{"id":561,"date":"2013-09-30T08:00:16","date_gmt":"2013-09-30T13:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/agrilife.org\/texasaglaw\/?p=561"},"modified":"2026-04-17T15:35:47","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T20:35:47","slug":"texas-water-basics-of-surface-water-law","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/agrilife.org\/texasaglaw\/2013\/09\/30\/texas-water-basics-of-surface-water-law\/","title":{"rendered":"Texas Water: Basics of Surface Water Law"},"content":{"rendered":"

**This article is not a substitute for the advice of an attorney.**<\/span><\/p>\n

In Texas, water law is basically divided into\u00a0two categories:\u00a0 groundwater\u00a0and surface water.\u00a0 Today, we will take a look at the basics of surface water law.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Photo via Kimbery Lyons, College Station, TX<\/p><\/div>\n

Surface Water Defined.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Surface water includes all of the “water under ordinary flow, underflow and tides of every flowing river, natural stream, lake, bay, arm of the Gulf of Mexico, and stormwater, floodwater or rain water of every river, natural stream, canyon, ravine, depression, and watershed in the state.”\u00a0 Texas Water Code Section 11.021.<\/p>\n

A subcategory of surface water is treated differently under Texas law.\u00a0 Diffused surface water is water\u00a0 on the surface that has not yet entered a\u00a0“watercourse.”\u00a0 Prior to entering into a watercourse, which is defined as having defined bed and banks, a current of water, and a permanent source and supply,\u00a0diffused surface\u00a0water is not owned by the state and is instead owned by the owner of the land over which it flows.\u00a0 Examples of this water include water flowing over the ground from falling rains or melting snows.\u00a0 Once this water reaches a watercourse, it becomes state-owned surface water.\u00a0 This blog post will not address diffused surface water.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Texas\u00a0Surface Water.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Texans use approximately 6.6 million acre feet of surface water per year.\u00a0 Most of the surface water is used to supply water for cities and industry.\u00a0 Only about 35% of surface water use is for irrigation.\u00a0 The majority of surface water in Texas has been appropriated and water rights issued.<\/p>\n

\"water5\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Surface Water Ownership.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Texas surface water is owned by the state and is held by the state\u00a0in trust for the public.\u00a0 See <\/em>Texas Water Code\u00a0Section 11.021, 11.0235.\u00a0\u00a0With only a handful of exceptions discussed below, in\u00a0order to use this state-owned water, a person must file a permit and obtain a “water right” from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.\u00a0 See<\/em> Texas Water Code Section 11.022.\u00a0 A water right is defined as “a right acquired under the laws of\u00a0Texas to impound, divert or use state water.”\u00a0 See\u00a0<\/em>Texas Water Code Section 11.002(5).\u00a0 Importantly, a water right does not transfer ownership of the water from the state but instead merely grants the\u00a0holder a non-possessory right of use (called a “usufructory right”).\u00a0 Water ownership remains with the State of Texas.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Prior Appropriation Doctrine.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Texas surface water law is governed by the doctrine of prior appropriation.\u00a0 Prior appropriation–followed by most western states–is defined as “first in time, first in right.”\u00a0 See <\/em>Texas Water Code Section 11.027. \u00a0Essentially the first person to receive a permit to put water to beneficial use has a “senior water right” that is superior to all junior water right holders.\u00a0 In the most basic sense, prior appropriation means “first come, first served.”\u00a0 In times of shortage, a senior water right holder will receive all of the water to which he or she is entitled before a junior\u00a0 user will get any water.<\/p>\n

The “first come, first served” approach of the prior appropriation doctrine can be modified in emergency situations.\u00a0 For example, if an imminent threat to public health and safety exists, which\u00a0overrides the need to comply with statutory procedures, and no feasible alternative exists, the TCEQ may grant an emergency permit, order, or amendment to an existing permit for not more than 120 days.\u00a0 See<\/em> Texas Water Code Section 11.139.\u00a0 These\u00a0actions may be taken\u00a0without notice or an opportunity to be heard, but\u00a0a hearing must be held within 20 days of the permit’s issuance.\u00a0 Under this exception, the water\u00a0right holder must be compensated for the water that is taken to satisfy the emergency.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Photo via Ryan McVay, Gunnison, CO<\/p><\/div>\n

