San Antonio River Authority
In 1917, the voters of Texas, recognizing the necessity of developing and conserving the State’s water resources and inspired by devastating floods of 1913 and 1914, passed a Constitutional amendment allowing the Legislature to create special purpose political subdivisions of the State to serve regional areas, generally coincidental with river basins and to be generally known as river authorities.
San Antonio River Authority, created in 1937, is one of many such active river authorities in the State of Texas. Its jurisdiction covers 3,658 square miles—all of Bexar, Wilson, Karnes and Goliad Counties.
A 12-member Board of Directors governs the San Antonio River Authority (River Authority). Six directors are elected from Bexar County and two are elected from each of the three other counties with each elected member serving six years. Policies established by the Board are executed by the management organization under the direction of a General Manager appointed by the Board.
The San Antonio River Authority has the statutory authority to impose an ad valorem tax for use in planning, operations and maintenance activities only. Its tax is statutorily limited to two cents per $100 of assessed property valuation. The adopted ad valorem tax rate is $0.01800 per $100 assessed property valuation. The average annual tax is $51.03. The adopted FY 2023-2024 budget is $371.2 million.
Vision
Inspiring Actions for Healthy Creeks and Rivers.
Mission
Committed to Safe, Clean, Enjoyable Creeks and Rivers.
Just Cause
To harmonize the needs of people and nature through our stewardship of rivers and land.
the river authority's Core Values
Stewardship
- We care for our creeks and rivers as a valued natural and community resource.
- We exercise care in managing the public funds and resources entrusted to us.
- We care for our employees.
Integrity
- We are honest, ethical and reliable.
- We are accountable to and value the trust and confidence of the citizens and communities we serve and each other.
Excellence
- We are committed to innovative, collaborative, adaptive and strategic actions that result in watershed solutions.
- We provide responsive service, leverage our experience and strive to advance our knowledge, skills and capabilities.
Agency Goals
- Advance Science and Engineering Expertise and Data
- Enable Policy, Projects, and Actions
- Enhance Community Appreciation and Recreation
- Maximize Strategic Use of Resources
- Inspire Employees and Build Expertise
