Evaluating Basins for New Watermaster Programs
The TCEQ assesses the potential role of a watermaster managing water rights in each basin with no existing watermaster program.
For each basin that does not have a watermaster program, the TCEQ:
- evaluates each river basin or coastal basin
- assesses whether to appoint a watermaster in that basin
- reports our findings to the Legislature
- repeats this assessment at least once every five years
TCEQ’s watermaster evaluations are required by Texas Water Code §§ 11.326(g) and (h)
What criteria will be considered?
The Commission outlined the following evaluation criteria in the Commission’s September 28, 2011 Work Session:
- Is there a court order to create a watermaster?
- Has a petition been received requesting a watermaster?
- Have senior water rights been threatened, based on:
- Either the history of senior calls or water shortages within the basin or
- The number of water right complaints received on an annual basis in each basin?
Which basins are being evaluated this year?
The 2025 evaluation will cover the Canadian River and the Red River Basins.
Watermaster Evaluation Stakeholder Meetings
Dates for the 2025 Evaluation Stakeholder meetings of the Canadian River and the Red River Basins will be posted once the schedule has been finalized.
2025 Evaluation Schedule
- February and March 2025 – Review data and mail the initial outreach letter requesting input from stakeholders within the basins.
- April 11, 2025 - Initial comment period ends.
- April 2025 – Incorporate initial stakeholder comments into evaluation.
- May 2025 – Mail the stakeholder meeting letter announcing meeting dates.
- June 2025 – Hold stakeholder meetings and invite additional input.
- July 2025 – Comment period ends.
- August 2025 – Finalize Evaluation report.
- September 2025 – Present findings and recommendations to the TCEQ Commissioners.
Past Watermaster Evaluations
The Executive Director conducted the first cycle of evaluations from 2012 through 2016, and the second cycle from 2017 through 2021. The third cycle of evaluations began in 2022.
2024: Neches River and Sabine River Basins
2023: Trinity River, San Jacinto River, Trinity-San Jacinto Coastal and Neches-Trinity Coastal Basins.
2022: Upper Brazos River Basin (upstream of Possum Kingdom Lake), San Jacinto-Brazos Coastal Basin, Brazos-Colorado Coastal Basin, Colorado River Basin, and the Colorado-Lavaca Coastal Basins.
2021: Cypress Creek and Sulphur River Basins
2020: Canadian and Red River Basins
2019: Neches River and Sabine River Basins
2018: Trinity River, San Jacinto River, Trinity-San Jacinto Coastal and Neches-Trinity Coastal Basins.
2017: Upper Brazos River Basin (upstream of Possum Kingdom Lake), San Jacinto-Brazos Coastal Basin, Brazos-Colorado Coastal, Colorado River and the Colorado-Lavaca Coastal Basins
2016: Cypress Creek and Sulphur River Basins
Participating in the Evaluation Process
To include the public and develop the best recommendations, we solicit input from stakeholders, including water right holders, domestic and livestock users, river authorities, agricultural, industrial and environmental organizations, the general public, and other interested parties.
We will solicit input for the 2025 evaluation in early spring. The input received from stakeholders will be discussed at the TCEQ Commissioners’ Agenda.
If you have any questions about the evaluation process, contact us -
- Email: watermaster@tceq.texas.gov
- Regular Mail:Iliana Spaeth
Watermaster Section Liaison
Mail Code 160, TCEQ
P.O. Box 13087
Austin, Texas 78711-3087