Sabine

SABINE RIVER AUTHORITY . The Sabine River Authority of Texas, an official agency of the state, was established by the legislature in 1949, with jurisdiction over all of the Sabine River watershed in Texas, including all or part of twenty-one counties. It was given broad powers over the conservation, storage, control, preservation, quality, and utilization of water in the Sabine River and its Texas tributaries. As a matter of policy, however, the authority has limited its activities to major projects beyond the financial means of local interests. It has no taxing power and for financing relies primarily upon revenue bonds and income from its projects. Headquarters for the authority is located in Orange. It has a nine-member board of directors, representing all sections of the watershed, appointed by the governor to six-year terms. The authority's activities officially began in 1954 with the purchase of the privately-owned Orange Canal System. In 1956 the authority began its first major development in the basin by entering into a contract with the City of Dallas to build, own, and operate the Iron Bridge Dam and Reservoir (Lake Tawakoni) project. This project was completed in 1960. The bistate (Texas-Louisiana) Toledo Bend Reservoir Project was initiated in 1955 by an agreement between the Sabine River Authority of Texas and the Sabine River Authority of Louisiana. The project was completed in 1966. The Lake Fork Reservoir is the most recent project undertaken by the authority. Begun in 1972, it was completed in 1980.