Rock formations carved by the Pedernales River. Sediment carried into rivers and reservoirs by erosion of river channels and the surrounding landscape reduces their water storage capacity by 0.3 percent a year. That equates to a loss of 90,000 acre feet of water every year due to sediment loading.


Texas has 15 major rivers and each has an associ-


ated river basin. These river basins house lakes, res- ervoirs and feeder streams and rivers. The state owns all public surface water and controls use and allocation of these waters. To monitor and control the health of Texas’ rivers,


manage their water resources and enforce regulation, the state employs a number of state agencies — primar- ily the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality


74 The Cattleman May 2014


(TCEQ), river authorities, the Texas Water Develop- ment Board (TWDB) and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). When a river shares a border with another state or


fl ows into Texas from another state, interstate river compacts also affect river regulation, particularly wa- ter allocation. Texas is a member of 5 interstate river compacts. To understand the management of Texas’ rivers re-


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