Upper Colorado River Authority
Encyclopedia
The Upper Colorado River Authority or UCRA was created in 1935 by the Texas Legislature
as a quasi-governmental entity to manage the Colorado River
as a water resource in Tom Green County and Coke County, Texas
. The authority has since been extended to include Schleicher County and Concho County. The organization is managed by a nine-person Board of Directors
appointed to six-year terms by the Governor of Texas.
The UCRA has served as a lending institution
, offering loans to municipalities in its served district for water management
projects. The authority also participates in the Clean Rivers Program, and other environmental programs of the state of Texas. In 2008, the UCRA began construction in San Angelo
of the Concho River Basin Education and Research Center, which offers educational programs to schoolchildren about water use and conservation
.
s. The authority has helped to provide financial and administrative support to other operating authorities to establish three reservoirs on the Upper Colorado River and its tributaries
:
Texas Legislature
The Legislature of the state of Texas is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Texas. The legislature is a bicameral body composed of a 31-member Senate and a 150-member House of Representatives. The Legislature meets at the Capitol in Austin...
as a quasi-governmental entity to manage the Colorado River
Colorado River (Texas)
The Colorado River is a river that runs through the U.S. state of Texas; it should not be confused with the much longer Colorado River which flows from Colorado into the Gulf of California....
as a water resource in Tom Green County and Coke County, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. The authority has since been extended to include Schleicher County and Concho County. The organization is managed by a nine-person Board of Directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
appointed to six-year terms by the Governor of Texas.
The UCRA has served as a lending institution
Public finance
Public finance is the revenue and expenditure of public authoritiesThe purview of public finance is considered to be threefold: governmental effects on efficient allocation of resources, distribution of income, and macroeconomic stabilization.-Overview:The proper role of government provides a...
, offering loans to municipalities in its served district for water management
Water management
Water management is the activity of planning, developing, distributing and managing the optimum use of water resources. In an ideal world. water management planning has regard to all the competing demands for water and seeks to allocate water on an equitable basis to satisfy all uses and demands...
projects. The authority also participates in the Clean Rivers Program, and other environmental programs of the state of Texas. In 2008, the UCRA began construction in San Angelo
San Angelo, Texas
San Angelo is a city in the state of Texas. Located in West Central Texas it is the county seat of Tom Green County. As of 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau, the city had a total population of 93,200...
of the Concho River Basin Education and Research Center, which offers educational programs to schoolchildren about water use and conservation
Water conservation
Water conservation refers to reducing the usage of water and recycling of waste water for different purposes such as cleaning, manufacturing, and agricultural irrigation.- Water conservation :Water conservation can be defined as:...
.
Reservoirs
The Upper Colorado River Authority does not directly manage or operate any damDam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
s. The authority has helped to provide financial and administrative support to other operating authorities to establish three reservoirs on the Upper Colorado River and its tributaries
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
:
- E.V. Spence ReservoirE.V. Spence ReservoirE.V. Spence Reservoir is an artificial lake located west of the town of Robert Lee, Texas. The reservoir was impounded by the creation of Robert Lee Dam in 1969, with the support of the Upper Colorado River Authority, to provide a reliable water supply for Robert Lee and the surrounding...
, managed by the Colorado River Municipal Water District - O.C. Fisher ReservoirO.C. Fisher ReservoirO.C. Fisher Reservoir is an artificial lake located west of the town of San Angelo, Texas...
, managed by the United States Army Corps of EngineersUnited States Army Corps of EngineersThe United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency... - Twin Buttes ReservoirTwin Buttes ReservoirTwin Buttes Reservoir is an artificial lake located about southwest of the town of San Angelo, Texas and immediately upstream from Lake Nasworthy. With the financial support of the Upper Colorado River Authority, construction on Twin Buttes Dam to form the reservoir was completed in 1963...
, managed by the City of San AngeloSan Angelo, TexasSan Angelo is a city in the state of Texas. Located in West Central Texas it is the county seat of Tom Green County. As of 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau, the city had a total population of 93,200...