Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is responsible for the management and conservation of the state's natural and cultural resources, provision of outdoor recreational opportunities, conservation education and outreach, and interpretation of cultural and historical resources. These records include copies of minutes, agenda, transcripts, and supporting documents of meetings and public hearings held by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission, dating 1963-2004. Foldered minutes and supporting documents are present for 1963-1972 (mostly 1963-1964, 1972), 1979, 1983-1995, 1998. Bound volumes of minutes (with materials sent out as agenda packets) are present for 1972-1978. There are also microfilm copies of minutes with supporting documents for 1963-mid July 1983, November 1987-2004. The bound meeting materials include verbatim transcripts of the commission meetings, agenda items, lists of attendants, reports, background information on individuals, memos, letters, park and budget proposals, recommendations on the proposals, summaries of public hearings held, clippings, photographs, maps, charts, tables, etc. The non-bound meeting files contain summaries of agenda items and supporting documents, including operational plans, proposed budgets, master plans for parks, resolutions, memos, letters, contracts, deeds, reports, photographs, maps, proposals, etc. The microfilm contains minutes, summaries of agenda items, transcripts from hearings and meetings, supporting documents, and vouchers. The film largely duplicates the paper files, but large reports, proposals or some other items were not always filmed, just noted on the film that the item would be handed out at the meeting. The State Archives has decided to keep the paper files to provide copies of the items not filmed. Beginning in 1995, the film includes either transcripts or minute summaries of standing or ad hoc commission committees (generally the Public Lands Committee, Finance Committee, Regulations Committee, Conservation Committee, Ad Hoc Committee on Infrastructure, Outreach and Education Committee, and the Public Hearing Committee). There is a small amount of loose meeting materials (resolutions, proposals, correspondence, planning documents) and a few loose hearing transcripts. Topics discussed at the meetings include division activities, changes in or addition to TPWD laws and regulations, orders issued by the commission, etc.

If you are reading this electronically, click on the link to go the full finding aid - Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Parks and Wildlife Commission meeting files. If you are reading this in paper, the series finding aid is found in a separate divider within the binder.

These files consist of administrative correspondence, memos, executive orders, legislative bill analysis reports, bill files, deeds, maps, publications, and legal materials covering the period 1972-1984, 1987-1999. These are records from the Executive Office of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and include administrative correspondence of the executive director (1995-1996), correspondence with TPWD commissioners (1972-1977), and correspondence with legislators (1972-1984). Also present are executive orders (1987-1999), legislative bill analysis files (1991-1995), and files from an EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) complaint filed against the State of Texas and several state agencies, including Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, by the federal government (about 1978). Topics covered include conservation and protection of natural resources in the parks and wildlife management areas, the federal Endangered Species Act, renovation projects at various state parks, licensing fees for hunting and fishing, fee increases at state parks, regulations, management of state park facilities, operating and proposed TPWD projects, legislation, and regulations.

The office is headed by the Executive Director, who is responsible for the administration, operation, and planning functions of the Department. He keeps the Commissioners, legislators, and Governor informed of upcoming meetings, hearings, topics of importance, and routine matters. Inquiries sent to these individuals regarding Parks and Wildlife projects and areas of concern are often referred to the executive director for a response.

To prepare this inventory, the described materials were cursorily reviewed to delineate series, to confirm the accuracy of contents lists, to provide an estimate of dates covered, and to determine record types.

If you are reading this electronically, click on the link to go the full finding aid - Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Executive Office records. If you are reading this in paper, the series finding aid is found in a separate divider within the binder.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is responsible for the management and conservation of the state's natural and cultural resources, provision of outdoor recreational opportunities, conservation education and outreach, and interpretation of cultural and historical resources. Types of records present include administrative correspondence, memoranda, proclamations, photographs, newsletters and other publications, reports, papers, clippings, Attorney General opinions, news releases, and organization charts. Records are dated 1909, 1929, 1934-2004, bulk 1963-1999. The administrative correspondence and history project files document the early years of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (1963-1975), with a few files documenting actions of the Game and Fish Commission and the Texas State Parks Board. The news releases document all activities of the Parks and Wildlife Department. Topics of the records include the appropriations, pending legislation, rules and regulations, appointment and resignation of commissioners, management of and activities at state parks and wildlife areas, hunting and fishing activities, grant applications, dredging, environmental studies, resource conservation and development, water resource projects, game warden school, land acquisition, fish hatcheries, water quality management, and pollution reports and complaints. Correspondents include TPWD commissioners and staff with various state and federal agencies.

