Title WA, Water Code

Sec. 63.108. BONDS OF OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES. (a) Each officer and employee charged with the handling of funds or property of the district shall furnish a good and sufficient bond for a sum sufficient to safeguard the district as determined by the commission. The bond shall be pa…

Sec. 63.109. PAYMENT OF COMPENSATION AND EXPENSES. The district may draw warrants, issue checks, or use a payment method adopted under Section 60.271 to pay for: (1) services; (2) the compensation of employees; and (3) all expenses incident and relating to the district. Acts 1971…

Sec. 63.110. DISTRICT OFFICE. A regular office shall be maintained for the conduct of the business of the district at a place in the district designated by the commission. Acts 1971, 62nd Leg., p. 110, ch. 58, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 30, 1971.

Sec. 63.112. COURT ACTIONS. (a) A district established under this chapter may sue and be sued, by and through its commission, in any court in this state in the name of the district. (b) The courts of this state shall take judicial notice of the establishment of the district. Acts…

Sec. 63.151. AUTHORITY OF DISTRICT. All districts created under this chapter are essential to the accomplishment of the provisions of Article XVI, Section 59, of the Texas Constitution, and are governmental agencies and bodies politic and corporate, with the powers of government …

Sec. 63.152. PURPOSES OF DISTRICT. The district may make improvements for: (1) the navigation of inland and coastal water; (2) the preservation and conservation of inland and coastal water for navigation; (3) the control and distribution of storm water and floodwater of rivers an…

Sec. 63.153. GENERAL AUTHORITY OF DISTRICT. A district may: (1) exercise all the rights, powers, and authority granted by this chapter and by the general and special laws relating to navigation districts; (2) exercise all powers relating to regulation of wharfage and facilities c…

Sec. 63.154. AUTHORITY TO GO ON LAND. The commission and the district engineer, together with all necessary teams, help, tools, instruments, implements, and machinery, may go on any land inside the district to examine the land and make plans, surveys, maps, and profiles without s…

Sec. 63.155. ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY AND RIGHT-OF-WAY. The commission may acquire by gift, purchase, or condemnation proceedings the necessary right-of-way and property of any kind necessary for improvements contemplated by this chapter. Acts 1971, 62nd Leg., p. 110, ch. 58, Sec.…

Sec. 63.156. EMINENT DOMAIN. (a) The district may exercise the power of eminent domain to condemn and acquire the right-of-way over and through any public or private land necessary to improve any river, bay, creek, or arm of the Gulf of Mexico for the construction and maintenance…

Sec. 63.157. AUTHORITY OVER IMPROVEMENTS. A district may acquire, purchase, take over, construct, maintain, operate, develop, and regulate wharves, docks, warehouses, grain elevators, bunkering facilities, belt railroads, floating plants, literage, lands, towing facilities, and a…

Sec. 63.158. OBTAINING CONSENT OF UNITED STATES. If a river, creek, bay, stream, canal, or waterway which is to be improved is navigable or if the improvements are of a type which require the permission or consent of the United States, the commission may obtain the permission or …

Sec. 63.159. COOPERATION WITH THE UNITED STATES. (a) The commission may cooperate and act with the United States in surveys, work, and expenditure of money in any matters relating to construction and maintenance of the canals and the improvement and navigation of navigable rivers…

Sec. 63.160. DUTIES OF ENGINEER. The engineer shall: (1) make necessary surveys, examinations, investigations, maps, plans, and drawings relating to proposed improvements; (2) estimate the cost of improvements; (3) supervise the work of improvements; and (4) perform any duties wh…

Sec. 63.161. UNITED STATES PERFORMING DUTIES OF ENGINEER. Instead of or in addition to employing an engineer, the commission may adopt any survey of a river, creek, canal, stream, bay, or waterway previously made by the United States and may arrange for surveys, examinations, and…

Sec. 63.162. DISTRICT ORDER FOR IMPROVEMENTS. If the commission considers it in the best interest for the district to exercise the powers granted by Section 63.153 of this code or if the commission finds that additional improvements to those originally planned or constructed are …

Sec. 63.163. NOTICE OF HEARING. (a) After the commission's order is entered in the minutes, the commission shall publish notice once a week for three consecutive weeks in a newspaper published in the district. If no newspaper is published in the district, the notice shall be publ…

Sec. 63.164. HEARING ON IMPROVEMENTS. (a) The commission shall hear evidence at the hearing, and any district taxpayer or interested person may present evidence. (b) The commission may adjourn the hearing from day to day for a reasonable time so that all taxpayers and interested …

Sec. 63.165. FINDINGS. (a) After the hearing is completed, the commission shall enter its order making findings as to whether or not the improvements and construction of the facilities is feasible and practicable and whether or not benefits will result to the public. (b) If the f…

Sec. 63.166. BOND ELECTION. (a) An election shall be held to approve the issuance of the bonds. (b) The ballots shall be printed to provide for voting for or against the proposition: "The issuance of bonds and the levy of a tax to pay for the bonds." (c) The returns of the electi…

Sec. 63.167. FORM OF BONDS. (a) The bonds shall be issued in the manner that other bonds are issued under this chapter, and the amount of the bonds may not be more than the cost of the improvements estimated by the engineer. (b) The bonds shall be issued in the name of the distri…

Sec. 63.168. BIDS FOR CONTRACT. (a) Before the commission enters into a contract requiring the expenditure of more than $15,000, it shall submit the proposed contract for competitive bids. (b) The commission may reject any and all bids, and if the contract is for a public improve…

Sec. 63.169. NOTICE OF BIDS. (a) Notice of the time and place the contract will be awarded shall be published in one or more newspapers with general circulation in the state, one of which shall be a newspaper published in the county in which the district is located if a newspaper…

