Useful Links and Publications
Disclaimer: Links to and information about Web sites outside the TWDB are provided solely for the convenience of the user and do not constitute an official endorsement of the information, products, or services contained therein.
Government Agencies
- Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
- Texas Department of Agriculture
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation - Water Well Drillers and Pump Installers
- Texas General Land Office
- Texas Groundwater Protection Committee
- Texas Parks and Wildlife
- Railroad Commission of Texas
- Texas State Auditor's Office
- Texas Water Science Center (USGS)
- US Environmental Protection Agency - Texas Drinking Water
Associations
Academic Institutions
- Bureau of Economic Geology (University of Texas)
- Water Resources Center (Texas Tech University)
- Center for Research in Water Resources (University of Texas)
- Texas AgriLife Extension Service Water Information (Texas A&M University)
- Texas Water (Texas A&M University)
- Texas Water Resources Institute (Texas A&M University)
Useful Publications
- Basics of Texas Water Law (2018) A useful source of information prepared by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension on water law, water ownership, and groundwater conservation districts. A primer on Texas water law and groundwater is also included.
- So Secret, Occult, and Concealed: An Overview of Groundwater Management in Texas (2016) An explanation of how groundwater management currently works in Texas and how we got there.
- Priority Groundwater Management Areas and Groundwater Conservation Districts The TCEQ and the TWDB jointly provide a report to the Texas Legislature every two years to inform legislative leadership of activities relating to the designation of PGMAs and GMAs, and the creation and operation of groundwater conservation districts.
- Priority Groundwater Management Areas: Overview and Frequently Asked Questions (2008) A Texas Cooperative Extension publication discussing water shortages and water quality problems in Texas are prompting the state to address the security of its water supplies. One approach being taken is to create priority groundwater management areas (PGMAs) in critical regions. This publication explains the process for creating a PGMA in Texas.
- Landowner's Guide to Plugging Abandoned Water Wells (2006; revised 2010) A Texas Groundwater Protection Committee guide to plugging abandoned water wells.
- Bibliography of Ground-Water References for All 254 Counties in Texas, 1886-2001 (2005) United States Geological Survey bibliography of groundwater publications for Texas counties. There are no links to articles but includes an extensive survey of groundwater literature. Counties can be selected from either an interactive map or a listing of counties.
- The Rule of Capture - "If it Ain't Broke..." (2004) The article serves as a summary and critique of Texas Groundwater Law.
- Texas Groundwater: Yours? Mine? Ours? (2003) A compilation of talks presented at the Lady Bird Johnson Center in Austin, Texas covering a range of subjects on groundwater management in Texas, specifically those associated with water marketing and current management practices.
- Look Before You Lease: Secrets for Negotiating Texas Groundwater Leases (2002) A Texas A&M Real Estate Center publication that provides guidelines for groundwater leasing. The author approaches the subject from the perspective of groundwater, and oil and gas leases, and concludes that no single lease form is applicable to all situations.
- Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations Reports United States Geological Survey collection of water resources investigation techniques reports.