Texas Water Development Board

The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) was created in 1957 by a constitutional amendment initiated by the 55th Texas Legislature, Regular Session (House Joint Resolution 3), following a prolonged drought in Texas during the 1950s. It was formed to administer the Texas Water Development Fund, providing financial assistance to certain political subdivisions of the state in the conservation and development of Texas' water resources.

In 1965, the 59th Legislature, Regular Session (Senate Bill 146) reorganized the state's water agencies, transferring to the Texas Water Development Board certain functions of the Texas Water Commission (formerly Board of Water Engineers), namely preparation of a comprehensive state water plan and the continuation of technical programs related to water availability, water quality protection, reclamation, and water-related services.

In 1977, the 65th Legislature, Regular Session (Senate Bill 1139) made an even more massive reorganization. It created the Texas Department of Water Resources, consisting of three major entities: the Texas Water Development Board (exercising the legislative functions of the Department), the Texas Water Commission (exercising the judicial functions), and the executive director (exercising the executive functions).

In 1985, the 69th Legislature, Regular Session (Senate Bill 249) abolished the Texas Department of Water Resources, dividing its responsibilities between the Texas Water Commission and the Texas Water Development Board.

In 1987, the 70th Legislature, Regular Session (House Bill 734) created the Texas Water Resources Finance Authority, composed of all six members of the Texas Water Development Board. Its function is to issue bonds to increase the availability of financing for projects aimed at conserving and developing the state's water resources. Projects include dam and reservoir construction, water storage facility construction, flood control, drainage, subsidence control, chloride control, agricultural water and soil conservation, and desalinization.

The mission of the Texas Water Development Board includes administering state and federal financing programs for water-related projects, and collecting data and conducting studies for long-term water resources planning. The Board meets once a month to provide guidance to the agency and to decide on matters such as loan commitments from the Texas Water Development Fund and Water Assistance Fund, plus other specific funds; bond issues for water development, water quality, and flood control; the state's priority list for federal construction grant funds; adoption of agency rules; and the review and approval of agency contracts and agreements.

By 1999 the agency had taken on a variety of responsibilities. TWDB provides loans to local governments for water supply projects; water quality projects including wastewater treatment, municipal solid waste management and nonpoint source pollution control; flood control projects; agricultural water conservation projects; and groundwater district creation expenses. The agency also provides grants and loans for the water and wastewater needs of the state's economically distressed areas, such as the colonias in south Texas, as well as agricultural water conservation funding and water-related research and planning grants. It supports regions in developing the regional water plans that will be incorporated into a statewide water plan for the orderly development, management and conservation of the state's water resources by studying Texas' surface and groundwater resources. TWDB also collects data and conducts studies concerning the fresh-water needs of the state's bays and estuaries. The Board also administers the Texas Water Bank, which facilitates the transfer, sale or lease of water and water rights throughout the state, and administers the Texas Water Trust, where water rights are held for environmental flow maintenance purposes. Finally, TWDB maintains a centralized data bank of information on the state's natural resources called the Texas Natural Resources Information System and manages the Strategic Mapping Initiative, a Texas-based, public and private sector cost-sharing program to develop consistent, large-scale computerized base maps describing basic geographic features of Texas.

TWDB financial assistance programs are funded through state-backed bonds, a combination of state bond proceeds and federal grant funds, or limited appropriated funds. Since 1957, the Legislature and voters have approved constitutional amendments authorizing the TWDB to issue up to $2.68 billion in Texas Water Development Bonds. To date, the TWDB has sold nearly $1.55 billion of these bonds to finance the construction of water and wastewater-related projects. In 1987, the TWDB added the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) to its financial assistance programs. Low-interest loans from the CWSRF finance costs associated with the planning, design, construction, expansion or improvement of wastewater treatment facilities, wastewater recycling and reuse facilities, collection systems, stormwater pollution control projects and nonpoint source pollution control projects.

The TWDB also administers the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). Through the DWSRF, the TWDB makes low-interest loans for financing public drinking water systems that facilitate compliance with primary and secondary drinking water regulations or otherwise significantly further the health protection objectives of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), as amended in 1996. Loans from the DWSRF finance all costs associated with the planning, design and construction of projects to upgrade or replace water supply infrastructure, to comply with SDWA health standards, to consolidate water supplies and to purchase capacity in water systems.

The Board consists of six members appointed to six-year staggered terms by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate. Each Board member must be from a different section of the state. The Board considers loan applications from eligible applicants, awards grants for water-related research and planning, and conducts other TWDB business, such as approving the State Water Plan.

The Office of Project Finance and Construction Assistance (PFCA) administers the board's loan and grant programs that provide for the construction of water-related infrastructure and other water quality improvements. The office is organized into five business areas: Administration, Program Development Division, Project Development Division, Project Engineering and Review Division, and the Inspection and Field Support Division.

(Sources include: Guide to Texas State Agencies, 11th edition (2001); the agency web site (http://www.twdb.state.tx.us/about/), accessed October 2006 and June 2008; and the enabling legislation, 1957, 1965, 1977, 1985, 1987.)

