Sabine River Authority of Texas

What Sabine River Authority of Texas does

Sabine River Authority of Texas is a state governmental agency — a conservation and reclamation district created by the Texas Legislature in 1949 — with statutory authority to control, store, preserve, and distribute the waters of the Sabine River and its tributaries for beneficial public use. The agency operates across more than 9,000 square miles and 21 counties in East Texas, anchored by four major water assets: Toledo Bend Reservoir (185,000 acres, the largest man-made reservoir in the South, jointly managed with Louisiana), Lake Tawakoni, Lake Fork, and the Gulf Coast Canal System. Combined pumping capacity across these assets exceeds 360 million gallons per day.

The agency's core products are raw and treated water supply, hydroelectric power, and public recreation access. It is co-licensee with the Sabine River Authority of Louisiana on FERC Project No. 2305 for hydroelectric generation at Toledo Bend. It also operates a NELAC-certified water quality laboratory and a network of river gauging stations that support basin monitoring. Revenue is generated through a diversified mix of streams: industrial raw water sales to petrochemical, pulp and paper, steel, and electrical generation customers; municipal and contract water sales; hydroelectric power sales; parks and recreation fees from facilities including the recently launched Sabinetown Recreation Area ($16M, opened March 2026) and sites at Pendleton, Holiday, and Caney Point; permit fees; and Clean and Clear Program (CAP) grants supporting basin-wide water quality stewardship.

Commercially, the agency functions as a multi-utility government enterprise: long-term industrial water supply contracts anchor a predictable baseline revenue layer, hydroelectric and parks operations provide incremental yield from the same fixed asset base, and CAP grants fund stewardship activities that reinforce the long-term sustainability of the supply business. Leadership is long-tenured — David Montagne has served as Executive Vice President / General Manager since 1986 — supported by division heads across Operations, Water Resources/Water Quality, Human Resources, Parks/Recreation, and Public/Government Relations. The model is not venture- or PE-investable in the conventional sense; it is a regulated state entity whose investment-relevant question is the durability of its industrial water book, the renewal economics of its FERC license, and the monetization trajectory of its expanded recreation portfolio.

Name

Sabine River Authority of Texas

Legal name

Sabine River Authority of Texas

Website

https://sratx.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sabine River Authority of Texas is a state governmental agency managing four major water resources across 21 East Texas counties, supplying raw water to industrial and municipal customers, generating hydroelectric power under a FERC license, and operating public recreation facilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Orange

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Water Supply Sales: SRA-TX operates as a regional wholesale raw water supplier with Texas water rights to Lake Tawakoni, Lake Fork, Toledo Bend, and run-of-river water rights in Newton and Orange Counties. Authorized uses include municipal, industrial, irrigation, and mining. The Gulf Coast Canal System supplies water to municipal and industrial customers including petrochemical plants, pulp and paper mill, steel plant, electrical generating station, and rice/catfish farming operations.
2. Hydroelectric Power Generation: Toledo Bend Reservoir includes hydroelectric generation facilities. Prime power generation schedules run May 1st through September 30th. SRA-TX serves as Project Administrator for Toledo Bend Project Joint Operation with Louisiana.
3. Parks and Recreation Fees: SRA-TX operates and maintains parks and recreation facilities at its reservoirs. Facility rentals include pavilions, boat ramps, and full park venues. The Sabinetown Recreation Area at Toledo Bend is a $16 million facility with boat ramp and event facilities. Usage fees apply for camping, day use, and facility reservations.
4. Community Assistance Program: SRA awards CAP Grants up to $30,000 per project for eligible local and regional water resource projects within the Sabine River Basin. Funding cycles occur four times per year (March, July, October, December).
5. Permit and Contract Fees: SRA-TX processes various permits including private limited use permits, commercial limited use permits, construction applications, and grazing applications for reservoir properties. They also manage water use contracts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sabine River Authority of Texas is a state conservation and reclamation district that manages water resources across more than 9,000 square miles and 21 counties in the Sabine River Basin, including Lake Tawakoni, Lake Fork, Toledo Bend Reservoir, and the Gulf Coast Canal System. It provides wholesale raw water to municipalities, industries, and agricultural users, operates hydroelectric generation at Toledo Bend, manages parks and recreation facilities, and runs a water quality monitoring program covering 37 sampling sites monthly. The authority also administers a Community Assistance Program offering grants to local entities in the basin and operates the SE Texas R.A.I.N. flood and rainfall monitoring network.

