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Topic: Texas state water laws still in effect todaySource: Official Texas Legislature websiteCovers: Water districts, salt water disposal, and general water rulesCost: Free to read onlineReading time: Varies — legal text, best to search specific sections
Texas has a set of older water laws called the Texas Auxiliary Water Laws. They sit alongside the main Texas Water Code and still carry full legal weight today. You can read every word for free on the official Texas Legislature website.
The Texas Auxiliary Water Laws are a collection of state statutes organized into chapters. Chapter 1 covers the use of state water, including rules about contracts for selling or disposing of salt water for pollution control. Chapter 3 deals with water control and preservation districts. Chapter 11 covers general provisions. Because these laws were never folded into the main Texas Water Code, they live on their own — but they are still legally active and enforceable.
Start by reading the free full text on the official Texas Constitution and Statutes website. Note the chapter that matches your question — water use, district rules, or general provisions. If you're doing serious legal or policy research, cross-reference what you find here with the Texas Water Code and the Texas Special District Local Laws Code for a complete picture. The Texas A&M University School of Law research guide is also a good companion resource for understanding how these pieces fit together.
No fixed date
Not location-specific
These laws connect to the Texas Water Code and the Texas Special District Local Laws Code, which together form the broader legal framework for water rules in Texas. If your community is dealing with water district decisions, pollution control questions, or salt water disposal near Houston-area energy operations, this legal text is worth knowing about.
Water rules in Texas come from more than one legal source. These auxiliary statutes cover important topics — like how water power control districts can contract for salt water disposal and how water control and preservation districts operate — that aren't fully addressed in the main Texas Water Code. If you're researching a water issue, skipping these laws could mean missing something that matters.
