The Legislative Budget Board, in cooperation with the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), has determined that:

The bill creates Wharton County Drainage District (District) with the powers and duties of a drainage district under Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution, and Water Code Chapters 49 and 56.

The purpose of the District includes providing works and projects under powers conferred by Article XVI, Section 59 of the Texas Constitution. The District is subject to confirmation election by the voters. 

The board of five directors consists of the Commissioners Court of Wharton County. Election of directors is not required.

If the creation is not confirmed at a confirmation election before September 1, 2011, the bill expires. The bill becomes effective September 1, 2009.

1)     Population –The population of Wharton County was 41,188 in 2000 and is expected to grow to 43,560 in 2010 and to 46,045 in 2020. 

2)     Location – The boundaries of the proposed district are coextensive with the boundaries of Wharton County.

3)  Comments on Powers/Duties Different from Similar Types of Districts-The proposed district will have the powers and duties of a drainage district under Water Code Chapter 49 and 56.

4)  Overlapping Services- The District’s territory is coextensive with the boundaries of Wharton County; and therefore forms an acceptable closure. A drainage district’s function does not include the provision of retail water or wastewater utility services within its boundaries. Thus, there is no need to conduct an overlap check for this drainage district. However, it shall be noted there are numerous water and sewer Certificates of Convenience and Necessity, districts, and municipalities located within the boundaries of this drainage district.

5)  TCEQ Supervision- As with general law districts, the TCEQ will have general supervisory authority, including bond review authority and review of financial reports.

6)     Water Use - Within Wharton County, 65.8 percent of the total water used was surface water in the year 2004.  Virtually all of the county’s water use (97.7 percent) was for irrigation.  1.7 percent of the county’s water use was for municipal purposes, all of which was groundwater.