The Challenge
Texas’ intricate and connected system of water—rivers, streams, lakes, springs, groundwater, bays, and estuaries—nourishes the people, places, wildlife, and economy at the heart of our great state. Rural communities in particular depend on reliable, safe water resources but are increasingly at risk of losing water security, or running out of water entirely, due to drought and aquifer decline amid increased water demand from the state’s growing population.
The Opportunity
Working with private landowners and local water managers, Texas Water Trade enters into voluntary water rights transactions that incentivize surface and groundwater rights-holders to leave water in place. These voluntary transactions improve local conditions and ensure sustained and restored downstream flows for communities who may otherwise be at risk of running out of water.
The Impact
To date, Texas Water Trade has partnered with scores of landowners, water managers, municipalities and other groups to protect, preserve, and provide habitat with more than 40,000 acre-feet of water, resulting in more than 13 billion gallons of water preserved for farmers, ranchers, and communities to use for drinking water, recreation, and irrigation. It’s a win-win solution that safeguards private property rights and promotes the local economy while building a more resilient water future for the Lone Star State.
In 2026, we executed our first-ever permanent acquisition and subsequent dedication of a water right, one of the first permanent dedications of its kind in Texas, placing a critical section of the San Saba River in the hands of local water managers and protecting more than one billion gallons of water over the next decade.