Permissible Uses of Surface<\/strong> Water.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Surface water may be appropriated by an individual for:\u00a0 domestic and municipal uses; agricultural uses; industrial uses; mining and recovery of minerals; hydroelectric power; navigation; recreation and pleasure; public parks; game preserves; and “any other beneficial use.\u00a0\u00a0 See <\/em> Texas Water Code Section 11.023.\u00a0 When appropriating state water, preferences shall be given to each of these uses in the order listed.\u00a0 See<\/em> Texas Water Code Section 11.024.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Permitting Process.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

In Texas,\u00a0applications for permits\u00a0to appropriate surface water are filed with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.\u00a0 The TCEQ will then review the application for administrative completeness and a technical evaluation.\u00a0At this point,\u00a0notice is given to the public (it is published in a local newspaper and written notice is mailed to water right holders\u00a0in the same supply\/river basin)\u00a0and a 30 day protest period begins.\u00a0 If a protest is filed by an affected person\u00a0within these 30 days, an administrative hearing is held before an Administrative Law Judge from the State Office of Administrative Hearings, who hears evidence and makes a recommendation to the TCEQ as to whether the permit should be granted.\u00a0 At\u00a0this point,\u00a0the TCEQ will determine whether to grant the permit.\u00a0 If no protest is filed, the TCEQ determines whether the permit should be granted.\u00a0 If a permit is denied, the applicant may appeal the decision to the court system.<\/p>\n

A permit to appropriate water may be granted only if TCEQ finds that:\u00a0 (1) there is unappropriated water available; (2) the permit seeks to put water to beneficial use; (3) the permit does not impair existing water rights; (4) the permit is not detrimental to public welfare; (5) the permit is consistent with the State Water Plan and relevant Regional Water Plans; and (6) reasonable diligence will be used to avoid waste and achieve conservation.\u00a0 See<\/em> Texas Water Code Section 11.134.<\/p>\n

When a permit is granted, that date that the permit was deemed administratively complete by the TCEQ\u00a0becomes the “priority date” for that water right.\u00a0 This determines the water right holder’s position as to senior and junior appropriators.<\/p>\n

\"water2\"<\/a>Limitations on<\/strong> Permits.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

A permit provides the specific\u00a0parameters that must be followed by the water right holder in using the\u00a0surface water.\u00a0 Specifically, a permit grants the holder to use a specific amount of water, at a specific location, for a specific purpose.<\/p>\n

A water right is limited by the amount of water specifically granted under a permit and by the amount of water which is being or can be beneficially used for the purpose recognized by the permit.\u00a0 See <\/em>Texas Water Code Section 11.025.\u00a0 This means that if a person has a water right to divert 10 acre-feet for irrigating crops, but that person is only able to actually use 5 acre-feet, the remaining 5 acre-feet of water is considered unappropriated.<\/p>\n

There are several types of permits, each of which may impose its own temporal limitation.\u00a0 The types include:\u00a0\u00a0(1) Regular permit\u00a0(lasting for as long as the use continues); (2) Seasonal permit\u00a0(limits the use of water to certain days or months); (3) Temporary permit\u00a0(use up to three years); or (4) Emergency permit\u00a0(use up to 30 days if the public health, safety, and welfare are threatened).<\/p>\n

It is important\u00a0to note that a water right\u00a0may be suspended or adjusted by the TCEQ \u00a0in a period of drought or other emergency water shortage.\u00a0 Specifically, the TCEQ may temporarily suspend the rights of water right holders and\/or adjust the amounts of permitted diversions.\u00a0 See <\/em>Texas Water Code 11.053.\u00a0 This type of temporary suspension may occur without notice or an opportunity for the affected water rights holders to be heard, but a hearing on the suspension must be held within at least 45 days after the order is issued.\u00a0 See<\/em> Texas Admin. Code Section 36.8.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Permitting Exceptions.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

