Bandera County River Authority & Groundwater District

Quarterly Board Meeting – Thursday April 17, 2025. See the meetings and postings pages for more information.

Bandera County

River Authority &
Groundwater District

Drought Status:  Exceptional

CALL US: (830) 796-7260

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Protecting & Preserving
our Natural Resources

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Protecting & Preserving
our Natural Resources

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CALL US: (830) 796-7260

Drought Status:  Extreme  

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Bandera County

River Authority & Groundwater District

Protecting & Preserving our Natural Resources

Drought Status:  Extreme  

CALL US: (830) 796-7260

Instagram Pinterest Twitter Youtube Facebook

Bandera County

River Authority & Groundwater District

Protecting & Preserving our Natural Resources

History of BCRAGD

Bandera County River Authority and Groundwater District

History of Bandera County River Authority and Groundwater District

The Bandera County River Authority and Groundwater District is a political subdivision of the State of Texas. The District is a Groundwater Conservation District, a River Authority, and a Water Control and Improvement District operating under Chapters 36, 49, and 51 of the State Water Code. The District is located within the boundaries of Bandera County.

Texas Water Code, Chapter 51, Water Control and Improvement District 51.121. Purposes of District (River Authority)

A water control and improvement district organized under the provisions of Article XVI, Section 59, of the Texas Constitution, may provide for:
(1) The control, storage, preservation, and distribution of its water and floodwater and the water of its rivers and streams for irrigation, power, and all other useful purposes;
(2) The reclamation and irrigation of its arid, semiarid, and other land which needs irrigation;
(3) The reclamation, drainage, conservation, and development of its forests, water, and hydroelectric power;
(4) The navigation of its coastal and inland water;
(5) The control, abatement, and change of any shortage or harmful excess of water;

(6) The protection, preservation, and restoration of the purity and sanitary condition of water within the state; and

(7) The preservation and conservation of all natural resources of the state.
The purposes stated in Subsection (b) of this section may be accomplished by any practical means.

Historic Timeline of BCRAGD

The Bandera County River Authority was established by the Texas Legislature September 1, 1971
Springhills Water District was formed in 1989 by the Texas Legislature combining the original river authority with the newly formed groundwater conservation district
In 2003, TCEQ approved the District petition to change it’s name to the Bandera County River Authority and Groundwater District to better reflect the services the District awards to the citizens of Bandera County.
In 2023 the State of Texas adopted the BCRAGD codification bill, creating Chapter 8850 of the Special District Local Laws Code in the Texas Constitution. The codification of the District allows for better understanding and clarification of the District’s powers and authorities.