Sec. 63.170. APPLICATION OF CERTAIN SECTIONS. The provisions of Sections 63.168-63.169 of this code do not apply to: (1) improvements carried out and performed by the United States; (2) calamities or emergencies which make it necessary to act at once to preserve the property of t…

Sec. 63.171. PROCEDURE FOR BIDS. (a) Any person desiring to bid on the construction of any work advertised shall, on application to the commission, be furnished at actual cost the survey, plans, and estimates for the work. (b) Bids for the work shall be in writing, sealed, and de…

Sec. 63.172. FORMAL REQUIREMENTS OF CONTRACT. A contract entered into by the district shall be in writing and signed by the contractors and the commissioners, any two of the commissioners, the executive director of the district, or an authorized representative of the executive di…

Sec. 63.173. CONTRACTOR'S BOND. The contractor shall execute an adequate bond payable to the commission in the amount of the contract price, conditioned that he will faithfully perform the obligations, agreements, and covenants of the contract and that if he defaults he will pay …

Sec. 63.174. INTEREST IN CONTRACT. The members of the board and the engineer may not be directly or indirectly interested for themselves or as agents in a contract for the construction of a work to be performed by the district. Acts 1971, 62nd Leg., p. 110, ch. 58, Sec. 1, eff. A…

Sec. 63.175. SUPERVISION OF WORK. (a) Unless done under the supervision of the United States, all work contracted for by the district shall be done under the supervision of a representative of the district. (b) Repealed by Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 108 (S.B. 755), Sec. 17, …

Sec. 63.176. PAYMENT FOR WORK. (a) A representative of the district shall inspect the work being done during its progress, and on completion of the contract, the district shall draw a warrant on the district depository or issue a check in favor of the contractor or the contractor…

Sec. 63.177. COMMISSION REPORT. (a) The commission shall make an annual report of its activities and file it with the county clerk on or before January 1 of each year. (b) The report shall show in detail: (1) the kind, character, and amount of work done in the district; (2) the c…

Sec. 63.178. FRANCHISES. (a) A district may grant franchises on property owned or controlled by the district to any person for purposes consistent with this chapter and may charge fees for the franchises. (b) A franchise may be granted for a period of not more than 50 years. (c) …

Sec. 63.179. ADJACENT LAND. (a) The district may own land adjacent or accessible to the navigable water developed by the district and may lease the land to any person and charge reasonable tolls, fees, or other charges. (b) Proceeds from the tolls, fees, or other charges may be u…

Sec. 63.180. ISSUANCE OF WRITS. A writ of mandamus shall issue from a court of competent jurisdiction to compel the commission to apply revenue in accordance with the terms of a contract with the United States, and an injunction may be issued to restrain the commission from viola…

Sec. 63.181. PEACE OFFICERS. The district may appoint peace officers to protect life and property in the district and the property of the district. The officers shall have the same rights, powers, and authority as policemen of a city or town. Acts 1971, 62nd Leg., p. 110, ch. 58,…

Sec. 63.182. EFFECT ON POLICE POWERS. The provisions of this chapter shall not affect or repeal the police powers of any municipality inside the district or any law, ordinance, or regulation which authorizes the municipality to exercise police power over any navigable stream, aid…

Sec. 63.183. OTHER LAWS GOVERNING DISTRICT. The commission has the same rights, powers, and duties provided for commissioners in Chapter 62, Transportation Code. Acts 1971, 62nd Leg., p. 110, ch. 58, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 30, 1971. Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 30.27…

Sec. 63.221. CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE FUND. (a) The construction and maintenance fund shall include money received from the sale of bonds and other sources except the tax and other collections deposited in the sinking fund and used to pay interest on the bonds. (b) All expens…

Sec. 63.222. DISTRICT DEPOSITORY. The district depository shall be designated as provided by Section 60.271, and the district's funds shall be deposited in the depository. Acts 1971, 62nd Leg., p. 110, ch. 58, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 30, 1971. Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1400,…

Sec. 63.224. ACCOUNTS AND RECORDS; AUDIT. (a) A complete book of all accounts and records shall be kept by the district. (b) In January of each year or as soon after that time as practicable, the county auditor or, in the discretion of the commission, an independent certified pub…

Sec. 63.225. DEPOSIT. (a) When the petition to create the district is filed, it shall be accompanied by a $500 deposit, which shall be held by the county clerk until the result of the election to create the district is declared and entered in the minutes of the commissioners cour…

Sec. 63.226. DEBT. (a) The district may retire the original cost of construction of its improvements or pay for the cost of construction by borrowing money and pledging and mortgaging land, wharves, docks, warehouses, grain elevators, bunkering facilities, belt railroads, floatin…

Sec. 63.227. RETIRING DEBT. Debentures, notes, or other evidences of debt may be retired by rents, tolls, fees, or charges other than taxes. The debt also may be retired by assessments against taxable property in the district which is equitably distributed on the basis of benefit…

Sec. 63.228. BORROWING MONEY. (a) A district may borrow for any legal purpose from the United States or from any banking institution or other source not more than $250,000 to meet temporary needs, and may issue notes or other short term obligations other than bonds which will mat…

Sec. 63.251. LEVY OF TAX. After bonds have been voted, the commission shall levy a tax on all taxable property in the district sufficient to pay principal of and interest on the bonds and shall annually levy and have assessed and collected on the taxable property of the district …

Sec. 63.252. FORM OF BONDS. (a) Bonds issued under the provisions of this chapter shall be issued in the name of the district and shall be signed by the chairman of the commission and attested by the secretary, with the district's seal affixed to each bond. (b) The bonds shall be…