Texas Water Development Board:

An Inventory of Water Development Board Meeting Files at the Texas State Archives, 1963-1967, 1974-2008

Agency History

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/general_history/history.asp), accessed October 2006; and the enabling legislation, 1957, 1965, 1977, 1985, 1987.)

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Scope and Contents of the Records

The Texas Water Development Board administers state and federal financing programs for water-related projects, and collects data and conducts studies for long-term water resources planning. These records document the actions of the board on such matters 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.

These records consist of minutes, agenda, printed materials, presentation materials, memoranda, schedules, reports, strategic plans, applications, resolutions, and correspondence, which comprise the official minutes plus supporting documentation (agenda and meeting materials or attachments) created for meetings of the Texas Water Development Board and its committees. Overall dates are 1963-1967, 1974-2008, with agenda dating 1980-1987, 1993-2008, and other supporting documentation dating 1993-2005. Subjects discussed focus on requests for grant/loan monies to fund numerous Texas water conservation, development, and treatment resources and facilities projects. Included among the records are copies of the Water Development Board's strategic plans and legislative appropriations requests. Beginning in the 1990s, the records have separate files for the Board's Finance Committee and Audit Committee meetings, usually held the day before the monthly meeting. Minutes also include the meetings of the Texas Water Resources Finance Authority.

Minutes are created to document in a thorough but summary fashion the official actions of the board (and its committees) in their meetings. Agenda are created to inform the public as to what will be discussed and/or decided at each board or committee meeting. Supporting documentation is created to provide the basis for board (and committee) discussions and actions.

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.

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Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

Materials do not circulate, but may be used in the State Archives search room. Materials will be retrieved from and returned to storage areas by staff members.

Restrictions on Use

Most records created by Texas state agencies are not copyrighted and may be freely used in any way. State records also include materials received by, not created by, state agencies. Copyright remains with the creator. The researcher is responsible for complying with U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17 U.S.C.).

Technical Requirements

None.

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Related Material

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

(Identify the item and cite the series), Texas Water Development Board meeting files. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.

Accession Information

Accession numbers: 1991/140, 1998/208, 1998/258, 1999/019, 1999/147, 2000/040, 2000/060, 2000/197, 2001/017, 2001/133, 2002/045, 2003/020, 2003/021, 2003/033, 2003/068, 2003/174, 2004/030, 2004/094, 2005/077, 2005/083, 2006/022, 2007/026, 2007/172, 2007/173, 2008/041, 2008/129

These records were transferred to the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by the Texas Water Commission, Administrative Services Division, Records Systems Section on April 25 and May 6, 1991; by the Texas Water Development Board on July 7, 1998; August 21, 1998; September 29, 1998; April 27, 1999; September 29, 1999; November 1, 1999; August 25, 2000; September 28, 2000; June 18, 2001; October 9, 2001; October 3, 2002; October 17, 2002; October 24, 2002; June 23, 2003; September 29, 2003; February 23, 2004; November 12, 2004; January 4, 2005; September 23, 2005; September 27, 2006; October 19, 2007; and April 15, 2008; and by the Texas Legislative Reference Library on October 3, 2002; and March 22, 2007.

Processing Information

Tony Black, April 1992

Nancy Enneking, June 1999, August 2000

Tony Black, October 2002, January 2004, December 2004, January 2004, October 2006, April 2008

Accruals

The Texas Water Development Board transfers copies of minutes and agenda to the Texas State Archives regularly (usually several times a month). It transfers supporting documentation on an annual basis. This finding aid will be updated annually.

Other Formats for the Records

The Texas Water Development Board mounts electronic copies of its current agenda, of Texas Water Development Board and committee minutes and of Texas Water Resources Finance Authority minutes , both of the latter dating back to May 1999 (as of October 2006) on the agency web site (http://www.twdb.state.tx.us/home/index.asp).

Supporting documentation, 1993-2001, has been microfilmed by the Texas State Records Center staff, and is available at the Texas Water Development Board.

Location of Originals

The record copies of minutes and agenda are maintained by the Texas Water Development Board.

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Detailed Description of the Records