Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority

What Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority does

The Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA) is a governmental water conservation and reclamation district established by the Texas Legislature in 1933, operating across a statutory 10-county district in South Central Texas spanning Kendall, Comal, Hays, Caldwell, Guadalupe, Gonzales, DeWitt, Victoria, Calhoun, and Refugio counties. GBRA provides water treatment and distribution (more than 40 million gallons per day serving over 300,000 people), wastewater collection and treatment (7.5 million gallons per day capacity serving more than 8,300 customers), hydroelectric power generation at Canyon Reservoir and the Guadalupe Valley Lakes, recreational area management across four parks (Coleto Creek, Lake Wood, Nolte Island, Canyon Lake Gorge), accredited environmental laboratory services, and educational programming.

GBRA operates through a non-profit government utility model funded by water and wastewater service fees, hydroelectric power sales (committed to Water Control Improvement Districts for dam repair debt service), recreation fees, and laboratory service charges. It is governed by a nine-member Board of Directors appointed by the Governor of Texas and confirmed by the Texas Senate. Major infrastructure programs include the $400 million Mid-Basin Water Supply Project (with a TCEQ-approved 75,000 acre-foot per year surface water right), the Carrizo Groundwater Supply Project (15,000 acre-feet per year from the Carrizo Aquifer in partnership with Alliance Regional Water Authority), and a dam safety improvement program ($15–35 million per dam) following the 2019 Lake Dunlap spillgate failure.

The organization serves municipal, industrial, and agricultural customers through wholesale raw water contracts and retail water and wastewater service agreements, with named anchor customers including the cities of San Marcos, Kyle, Buda, Lockhart, and New Braunfels, along with Goforth Special Utility District and Monarch Utilities. GBRA has launched the One Water New Braunfels collaborative program and is developing a basin-wide Habitat Conservation Plan expected to yield a Federal Incidental Take Permit in 2027 to address endangered species compliance under the Endangered Species Act.

Name

Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority

Legal name

Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority

Website

https://gbra.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1933

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority is a Texas governmental water conservation and reclamation district providing water treatment, wastewater services, hydroelectric power, and recreation management to over 300,000 people across a 10-county statutory district in South Central Texas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Utility Services

NAICS

Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310), Sewage Treatment Facilities (22132), Hydroelectric Power Generation (221111)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hydropower Plant Development & Permitting (Greenfield/Brownfield) (EUACAEAE), Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK), Water Resources Administration (Watersheds, Rivers, Groundwater) (BPAIAMAE)

Keywords

• Water utility services
• Wastewater treatment
• Hydroelectric power generation
• Recreation area management
• Environmental laboratory testing

Headquarters

HQ city

Seguin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Water Utility Services: Provides water treatment and distribution services to municipal, industrial, and agricultural customers, generating revenue through wholesale raw water sales and retail water service agreements
2. Wastewater Treatment Services: Wastewater collection and treatment services for more than 8,300 customers with capacity of 7.5 million gallons per day
3. Hydroelectric Power Generation: Generates hydroelectric power at Canyon Reservoir and Guadalupe Valley Lakes, with revenues from power sales committed to Water Control Improvement Districts for dam repair debt service
4. Recreation Management: Manages and maintains four multi-purpose recreational areas including Coleto Creek Park, Lake Wood Park, Nolte Island, and Canyon Lake Gorge; revenue from park fees and bowhunt registrations
5. Laboratory Services: Provides accredited laboratory services to the public for water quality compliance testing

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA) is a Texas state water conservation and reclamation district that provides regional water and wastewater utility services across a 10-county statutory district. It treats and distributes more than 40 million gallons of drinking water per day, collects and treats wastewater for over 8,300 customers, generates hydroelectric power, manages four recreational areas, and operates an accredited environmental laboratory.

