, 59th Legislature, Regular Session), and an Executive Director took the place of the Chief Engineer.

In 1977, the 65th Legislature (Regular Session, Senate Bill 1139) created the Texas Department of Water Resources, consisting of three major entities: the executive director (exercising the executive functions of the Department), the Texas Water Development Board (exercising the legislative functions), and the Texas Water Commission (exercising the judicial functions). The commission would now employ a Chief Clerk to assist it in its duties, as prescribed by the Texas Water Code.

The 69th Legislature (Regular Session) in 1985 (Senate Bill 249) abolished the Texas Department of Water Resources, dividing its responsibilities between the Texas Water Commission and the Texas Water Development Board. The commission assumed most of the department's regulatory duties as well as responsibilities for other programs previously handled by the Texas Department of Health and the Public Utility Commission; there was also a greater emphasis on enforcement. The mission of the commission could now be more accurately described in these terms: to allocate the state's waters for public benefit by striving for an appropriate balance between environmental protection and economic development.

Since its inception the Commission was composed of three members appointed by the governor, confirmed by the Senate, with overlapping six-year terms. Members, who were paid a salary, were limited to two terms. Each of the three had to be a resident of a different section of the state. The chair was at first named by the Board, later by the governor.

In 1991, the 72nd Legislature (1st Called Session) passed Senate Bill 2 in an effort to consolidate the state's regulatory programs for air, water and waste. This began a two-year process of consolidation, culminating with the creation of the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission in 1993. In accordance with Senate Bill 2, sections of the Texas Department of Health dealing with solid waste, drinking water protection, and wastewater treatment were transferred to the Texas Water Commission (TWC) by March 1, 1992. On September 1, 1992, the Texas Water Well Drillers Board and the Texas Board of Irrigators were abolished and those functions transferred to the TWC. On September 1, 1993, the Texas Air Control Board and the Texas Water Commission were abolished and those functions were consolidated to form the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission. The Texas Water Commission became the core of the TNRCC and the TWC's three full-time commissioners automatically became the commissioners of the TNRCC.

The 33rd Legislature (House Bill 37) created the Texas State Board of Water Engineers in 1913, primarily to conserve state waters for the public welfare. The name of the Board was changed in 1962 to the Texas Water Commission (House Bill 12, 57th Legislature, 3rd Called Session).

Meanwhile, the Texas Water Development Board was created in 1957 by a constitutional amendment initiated by the 55th Legislature, Regular Session (House Joint Resolution 3), to administer state and federal financing programs for water-related projects and do long-term water resources planning. In 1965, the Water Development Board assumed certain functions from the Texas Water Commission, which was renamed the Texas Water Rights Commission (Senate Bill 145, 59th Legislature, Regular Session). In 1977, the Water Development Board and the Water Commission were combined to form the Department of Water Resources (Senate Bill 1139, 65th Legislature, Regular Session). The Department of Water Resources was later abolished (Senate Bill 249, 69th Legislature, Regular Session, 1985), and its responsibilities divided between the recreated Texas Water Commission and Texas Water Development Board.