To prepare this inventory, the described materials were cursorily reviewed to delineate series, to confirm the accuracy of contents lists, to provide an estimate of dates covered, and to determine record types.

If you are reading this electronically, click on the link to go the full finding aid - Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Parks and Wildlife Department administrative records and other material. If you are reading this in paper, the series finding aid is found in a separate divider within the binder.

The State Parks Division of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) protects, interprets, and manages cultural and natural resources and provides recreational opportunities to the public on land owned or leased by TPWD. Types of records present include correspondence, memoranda, reports, project files, plans, appraisal reports, copies of land title abstracts, deeds, surveyors' field notes, survey and subdivision maps, photographs, maps and brochures, and civil engineering and architectural structural and mechanical plans and specifications for various types of repairs and improvements to two Air Force bases located in Texas. Dates covered are 1905-1990, bulk 1927-1986.

The appraisal and abstract records were accumulated during the course of land acquisition activities for the state by the TPWD and its predecessor, the Texas State Parks Board, for many of the Texas state parks, natural areas, and historic sites. The great majority of the plans and specifications are for Matagorda Island Air Force Base, but a few plans are present for Port O'Connor Air Force Base. These records are plans and specifications of federal military facilities that were transferred to the state of Texas. Project files are present for studies and work done to add the San Jose Mission to the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, which was accomplished in 1978. Conceptual and feasibility studies are present for several park sites including San Jose, Goliad, and Washington-on-the Brazos, and other existing or potential state park sites, including the Dallas area and Toledo Bend Reservoir. Planning records document work on the Texas Outdoor Recreation Plan in the 1970s and 1980s. Also present are maps and brochures of state parks for the 1970s and a videocassette and publication produced by TPWD to illustrate how the (then) Public Lands Division (now the State Parks Division) acquired, restored, preserved and operated historic properties in accordance with the 1967 legislative mandate to assume stewardship of important elements of Texas' heritage.

If you are reading this electronically, click on the link to go the full finding aid - Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, State Parks Division's records. If you are reading this in paper, the series finding aid is found in a separate divider within the binder.

The Texas Antiquities Committee (TAC) was the legal custodian of all state archaeological resources and it adopted rules to protect and preserve these resources. The executive director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) was a statutory member of the Antiquities Committee. These records reflect the involvement of the TPWD executive director or his proxy with the Antiquities Committee. Types of records present include minutes, agenda, meeting files, correspondence, memoranda, rules and regulations, reports, papers, notes, legislation, press releases, and clippings, dating 1963-1964, 1969-1980, bulk dating 1969-1980. Topics covered include the formation of the Texas Antiquities Committee, requests for and status of antiquities permits, changes in or additions to antiquities laws, budget and financial status of the committee, underwater archaeology rules and regulations and projects, shipwreck salvage, field work and/or research undertaken by TAC staff, significant archaeological discoveries, nominations for state archeological landmark status, requests to remove archeological landmark status, a litigation case against TAC over its denial of a destruction permit for buildings at El Centro College in Dallas, and the Governor's Conference on Antiquities. Correspondents include TPWD staff, TAC chairmen and staff, the governor's office, state and federal agencies, legislators, and others. Most of the materials in the files are copies of items sent to TAC members. There is some original correspondence with the TPWD members, most during the era that J.R. Singleton or James Cross served on the committee. TPWD executive directors serving on this committee (during the period covered by these records) were J.R. (Bob) Singleton (1969-1971), James Cross (1971-1972), Clayton T. Garrison (1973-1977), Henry Burkett (1977-1978), and Charles Travis (1979-1990). Beginning in the early 1970s, the TPWD executive directors at times used a proxy to handle their TAC business, generally Orion Knox, Director of the Historic Sites and Restoration Branch.

There is a small amount of material in the correspondence files (letters, memos, reports) for 1971-1972 that do not appear to be TAC files, but are interfiled with the TAC materials. James Cross, during this period, served on the Planning Committee for the Colorado River Basin Water Quality Management Study and some files reflect his involvement with that committee. Other files concern waste control orders of the Texas Water Development Board, fisheries research, TPWD projects with the U.S. Bureau of Outdoor Recreation, and an interagency contract with the Texas Highway Department to build a bridge across the bay between Corpus Christi and Mustang Island.

There are also archeology-related files from 1963 to 1964 concerning the attempt by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and other groups to gain national monument status for the Alibates Flint Quarries and Pueblo cultural sites in the Texas Panhandle. Correspondence is present with the Potter County Historical Society, the U.S. Department of the Interior, the Smithsonian, and others and is accompanied by clippings and reports. The Alibates Flint Quarries and Pueblo sites were given national monument status by the U.S. Congress in 1965 and are managed by the National Park Service. The quarries and cultural sites are located in the Lake Meredith Recreation Area.

If you are reading this electronically, click on the link to go the full finding aid - Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Parks and Wildlife Department's executive director's files as a member of the Texas Antiquities Committee. If you are reading this in paper, the series finding aid is found in a separate divider within the binder.

This series is unprocessed. Records present include administrative correspondence, reports and studies, wildlife environmental reviews, and wildlife diversity files.

The Infrastructure Division administers Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's Capital Program, which includes all new construction, restoration, renovation, maintenance, and repair projects. It is responsible for all design and construction contracts for the department, and it provides professional design, construction, and project management services to state parks, wildlife management areas, hatcheries, and other department facilities. Types of records present include manuals, project files, correspondence, office memorandum, contracts and invoices, research notes, topographical plans, maps, and black and white aerial photographs of state parks. The records cover the Division's administrative, financial, and operational activities, topographical research and land surveys, and special projects. Records date 1938, 1942, 1944, 1950-1995, bulk 1970-1995.

If you are reading this electronically, click on the link to go the full finding aid - Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Infrastruction Division records. If you are reading this in paper, the series finding aid is found in a separate divider within the binder.

To prepare this inventory, the described materials were cursorily reviewed to delineate series, to confirm the accuracy of contents lists, to provide an estimate of dates covered, and to determine record types.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Resource Protection Division's duties included protecting fish, wildlife, plant and mineral resources from degradation or depletion, investigating environmental contamination that might cause the loss of fish or wildlife, providing information and recommendations to other government agencies, and participating in administrative and judicial proceedings concerning pollution incidents, development projects, and other actions that might affect fish and wildlife. These files consist of correspondence, memos, fax cover sheets, reports, planning documents, comments to plans, agendas, meeting packets, papers, presentations, agreements, certificates, proposals, project construction tasks, project summaries, permit application summary sheets, proposed action public notices, environmental assessments or environmental impact statements, statements of findings, reviews and comments on projects that may have an adverse environmental impact on the fish and wildlife habitat, an environmental policy guide, and mailing lists. Also present are meeting files of the Coastal Coordination Council. Dates covered are 1962, about 1970-1999, 2001, bulk dating 1988-1997.

Topics covered include endangered species and impacts to fish and wildlife environments due to construction or other projects, dredging and fill operations in the state's navigable waters and wetlands, habitat loss for wildlife, regulation of aquaculture wastewater discharge, mineral recovery operations, natural recovery of damaged areas, flood control projects, environmental education of the public, regional water planning, mitigation policies, cleaning up oil spills, preservation of coastal barriers, ground water protection, animal waste utilization, improvements to water quality, mosquito control, hunting programs, management of grasslands and national forests, wetlands protection, the Galveston Bay National Estuary Program, the federal Clean Water Act and Section 404 Corps of Engineers permits, and revisions to the state's water quality certification rules. Correspondents include state officials, other state agencies, federal agencies and officials, local officials, legislators, congressmen, contractors, environmental groups, private companies, and the general public.

If you are reading this electronically, click on the link to go the full finding aid - Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Resource Protection Division records. If you are reading this in paper, the series finding aid is found in a separate divider within the binder.

To prepare this inventory, the described materials were cursorily reviewed to delineate series, to confirm the accuracy of contents lists, to provide an estimate of dates covered, and to determine record types.

The Inland Fisheries Division of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) manages the freshwater fishery resources of the state. This series contains correspondence, memoranda, reports, creel surveys, work plans on watershed development and flood prevention measures, site surveys and maps, development plans, federal aid reports, reports by TPWD biologists and other staff, reports by other entities (state agencies, university staff, etc.), surveys of fish populations, vegetation surveys, fisheries surveys, fisheries management plans, publications, clippings, monthly bulletins, fisheries investigations, studies, operating procedures, manuals, hatchery plans and budgets, maps, specifications, culture plans and production guidelines for several species, photographs, slides, negatives and a 3.5 inch floppy disk. The files document activities at particular lakes, reservoirs, a few freshwater tributaries, and state fish hatcheries, dating 1937-1995, bulk dating 1953-1986.

The bulk of the records consist of progress or performance reports and job completion reports prepared using federal grant money provided under the Dingell-Johnson Act. The project reports are created by TPWD staff and sent to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The report topics vary, but generally concern the management and study of fish in a particular lake or region. A few files concern a particular river or tributary, such as the Brazos River. Report objectives were largely to determine the need for changes in fish harvest regulations, stocking, population control, vegetation control, pollution control, contract fishing, and facility development.

The state fish hatchery files document a variety of functions at the fish hatcheries, with the bulk focusing on operations at the Tyler State Fish Hatchery including construction of additions, fish propagation, fish distribution, culture planning for several game fish species, record fish catches, and some information on the overall operation of the fish hatchery. Photographic media includes views of the buildings, grounds, ponds, breeding pens, and work activities at several state fish hatcheries; shots of fish catches; a few images of staff; and construction of the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in 1994-1995.

If you are reading this electronically, click on the link to go the full finding aid - Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Inland Fisheries Division records. If you are reading this in paper, the series finding aid is found in a separate divider within the binder.

To prepare this inventory, the described materials were cursorily reviewed to delineate series, to confirm the accuracy of contents lists, to provide an estimate of dates covered, and to determine record types.

The Coastal Fisheries Division of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department manages the marine fishery resources of Texas' four million acres of saltwater, including the bays and estuaries and out to nine nautical miles in the Gulf of Mexico. The Coastal Fisheries Division also operates the Artificial Reef Program, which began in 1990 and is responsible for acquiring materials for and overseeing the building of Texas' artificial reefs to help increase the diversity of marine organisms. The Coastal Fisheries Division is advised and guided by the recommendations of the Artificial Reef Advisory Committee, the Oyster Advisory Committee, and the Shrimp Advisory Committee. Over the years committee members consisted of representatives from various groups, including the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the Gulf Coast Fisherman's Environmental Defense Fund, the Attorney General's Office, the Texas Shrimp Association, the Texas General Land Office, and the West Gulf Maritime Association. These records cover the committees' administrative and organizational activities and operations, discussions about the Coastal Fisheries Division's research and findings, and their recommendations. Types of records include committee minutes, committee meeting support documentation in the forms of reports and studies, legal deeds of donation and permits, legislative information pertaining to government bills, attorney general opinions, accounts of public hearings, a few publications, and administrative correspondence of the Artificial Reef Program. The records date 1951-1999, bulk 1980-1999.

The minutes cover financial, legal, and environmental issues the committees faced in regards to Texas marine and fishery regulations and the Texas Artificial Reef Plan. Some of the minutes are also available on microfilm. The Advisory committee support documentation series covers the Coastal Fisheries Division's and other wildlife and marine organizations' research and findings, and contains information that supported and informed committees' recommendations. Topics discussed in these records include: open seasons for shrimp, marine and fishing regulations, pollution and safety concerns, licenses, biological and environmental assessments, public response to Texas fishing and saltwater regulations, and the planning and cost of artificial reef sites and materials. Types of records include reports and studies, maps, research notes, questionnaires, legal deeds of donation and permits, legislative information pertaining to government bills, attorney general opinions, accounts of public hearings, and a few publications. The Artificial Reef Program administrative correspondence includes correspondence and print outs of emails and faxes relating to the Artificial Reef Program. The correspondence, primarily to Artificial Reef Advisory Committee members, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission, and the Texas Shrimp Association from the Artificial Reef Coordinator, covers donations from oil companies of rigs, public hearings and public input regarding proposed artificial reefs, and committee members' responses and concerns over administrative and operational matters in constructing and managing Texas' artificial reefs.

If you are reading this electronically, click on the link to go the full finding aid - Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Coastal Fisheries Division records. If you are reading this in paper, the series finding aid is found in a separate divider within the binder.

To prepare this inventory, the described materials were cursorily reviewed to delineate series, to confirm the accuracy of contents lists, to provide an estimate of dates covered, and to determine record types.

This series is unprocessed. Records present include program files of the division and meeting files of the Operation Game Thief Committee.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is responsible for the management and conservation of the state's natural and cultural resources, provision of outdoor recreational opportunities, conservation education and outreach, and interpretation of cultural and historical resources. These files are reports maintained for many years by the now-defunct library of the agency. Shortly after the agency closed its library, the project reports were transferred to the State Archives. Most of the reports are progress or performance reports and job completion reports of projects that used federal grant money provided under the Pittman-Robertson Act (Wildlife Restoration Act), the Dingell-Johnson Act (Sport Fish Restoration Act), and the Commercial Fisheries Research and Development Act. These are annual reports on progress of work completed on various grant projects or jobs through the year. In many cases, one job will be done over a multi-year period and work completed will be reported yearly. The reports are arranged by project number then annually. A series of annual project reports of the Coastal Fisheries Division projects were done with only state funds. The reports generally contain an objective, background data/history, procedures, results of the studies, recommendations, statistical compilations, requirements, and proclamations or regulations concerning the studies if applicable. When applicable, a section discussing the proclamations is present and will include an introduction, justification for the rules, how the rules will function, summary of comments from public hearings, why the agency may disagree with the comments, and rules. Proclamations are regulations and rules issued by the TPW Commission. Dates covered are 1938-1999.

Topics of the research performed include: wildlife investigations (includes game harvest regulations, game harvest estimates, surplus game availability, distribution and movements of migratory birds and waterfowl, predatory non-game animal studies, and studies of specific species, such as deer, antelope, bighorn sheep, quail, wild turkeys, javelinas, bobcats, lesser prairie chickens, and doves); regional wildlife development; development of wildlife management areas; changes in fish harvest regulations; fish stocking in lakes and reservoirs; population control of fish species; vegetation control in lakes; pollution control in lakes and coastal water bodies; contract fishing; facility development; shrimp fishing; oysters; management of coastal fisheries; chemical analysis of waste water from industrial plants; and game fish of the coastal waters. Also present are a few hand written indexes, maps, and lists of grant reports - both state and federal - maintained by staff of the former TPWD library.

If you are reading this electronically, click on the link to go the full finding aid - Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Library holdings of project reports. If you are reading this in paper, the series finding aid is found in a separate divider within the binder.

To prepare this inventory, the described materials were cursorily reviewed to delineate series, to confirm the accuracy of contents lists, to provide an estimate of dates covered, and to determine record types.

This series is unprocessed. Records present are litigation files of suits involving the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

This series is unprocessed. Records present are oversized aerial photographs, surveys and drawings of TPWD properties.

This series is unprocessed. Records are correspondence, memoranda, reports, programs, and other files.

The Arkansas-White-Red Basins Inter-Agency Committee was created in 1950 at the request of the President of the United States. Legislative basis for this committee was contained in the Flood Control Act of 1950, Public Law 516, 81st Congress. The Committee was made up of representatives from federal agencies concerned with water and related resource development and governors of the states involved. Each state had a work group composed of representatives from state agencies or similar bodies involved in the process. The Committee conducted water and resource development studies. Records consist of meeting minutes, procedure guides, weekly meeting logs, correspondence, public hearing transcripts, and reports on water and other resources in the Arkansas, White, and Red River Basins, dating 1950-1952, bulk 1949-1951. The river basins cover areas in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, New Mexico, Missouri, and Texas. Minutes from the following subcommittees and workgroups are present for some meetings: Technical Conference, Recreation Work Group, Hydrologic Subcommittee, and the Drainage Work Group. A few Census Bureau reports from 1949 are also present. Topics covered include water resources planning, economic analysis of the river basin project, recreation development, navigation economic studies, drainage and flood control works, irrigation, reclamation, water quality, and hydroelectric power.

Correspondents include the United States Department of the Interior, U.S. Corps of Engineers, U.S. Department of Commerce, the Interstate Compact Commissioner, and the Executive Secretary/Director of the Texas State Parks Board, Gordon Sheares. Although the Texas Game and Fish Commission also had a representative on this committee, no correspondence or similar original documentation of that agency's involvement has been found in these specific records.

Preliminary reports not present in these files along with final reports of the Committee can be found in the Federal Documents Collection of the Library and Archives Commission or in the library at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Titles of all the reports produced by the Inter-Agency Committee are unknown. Minutes of the Inter-Agency Committee are present for 1950-1952; minutes from 1955 to 1959 can be found in the Federal Documents Collection. Transcripts of public hearings of the committee in 1950 are present in these records, some can also be found in the library at TCEQ.

If you are reading this electronically, click on the link to go the full finding aid - Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Arkansas-White-Red Basins Inter-Agency Committee records. If you are reading this in paper, the series finding aid is found in a separate divider within the binder.

To prepare this inventory, the described materials were cursorily reviewed to delineate series, to confirm the accuracy of contents lists, to provide an estimate of dates covered, and to determine record types.