Product overview

GBRA offers a portfolio of interconnected water utility and environmental services. The core operations include water treatment and distribution (40+ million gallons/day) and wastewater collection and treatment (serving 8,300+ customers with 7.5 MGD capacity). Recreation services include four multi-purpose areas: Coleto Creek Park, Canyon Lake Gorge, Lake Wood Park, and Nolte Island. Additional services encompass environmental laboratory testing, hydroelectric power generation, water resource planning, and educational programming including classroom tools, field trips, and scholarships. The 2023 One Water New Braunfels initiative represents a collaborative integrated water management approach across the basin.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Water Treatment and Distribution Treats and distributes more than 40 million gallons of drinking water per day to municipalities, special utility districts, and retail customers across the 10-county Guadalupe River Basin district.
• Wastewater Collection and Treatment Collects and treats wastewater for more than 8,300 customers with a treatment capacity of 7.5 million gallons per day.
• Canyon Reservoir Water Supply Wholesale raw water supply from Canyon Reservoir to municipal, industrial, and agricultural customers throughout the Guadalupe River Basin.
• Carrizo Groundwater Supply Project Groundwater production and supply project producing 15,000 acre-feet per year from the Carrizo Aquifer to New Braunfels Utilities (8,000 acre-feet), City of Lockhart (3,000 acre-feet), and Goforth SUD (4,000 acre-feet).
• Mid-Basin Water Supply Project (Phase II) Regional water supply project with a TCEQ-approved 75,000 acre-foot per year surface water right, including an off-channel reservoir and aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) well field for conjunctive use water supply.
• Hydrolakes Hydroelectric Power Generation Hydroelectric power generation and lake management at Canyon Reservoir and the Guadalupe Valley Lakes, with revenues committed to Water Control Improvement Districts for dam repair debt service.
• Coleto Creek Park and Reservoir 1,500-acre multi-purpose recreational area in Victoria, Texas offering camping, fishing, and bowhunt programs.
• Canyon Lake Gorge Recreation Area Recreational area at the Canyon Lake Gorge spillway site managed by GBRA for public enjoyment, with associated Gorge Outdoor Classroom programming.
• Lake Wood Park Multi-purpose recreational area in Gonzales County, Texas managed by GBRA.
• Nolte Island Recreation Area Multi-purpose recreational area on the Guadalupe River managed by GBRA.
• Environmental Laboratory Services Accredited laboratory providing water quality testing services to the public, utilities, and special utility districts to support compliance with federal, state, and local water quality regulations.
• GBRA Education Programs Water-awareness education offerings including elementary and secondary classroom tools, education school trunks, field trips, Gorge Outdoor Classroom, GBRA Scholarship Program, and interactive learning resources.
• One Water New Braunfels Program Integrated water management program delivered jointly with New Braunfels Utilities and the City of New Braunfels, treating stormwater, rainwater, and wastewater as interconnected resources to support long-term regional water resilience.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduces Edwards Aquifer pumping by 95% using surface water from Canyon Reservoir
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Aransas ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 March 2025Conservation partnership formalized in 2016 to support conservation efforts in the Guadalupe River Basin. Both organizations work to protect threatened and endangered species including the whooping crane. Partnership began as legal adversaries who found common ground for conservation.
• New Braunfels UtilitiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 August 2023Collaborative interagency partnership to launch One Water New Braunfels, an integrated water planning approach. GBRA, New Braunfels Utilities, and City of New Braunfels work together on holistic water management for the region. Partnership includes joint governance structure with advisory council and working group.
• City of New BraunfelscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 August 2023Three-party partnership with New Braunfels Utilities and GBRA for One Water New Braunfels program. City Council approved interagency agreement for integrated water planning. Program addresses stormwater, rainwater, and wastewater as interconnected water resources.
• City of LockhartminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 November 2020Partner in Carrizo Groundwater Supply Project receiving 3,000 acre-feet per year of groundwater. Partnership addresses Lockhart's water needs for residential and commercial growth along SH 130 corridor.
• Goforth Special Utility DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 November 2020Partner in Carrizo Groundwater Supply Project receiving 4,000 acre-feet per year of groundwater. Partnership part of Alliance Regional Water Authority collaboration.
• Alliance Regional Water AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 August 2020Collaboration on Mid-Basin Water Supply Project and Carrizo Groundwater Supply Project. Joint infrastructure provides cost savings of approximately $52 million. Each entity produces 15,000 acre-feet per year of groundwater from Carrizo Aquifer.
• Texas Commission on Environmental QualitycoreOthers · 12 August 2020TCEQ approved issuance of 75,000 acre-foot per year surface water right for Mid-Basin Water Supply Project Phase II. TCEQ requires GBRA water systems to issue boil water notices and oversees water quality compliance.
• Texas Parks and Wildlife DepartmentminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 February 2020Partnership to restore fish habitat and improve fishing at Coleto Creek Park Reservoir. Coordinated effort with Texas B.A.S.S. Nation to construct artificial fish habitat structures.
• Texas B.A.S.S. NationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 February 2020Partnership with TPWD and GBRA to restore fish habitat at Coleto Creek Park Reservoir through construction and strategic placement of artificial fish habitat structures.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Lower Colorado River Authority: LCRA is a Texas river authority providing integrated water supply, wastewater, hydroelectric power, and recreation services across the lower Colorado River basin. It is GBRA's closest functional peer in mission, structure, and service portfolio, operating at larger scale in a different basin.
• Brazos River Authority: Brazos River Authority is a Texas conservation and reclamation district providing water supply, wastewater, and recreation services across the Brazos River basin. It mirrors GBRA's statutory structure and integrated service model, serving as a direct peer for benchmarking operational and capital efficiency.
• Trinity River Authority of Texas: Trinity River Authority provides water supply, wastewater treatment, and recreation across the Trinity River basin under the same statutory conservation and reclamation district framework as GBRA. It is structurally and operationally comparable, serving a different but adjacent Texas geography.
• Sabine River Authority of Texas: Sabine River Authority operates as a Texas water conservation district providing water supply and recreation services across the Sabine River basin. While smaller in scale, it shares GBRA's statutory origin, basin-based service model, and integrated water/recreation portfolio.
• Nueces River Authority: Nueces River Authority provides water supply, wastewater, and conservation services in the Nueces River basin of South Texas. It operates under the same Texas conservation and reclamation district model as GBRA and offers a comparable mix of utility and environmental services.