Product overview

The Sabine River Authority of Texas (SRA-TX) is a government water management agency offering a platform of interconnected water resource services centered on the Sabine River Basin. The core offerings include regional wholesale raw water supply through four major reservoirs (Toledo Bend, Lake Tawakoni, Lake Fork, and Gulf Coast Canal System), complemented by extensive parks and recreation facilities at each reservoir. Supporting services include NELAC-certified water quality monitoring (37 sites monthly), the Community Assistance Program (grants up to $30,000-50,000), conservation programs including fish habitat deployment, and the SE Texas R.A.I.N. flood monitoring network. The organization operates under FERC licensing for Toledo Bend and manages recreation facilities under federal permits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wholesale Raw Water Supply

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lower Neches Valley AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Lower Neches Valley Authority assisted SRA-TX in developing the SE Texas R.A.I.N. (Regional Alerting & Information Network) system for providing real-time weather and flood information to Southeast Texas residents.
• Sabine River Authority, State of LouisianacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014SRA-TX and Sabine River Authority of Louisiana are co-licensees of FERC Project No. 2305 for Toledo Bend. They jointly operate the Toledo Bend Project Joint Operation and maintain recreation facilities under the Recreation Management Plan.
• Texas Water Development Board (TWDB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003SRA-TX provides Major Rivers Water Education Program materials free to schools in the Sabine Basin since 2003. TWDB operates this 4th grade water education program to teach about water conservation, the water cycle, pollution, and environmental responsibility.
• The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1993SRA-TX supports the Texas Stream Team (originally Texas Watch) volunteer monitoring program since 1993. The program involves citizen water quality monitoring and education coordinated by The Meadows Center at Texas State University in partnership with TCEQ and EPA.
• Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSRA-TX has partnered with TPWD on numerous projects including wildlife management studies, pollution prevention and cleanup, and aquatic vegetation control. They support TPWD's Invasive Vegetation Control Team with annual funding, logistics, and manpower. SRA-TX assists with rapid spill and fish kill investigations and has hosted Bass Classic fishing tournaments donating $250,000 annually to TPWD education programs.
• Texas Commission for Environmental Quality (TCEQ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSRA-TX partners with TCEQ providing field services and expertise for wastewater receiving studies, flow studies, permitting support, special studies, the Clean Rivers Program, and spill/environmental threat response. This partnership is critical to maintaining water quality and environmental stewardship.
• U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSRA-TX funds 18 USGS stream gages, level gages, and rain gages providing valuable public data on river and reservoir conditions. SRA-TX staff assists USGS with water sample collection and passive zebra mussel monitoring since 2011.
• Louisiana Department of Wildlife and FishcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSRA-TX works with Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fish to protect fish and wildlife on Toledo Bend Reservoir and Sabine River. Examples include fish relocation projects in 2018 and 2019 for Toledo Bend Spillway maintenance.
• Railroad Commission of TexasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSRA-TX field biologists assist the Railroad Commission with rapid spill investigations in the East Texas Oil Field to assess environmental conditions that may threaten water intakes and fish/wildlife.
• Sabine River Compact Commission (Texas and Louisiana)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Sabine River Compact Commission administers the Sabine River Compact to ensure Texas receives its equitable share of water from the Sabine River. The Compact includes both Texas and Louisiana states.
• National Forests and Grasslands in Texas (USFS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSRA-TX operates and maintains additional recreation areas in Sabine National Forest under a special use permit with USFS. These include Haley's Ferry, Ragtown, East Hamilton, Indian Mounds, Lakeview, and Willow Oak recreation areas.
• Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)coreOthersSRA-TX is co-licensee with Louisiana for FERC Project No. 2305 (Toledo Bend). FERC issued the new license in August 2014 requiring compliance with Recreation Management Plan and environmental conditions including Article 402 environmental flow releases and Article 405 temperature monitoring.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sabine River Authority, State of Louisiana: Sister Louisiana state authority that co-licenses and jointly operates Toledo Bend Reservoir and Project Joint Operation with SRA-TX. Directly comparable as a state water management agency with statutory authority over the same basin.
• Brazos River Authority: Texas river authority managing the Brazos River Basin, supplying raw water to municipalities, industries, and agriculture and operating multiple reservoirs. Comparable in mission, structure, and Texas statutory framework.
• Tarrant Regional Water District: Texas regional water district providing wholesale raw water to municipalities and industries in North Texas with multi-reservoir operations. Closely comparable as a wholesale-only supplier with industrial and municipal customers.
• Trinity River Authority of Texas: Texas conservation and reclamation district managing the Trinity River Basin with reservoirs, water supply, and recreation services. Closest analog as a Texas regional water authority with similar statutory scope and customer mix.
• Lower Neches Valley Authority: Texas river authority serving the lower Neches River Basin with raw water supply and flood-control infrastructure, located adjacent to the Sabine Basin. Partnered with SRA-TX on the SE Texas R.A.I.N. flood alerting network.

Regional players

• California Department of Water Resources: State-level water management agency operating large reservoir and conveyance systems for wholesale supply and flood control. Comparable in scale of multi-reservoir operation and statutory mandate, though serving a different geography.
• San Antonio Water System: Major Texas municipally-owned water and wastewater utility serving the San Antonio area. Comparable in water utility operations and conservation planning but focused on retail urban service rather than wholesale regional basin management.

Others

• Texas Water Development Board: Texas state agency administering water financing and planning, including the Major Rivers Water Education Program that SRA-TX distributes. Adjacent state-government ecosystem participant with regulatory and funding influence over SRA-TX projects.

Broad incumbents

• Lower Colorado River Authority: Large Texas river authority managing the lower Colorado River with extensive hydroelectric, water supply, parks, and recreation operations. Overlaps broadly but on a larger geographic and operational scale than SRA-TX.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Sabine River Authority of Texas