The board may operate the water bank, adopt rules for it, and contract with any person to help carry out the subchapter.
Sec. 15.703. OPERATION OF THE BANK; RULES. (a) The board may take all actions necessary to operate the water bank and to facilitate the transfer of water rights from the water bank for future beneficial use, including but not limited to: (1) negotiating a sale price and terms acceptable to the depositor and purchaser; (2) maintaining a registry of water bank deposits and those water users in need of additional supplies; (3) informing water users in need of additional supply of water rights available in the bank; (4) encouraging water right holders to implement water conservation practices and deposit the right to use the conserved water into the bank; (5) establishing requirements for deposit of a water right into the water bank, including minimum terms for deposit; (6) purchasing, holding, and transferring water or water rights in its own name, including purchasing, holding, and transferring water or water rights originating from outside this state for the purpose of providing water for the use or benefit of this state; (7) establishing regional water banks; (8) acting as a clearinghouse for water marketing information, including water availability, pricing of water transactions, environmental considerations, and potential buyers and sellers of water rights; (9) preparing and publishing a manual on structuring water transactions; (10) accepting and holding donations of water rights to meet instream, water quality, fish and wildlife habitat, or bay and estuary inflow needs; (11) entering into contracts with persons to pay for feasibility studies or the preparation of plans and specifications relating to water conservation efforts or to estimate the amount of water that would be saved through conservation efforts; and (12) other actions to facilitate water transactions. (b) The board may adopt rules necessary for implementation of the Texas Water Bank. (c) The board may contract with any person to achieve the purposes of this subchapter. Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 647, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 30, 1993. Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1010, Sec. 2.15, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 61, Sec. 1, eff. May 10, 1999. Amended by: Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 954 (S.B. 7), Sec. 1.12, eff. September 1, 2025.