Broad incumbents

• San Antonio Water System: SAWS is a large municipally-owned water and wastewater utility serving the San Antonio metro area. While much larger and not a basin-wide conservation district, it is a relevant comparable for retail water/wastewater utility operations, treatment excellence benchmarks, and capital deployment scale.
• Austin Water: Austin Water is the municipally-owned water and wastewater utility serving Austin, Texas. It is comparable as a high-performing Texas utility with award-winning operations, providing a benchmark for treatment excellence and large-scale infrastructure investment that informs GBRA's trajectory.

Regional players

• Alliance Regional Water Authority: Alliance Water is a regional water supply authority in the I-35 corridor partnering with GBRA on the Carrizo Groundwater Supply Project. It is comparable as a regional water supply partnership model and operates in adjacent Caldwell/Guadalupe County geographies with overlapping customer base.

Others

• Texas Water Development Board: TWDB is the state agency providing financial assistance (including SWIFT loans) for GBRA's Mid-Basin Water Supply Project. It is comparable as a financing and planning counterpart and governs regional flood planning under which GBRA serves as Region 11 sponsor.
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Fort Worth District: USACE operates Canyon Reservoir (the dam on the Guadalupe River that supplies GBRA's hydroelectric power and surface water rights) and conducts required inspections. It is comparable as the federal operating partner that directly governs GBRA's primary water storage and generation asset.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/gbratx
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCkX7yaNsJZLTex8Fd6q-4jg?view_as=subscriber
• Facebookfacebook.com/GBRAofTexas
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/guadalupe-blanco-river-authority
• Instagraminstagram.com/gbratx

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority