Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts

What Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts does

The Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts (TAGD) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership association founded in 1988 by 14 Texas groundwater conservation districts. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, TAGD represents 90-91 local groundwater conservation districts (GCDs) covering 36 Groundwater Management Areas across the state, along with 41-45 associate member firms consisting of groundwater-related consulting firms, law firms, and other businesses. The organization provides education, technical assistance, and coordination on groundwater management issues, serving as a unified voice for GCDs with state agencies and the Texas legislature.

TAGD's core offerings center on member engagement rather than proprietary technology. Products include the annual Texas Groundwater Summit (hosted since 2012, drawing 400-450+ attendees), three yearly business meetings, certified training programs (GCD Boot Camp, Public Funds Investment Act Training, and DIR-certified Cybersecurity Awareness Training), and The Water Table monthly newsletter. Supporting resources include the publicly accessible GCD Index interactive map viewer, Drought Index, and member-only legislative summaries, position papers, and meeting materials. TAGD does not develop proprietary software or AI products; technology platforms used by member districts are typically procured from associate member firms such as Aquaveo, Halff Associates, Collier Consulting, and Texian Geospatial.

The business model is funded primarily through annual membership dues from GCD and associate members, supplemented by event registration fees, training program enrollment, and Summit sponsorships. Pricing is not publicly disclosed but follows a subscription-style annual cadence with member discounts for events. As of February 2024, the organization operates with three full-time employees, led by Executive Director Adam Foster, and is governed by an Executive Committee of elected officers drawn from member district leadership. No venture capital or private equity ownership exists; the organization is member-funded and structurally constrained by the finite universe of Texas GCDs.

Name

Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts

Legal name

The Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts

Website

https://texasgroundwater.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership association serving approximately 91 Texas groundwater conservation districts and 45 associate consulting, legal, and business members through education, training, the annual Texas Groundwater Summit, and legislative advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Resource Management Association Services

NAICS

Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (924110), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241)

SIC

Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG)

Keywords

• Groundwater management association
• Membership services
• Water resource education
• Legislative advocacy
• Professional training programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: TAGD generates revenue through annual membership dues from Groundwater Conservation Districts and associate members (consulting firms, law firms, and other groundwater-related businesses).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

TAGD is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership association that provides education, technical assistance, and coordination services to Texas groundwater conservation districts. Its core offerings include annual conferences, certified training programs (GCD Boot Camp, PFIA, Cybersecurity), a monthly newsletter, an interactive GCD Index directory, legislative advocacy, and a unified voice for member districts in state groundwater policy matters.

Product overview

The Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts (TAGD) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization that serves as an association supporting groundwater conservation districts rather than a product company with traditional software offerings. Its core offerings consist of educational programs (GCD Boot Camp, Public Funds Investment Act Training, Cybersecurity Awareness Training), events (annual Texas Groundwater Summit since 2012, regular business meetings), publications (monthly newsletter The Water Table), and resources (GCD Index interactive map, Drought Index, legislative tracking). These services work together to help members stay current on groundwater policy, science, and management while providing a unified voice for Texas groundwater conservation districts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Texas Groundwater Summit Annual three-day conference bringing together groundwater industry leaders, community stakeholders, agency representatives, and government officials for expert panels, technical sessions, and networking. Attendance grew to 400+ in 2024 and 450+ expected in 2025.
• The Water Table Newsletter Monthly newsletter covering groundwater policy updates, legislative news, member district spotlights, groundwater studies, and industry news, with archives of past issues available.
• GCD Boot Camp Educational program for new board members, district employees, and GCD managers with less than 5 years of experience, covering essentials of how groundwater conservation districts operate and manage resources.
• Public Funds Investment Act Training Six-hour initial and four-hour renewal training courses for designated investment officers of districts governed by Chapter 36 or Chapter 49 of the Texas Water Code.
• Cybersecurity Awareness Training Free on-demand cybersecurity training program certified by the Texas Department of Information Resources for TAGD member employees and officials with access to local government computer systems.
• GCD Index Interactive map viewer providing a searchable directory of groundwater conservation districts in Texas along with their contact information.
• Drought Index Resource providing drought monitoring and index data relevant to groundwater management across Texas.
• TAGD Membership Annual membership program offering District Members (GCDs), Associate Members (consulting firms, law firms, businesses), and Honorary Members access to legislative updates, training discounts, networking events, meeting materials, and a unified voice on groundwater policy.

Quantifiable outcome

• TAGD members save time and money through information exchanges facilitated by the organization
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Environmental Defense FundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEDF is part of the OpenET partnership with NASA and Desert Research Institute, developing an online platform for mapping evapotranspiration at field scale using satellite data.
• NASAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNASA is part of the OpenET partnership with Environmental Defense Fund and Desert Research Institute, providing satellite-based ET and consumptive water use data.
• Desert Research InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesert Research Institute is part of the OpenET partnership, contributing scientific expertise to the platform for mapping evapotranspiration at field scale.
• Kemp Smith (Law Firm)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerKemp Smith served as lead counsel for North Plains GCD in a federal lawsuit challenging groundwater regulations. The firm successfully defended the district's authority to regulate groundwater production.
• Texas Water Development Board (TWDB)coreOthersTAGD collaborates extensively with TWDB on data collection, groundwater availability models, brackish groundwater studies, aquifer models, and monitoring networks. TWDB is a key state agency partner.
• Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)coreOthersTCEQ funds recorder well equipment through Supplemental Environmental Program and works with TWDB on groundwater monitoring. TAGD facilitates communication between TCEQ and member GCDs.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Water Environment Federation: Member association for water-quality professionals covering wastewater and water resources, comparable association model serving water-sector practitioners.
• American Water Works Association: Large, established water-utility membership association covering drinking water and water resource management with a broader utility focus than TAGD's groundwater-only niche.

Direct peers

• National Water Resources Association: Federation of state and regional water organizations focused on water policy and resource management, structurally comparable to TAGD's role for state-level water districts.
• National Rural Water Association: National nonprofit providing training, technical assistance, and advocacy to small and rural water and wastewater systems — comparable association-style service model serving local water operators.
• National Ground Water Association: National membership association for the groundwater industry, providing education, advocacy, and resources to groundwater professionals — the closest analog to TAGD at the national level.

Others

• Texas Water Development Board: Texas state agency that funds water infrastructure and develops groundwater availability models — TAGD's primary state agency partner; not a peer but a closely adjacent government body.

Regional players

• Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District: Texas GCD managing the Edwards and Trinity aquifers with regulatory compliance focus — represents the operational ground-level role TAGD supports statewide.
• High Plains Water District: One of the largest Texas GCDs covering 11,850 sq mi and managing Ogallala aquifer data — operates in the same governance niche as TAGD's member districts at the regional level.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/TXTAGD
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/txtagd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts