Sec. 8502.001. CREATION. (a) A conservation and reclamation district to be known as the "Brazos River Authority" is created. The authority is a river authority, a governmental agency, a municipality, and a body politic and corporate.

(b) The authority is created under and is essential to accomplish the purposes of Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution.

(c) The authority may exercise the powers expressly granted by Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution, to districts created to conserve, control, and utilize to beneficial service the storm waters and floodwaters of the rivers and streams of the state, as well as those powers that may be contemplated and implied by the purposes of that provision of the constitution and that are conferred by general law and the provisions of this chapter. In addition, the authority may discover, develop, and produce groundwater in the Brazos River basin for the use of its customers.

(d) The authority may exercise all the rights and powers of an independent governmental agency, a municipality, and a body politic and corporate to formulate plans deemed essential to its operation and for its administration in the control, storing, preservation, and distribution for all useful purposes of the storm waters and floodwaters of the Brazos River and its tributary streams.

(e) The authority may exercise the same authority and power of control and regulation over the storm waters and floodwaters of the Brazos River and its tributaries as may be exercised by the state, subject to the provisions of the constitution and the acts of the legislature.

Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 996, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.

Renumbered from Water Code, Section 221.001 by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 921 (H.B. 3167), Sec. 13.006(a), eff. September 1, 2007.