There are certain types of\u00a0diversions that are exempt from the permitting process, meaning that a person may use surface water for these limited purposes without obtaining a water right from TCEQ.\u00a0See <\/em>Texas Water Code Section 11.142. \u00a0The exemptions include:<\/p>\n

*\u00a0\u00a0A dam or reservoir on a person’s own land with storage of no more than 200 acre feet of water for domestic and livestock purposes;<\/p>\n

*\u00a0 A dam or reservoir on one’s own property\u00a0with storage of\u00a0no more than 200 acre feet of water for\u00a0 wildlife or fishing purposes but not for fish farming;<\/p>\n

*\u00a0 Water from the Gulf of Mexico and adjacent bays and arms of the Gulf used in operations associated with drilling and producing petroleum if the amount does not exceed one acre-foot per 24 hour period;<\/p>\n

* A reservoir for surface coal mining operations if the water is used solely for sediment control or in compliance with laws relating to fire or dust suppression;<\/p>\n

* The use of brackish or salt water from the Gulf of Mexico or its arms or bays for the cultivation of shrimp, finfish, crustaceans, and other aquatic species; and<\/p>\n

* Up to 200 acre-feet of\u00a0water\u00a0per year for historic cemeteries of at 100 years old or older.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Photo via Dallas Dowell, Tucumcari, NM<\/p><\/div>\n

Transfer of Surface Water Permit.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

<\/em>A surface water\u00a0right is recognized as a property right in Texas.\u00a0 Thus, although the permit holder has no title to the water, he does have a property interest in the right to use the water.\u00a0 As with other property, a water right may be sold, leased, or transferred to another person.\u00a0 A water right may be conveyed automatically with land (and is so conveyed unless expressly reserved) or can be sold separately from land.\u00a0 When a water right is sold, the deed should be recorded as any other property deed.<\/p>\n

Importantly, however, the TCEQ does impose certain limits on the transfer of water rights.\u00a0 If the sale does not involve a change in the purpose of use, amount of use, or place of use, then a party needs only to file a simple notice of\u00a0change of ownership with the TCEQ.\u00a0 Most sales, however, do alter either the location, amount, or purpose of use.\u00a0 For these type of transfers, a permit amendment is required and must be approved by the TCEQ after a review and analysis\u00a0of the proposed change.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Upcoming Blog Post.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Stay tuned next week for a report on a recent Texas Public Policy Foundation surface water panel and a discussion of some of the major current events surrounding Texas surface water law.\u00a0 Then the following week be on the lookout for a blog outlining the basics of Texas groundwater law.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

**This article is not a substitute for the advice of an attorney.** In Texas, water law is basically divided into\u00a0two categories:\u00a0 groundwater\u00a0and surface water.\u00a0 Today, we will take a look at the basics of surface water law. Surface Water Defined. Surface water includes all of the “water under ordinary flow, underflow and tides of every flowing river, natural stream, lake, bay, arm of the Gulf of Mexico, and stormwater, floodwater or rain water of every river, natural stream, canyon, ravine, depression, and watershed in the state.”\u00a0 Texas Water… Read More →<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2444,"featured_media":574,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-561","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-water-law"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nTexas Water: Basics of Surface Water Law - Texas Agriculture Law<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/agrilife.org\/texasaglaw\/2013\/09\/30\/texas-water-basics-of-surface-water-law\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Texas Water: Basics of Surface Water Law - Texas Agriculture Law\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"**This article is not a substitute for the advice of an attorney.** In Texas, water law is basically divided into\u00a0two categories:\u00a0 groundwater\u00a0and surface water.\u00a0 Today, we will take a look at the basics of surface water law. Surface Water Defined. Surface water includes all of the “water under ordinary flow, underflow and tides of every flowing river, natural stream, lake, bay, arm of the Gulf of Mexico, and stormwater, floodwater or rain water of every river, natural stream, canyon, ravine, depression, and watershed in the state.”\u00a0 Texas Water... 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Surface Water Defined. Surface water includes all of the “water under ordinary flow, underflow and tides of every flowing river, natural stream, lake, bay, arm of the Gulf of Mexico, and stormwater, floodwater or rain water of every river, natural stream, canyon, ravine, depression, and watershed in the state.”\u00a0 Texas Water... 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