From the guide to the Office of Project Finance and Construction Assistance records, 1962-2006, bulk 1988-2002, (Texas State Archives)

The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) was created in 1957 by a constitutional amendment initiated by the 55th Texas Legislature, Regular Session (House Joint Resolution 3), following a prolonged drought in Texas during the 1950s. It was formed to administer the Texas Water Development Fund, providing financial assistance to certain political subdivisions of the state in the conservation and development of Texas' water resources.

In 1965, the 59th Legislature, Regular Session (Senate Bill 146) reorganized the state's water agencies, transferring to the Texas Water Development Board certain functions of the Texas Water Commission (formerly Board of Water Engineers), namely preparation of a comprehensive state water plan and the continuation of technical programs related to water availability, water quality protection, reclamation, and water-related services.

In 1977, the 65th Legislature, Regular Session (Senate Bill 1139) made an even more massive reorganization. It created the Texas Department of Water Resources, consisting of three major entities: the Texas Water Development Board (exercising the legislative functions of the Department), the Texas Water Commission (exercising the judicial functions), and the executive director (exercising the executive functions).

In 1985, the 69th Legislature, Regular Session (Senate Bill 249) abolished the Texas Department of Water Resources, dividing its responsibilities between the Texas Water Commission and the Texas Water Development Board.

In 1987, the 70th Legislature, Regular Session (House Bill 734) created the Texas Water Resources Finance Authority, composed of all six members of the Texas Water Development Board. Its function is to issue bonds to increase the availability of financing for projects aimed at conserving and developing the state's water resources. Projects include dam and reservoir construction, water storage facility construction, flood control, drainage, subsidence control, chloride control, agricultural water and soil conservation, and desalinization.

The mission of the Texas Water Development Board now includes administering state and federal financing programs for water-related projects, and collecting data and conducting studies for long-term water resources planning. The Board meets once a month to provide guidance to the agency and to decide on matters such as loan commitments from the Texas Water Development Fund and Water Assistance Fund, plus other specific funds; bond issues for water development, water quality, and flood control; the state's priority list for federal construction grant funds; adoption of agency rules; and the review and approval of agency contracts and agreements.

By 1999 the agency had taken on a variety of responsibilities. TWDB provides loans to local governments for water supply projects; water quality projects including wastewater treatment, municipal solid waste management and nonpoint source pollution control; flood control projects; agricultural water conservation projects; and groundwater district creation expenses. The agency also provides grants and loans for the water and wastewater needs of the state's economically distressed areas as well as agricultural water conservation funding and water-related research and planning grants. It supports regions in developing the regional water plans that will be incorporated into a statewide water plan for the orderly development, management and conservation of the state's water resources by studying Texas' surface and groundwater resources. TWDB also collects data and conducts studies concerning the fresh-water needs of the state's bays and estuaries. The Board also administers the Texas Water Bank, which facilitates the transfer, sale or lease of water and water rights throughout the state, and administers the Texas Water Trust, where water rights are held for environmental flow maintenance purposes. Finally, TWDB maintains a centralized data bank of information on the state's natural resources called the Texas Natural Resources Information System and manages the Strategic Mapping Initiative, a Texas-based, public and private sector cost-sharing program to develop consistent, large-scale computerized base maps describing basic geographic features of Texas.

TWDB financial assistance programs are funded through state-backed bonds, a combination of state bond proceeds and federal grant funds, or limited appropriated funds. Since 1957, the Legislature and voters have approved constitutional amendments authorizing the TWDB to issue up to $2.68 billion in Texas Water Development Bonds. To date, the TWDB has sold nearly $1.55 billion of these bonds to finance the construction of water and wastewater-related projects. In 1987, the TWDB added the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) to its financial assistance programs. Low-interest loans from the CWSRF finance costs associated with the planning, design, construction, expansion or improvement of wastewater treatment facilities, wastewater recycling and reuse facilities, collection systems, stormwater pollution control projects and nonpoint source pollution control projects.

The TWDB also administers the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). Through the DWSRF, the TWDB makes low-interest loans for financing public drinking water systems that facilitate compliance with primary and secondary drinking water regulations or otherwise significantly further the health protection objectives of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), as amended in 1996. Loans from the DWSRF finance all costs associated with the planning, design and construction of projects to upgrade or replace water supply infrastructure, to comply with SDWA health standards, to consolidate water supplies and to purchase capacity in water systems.

The Board consists of six members appointed to six-year staggered terms by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate. Each Board member must be from a different section of the state. The Board considers loan applications from eligible applicants, awards grants for water-related research and planning, and conducts other TWDB business, such as approving the State Water Plan.

(Sources include: Guide to Texas State Agencies, 11th edition (2001); the organization web site (http://www.twdb.state.tx.us/about/index.asp#twdb-history), accessed June 2012; and the enabling legislation, 1957, 1965, 1977, 1985, 1987.)

From the guide to the Water Development Board meeting files, 1963-1967, 1974-2010, (Texas State Archives)