Water School

Possum Kingdom Lake, located on the main stem of the Brazos River northwest of Fort Worth, was the first water supply reservoir constructed in the Brazos River basin. Located in Young, Palo Pinto, Stephens, and Jack counties, the construction of the Morris Sheppard Dam was begun in 1938 and completed in 1941 with the aid of the Works Progress Administration Program.Possum Kingdom Lake covers an area of 16,716 acres with 219 miles of shoreline. The reservoir holds approximately 556,340 ...

DeCordova Bend Dam and Lake Granbury were constructed by the Brazos River Authority and are maintained and operated by the BRA as a source of water supply.Construction of the project began in December 1966 and was completed in September 1969. The reservoir provides 129,011 acre-feet of storage capacity for conservation of flood and storm waters to meet requirements of municipalities, industries, agriculture and mining.  The reservoir has a permitted yield of 64,712 acre feet. ...

Lake Limestone, located on the upper Navasota River in Limestone, Robertson and Leon counties, is a water supply reservoir built by the Brazos River Authority in 1978. Construction of the reservoir was made possible through the sale of water to Texas Electric Utilities to be used by their lignite-burning electric plants in the area.  To view a copy of the Lake Limestone state permit, click here.Water from the reservoir is supplied for similar use at a NRG steam-electric plant just...

The Texas Legislature created the Clean Rivers Program in 1991 when it passed the Texas Clean Rivers Act. Legislators’ goal was to push Texas towards comprehensive water planning and management to ensure the future quality of the water supply.The state designated the Brazos River Authority as the lead agency to conduct water quality assessment and Clean Rivers Program (CRP) planning in the Brazos River watershed. Every one to three months depending on location, the BRA tests water for everythin...

Authorized by the state, the Brazos River Authority’s system operations permit allows the BRA to sell up to 705,000 acre-feet of water basin-wide from the 11 system reservoirs and the rivers within the watershed. The system permit allows the BRA to draw the water from any of the reservoirs and rivers included in the system allowing the BRA to utilize the sources with the largest storage of water at any specific time.

A variety of maps of the Brazos basin can be found on the BRA’s website by clicking here.

Yes, the BRA’s Speaker’s Bureau will provide staff to address a variety of water related topics free-of-charge to civic groups and community organizations. Groups frequently request such topics as water planning, water and wastewater treatment, flood management and future planning. For more information, go to the Bureau’s web page or call the BRA's Public Information Office at 888-922-6272.

Maps of BRA lakes may be found online by visiting each reservoirs' web page: Possum Kingdom, Granbury and Limestone.  Printed maps of each reservoir are available free of charge at each lake office or by calling the Public Information Office at (888) 922-6272.

The on-water facility fee to place a dock on a BRA reservoir basically allows the permit holder to build and maintain a permanent structure over BRA property (the lake bed). It also gives the BRA the ability to ensure that the docks that are constructed on the reservoir are safe. The permit fee is not a tax, but a one-time fee.  There are no longer annual fees to maintain a dock on a BRA reservoir.  For an on-water facility permit application, click here.

Lakeside property owners can build docks on a BRA-owned reservoir if they complete an On-Water Facility Permit application and pay the relevant fees for inspection of the facility plans and completed work.  Lake regulations set requirements property owners must meet when building a dock.  Details on these regulations may be found in Section 7 of the BRA regulations.Permit applications may be obtained at each reservoir's office or by going to the appropriate website: Possu...

Yes, BRA parks have campsites that are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Camping is free year-round at Lakes Granbury and Limestone, as well as September through May at Possum Kingdom Lake.Each BRA park offers amenities ranging from tables to shelters and grills and pits. Many of the parks also offer nearby restrooms and showers. If you prefer something a little less rustic, private groups offer cabin and RV sites. For more information about camping opportunities at BRA reservoirs, ...

Motorized boats, sailboats extending 14 feet or longer, and vessels documented by the U.S. Coast Guard all must show proof of state registration when operating on Texas public waters, which includes the Brazos River, according to Texas law. This law does not apply to non-motorized rubber rafts, kayaks, punts, rowboats, or other vessels under 14 feet in length that have the ability to be paddled, oared, windblown, or poled. To learn more about water vessel requirements of public Texas waters, cli...

Under Texas state law, a fishing license is required for all public waters. There are a few exceptions to this requirement. Those younger than 17 years of age, whether Texas residents or non-residents, are exempt. Also, Texas residents born before Jan. 1, 1931 are exempt from license requirements.  Texas residents over the age of 65 may buy a Senior Resident Fishing License.  For more information about fishing regulations in Texas, go to the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife website.

Since the Brazos River is a public stream, the 938-mile stretch of water is available for anyone to hunt.  Many people live along the river banks, and hunters must be mindful of their safety when shooting both firearms and arrows. To avoid violating Texas trespassing laws by straying onto private property, hunters should be careful where they walk on the riverbed. They are advised to not cross the boundary of the riverbed where woody plants begin to grow — this is dubbed the &ldq...

The BRA operates two pipeline systems that transport water from reservoir storage to areas where it is needed. The Williamson County Regional Water Line carries raw water from Lake Stillhouse Hollow to Lake Georgetown, serving the residents of Georgetown, Round Rock, and the Brushy Creek Municipal Utility District. The East Williamson County Water Transmission Line moves water supply from Lake Granger to a potable water treatment plant.

The Brazos River Authority owns and operates the East Williamson County Regional Water System serving the cities of Taylor, Hutto and Thrall, the Jonah Special Utilities District and the Nowak Water Supply Company. The BRA also contracts to operate the Sandy Creek Water Treatment Plant in Leander and the Lee County Fresh Water Supply District No. 1, serving the community of Dime Box.