‘. 

OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS 

AUSTIN 

OaKi, Fish and Opter Commiartlon 

Welton aulldiry 

Austin, TeXat 

Oentlemenr 

your oplnlon mqusst 

lrq of the Qtuxe, Fish 

Jantm’y 19, 1937, the 

te raa0lution, purto the Colorado giver 

eend and greve1, outed by 

P Team, and under the juriadlotlon 

, Fieh end bpter 00101Pieeion, from 

ad of the Colorado River. ApplicaLower Colorado River Authority to 

and gravel from the Colorado River. 

tern on that river, uas aaUs by their 

y, Honorable A. J. Wlrta, who etated that 

he had reooived an oplnloa from the Attorney 

Oeneral (axaerpts of vhioh he read to the Commireion) which stated that the CwaPitslon had 

the authority to give o permit to the Colarado 

River Authority for the removal of~tnnd end gravel 

from the Colorado ~lver and to ralce no chiwg~ f’w 
06~x6, Fish and Oyster Colllmirsion - page 2 

same. The permit that ~4s later Issued by the 

05~~6, Fish and Oyeter ComsiraFon for the r4- 

moval of aand and gravel was for the removal 

of aand end gravel or said Colorado River Authorlty vlthout any payxwnt for said material. 

‘It has nov coma to my atkmtlon that the 

8tatUte of this Stat4 authoricing the fjam, p&h 

and Oyster Commission to lasu6 a permit for the 

free removal Or mud and gravel from the public 

navigable w&era of' thla state 16 restricted to 

such sand and gravel a8 may b4 used for pub1l.c 

road purposes or for ma vnll purjxm34, and does 

not at all relate to sand and gravel as removed 

to be used In the uonrtructlon of dams OP 

other such purposes then roads or ~8 walla. 

%x recognire that it hxr been vell eatabliahed by the lavs of this Stlrts that that unauthorired acts of a afnlatarlal offloe of this 

State ore not binding upon the State, arid ther4- 

fore, if you f'lnd that the p4rrmit.ibsued by the 

081~6, Floh and Oyatep Coami~aion to th4 Lover 

Colorado Rfver Authority on Jauuary 19, 1939, voa 

en lnvnlld one, vi11 you pleas4 advise U(I how ve 

should proceed for the collection of tbs money 

that lo due the state of Texas for th4 sand and 

grhval reatovad under this alleged permit. 

9. Was the psradt lawad by the Oelae, Fish 

4nd Oyster Comlasion on January 19, 1939, to 

authorlte the Lousr Colorado River Authority to 

r4mov4 iand and gravel froa the OItate property In 

the Colorado Rtvsr for dam oonstruatlon purpos4s 

a valid permit? 

“2. If pu have ansvered this Ro, On4 

qusstlon in the a4gatlve, will you pleaee edvfss 

~8 vhet atepe to take to recover any money that 

pray be due ths Stats of Tcxae for SaXid e;rd gravel 

rsmoved from the Colorado River by the Lover 

Colorado River authorlty for dam conetructlon purposes, and for vhlch payment has not been made to 

ths state bscaurs of the irauance to raid Colorado 

River Authority OS an allegedly valid per&t for 

th4 maoval of raid mat4rial." 
608 

OMe, Fish aa Oyster Coarmisslon - page 4 

we have found and exanilnad the u?LnLon dated l&y 1, 

1936, rsforred to In your letter. It 1% rea0rd4a ui ~31. 371 

p. 560, Letter opinlonz of the Attorney General. #4 attach 

8 copy of zzme hereto. T&la oplalon does not atate that tho 

Qaz#, pizh and Oyster Comm:%%lon lo authorzzed to iosue permit% for removal of zand and gravel from stats property vlthout 

ahar(ie. It doez hold, hovever, that Article Wj)d, R. 8. 1.925, 

vhfoh Plxss at mlnf.mutx priue or !Qi a ton on sand and gravsl aold 

by the Cormrrisslone~ by and vlth the approval of the &we~nor, 

applies only to a rale of sand and L;ravel Ln plsce ana do4% not 

apply ,‘vh4r4 the applfcsat merely deziree to rwzovo aend from 

a brr or reef.” The opinion requert from XI?. Wlrtz had stated 

that *It 1% the assIP of the Lover Colorado River Authority 

only to remove rsnd from bar8 in the Colorado and Llano River%,” 

The opInlon revlevz the appl.icable statutea and polntr out that 

“no provision has bsttn enacted giving the Lowar Coloraao River 

Authority th4 right to operate rr44 0r charge” and m&s% the 

ztatemznt that ‘It aewzz oloar that the Leglalature intended Sor 

rt oonxlderaflon to be &bald ror the clana and gravel taken rrom 

the river bed regardlear of hou It uaa done. Then auaaanly 

without the cltatlon or authority the opinion closes with l&f% 

paragrwht 

,*Houever, Article 4053 provlda for the 

losuxnoe or penults to u%4 eand or gravel inaludad 

with&n the &WOVillitXl8 Or th4 Act doe8 not provide 

a rpinlmuz~ aonxideratlon to be paid therefor a% 

door Article 4053d. On the contrary a broad dieahtton la given the O%me, Plsh and Oyrtsr Ccmnlrafoner 

regarding the irsuence oi lruoh perztitx. upon him 1% 

placed the duty or jwoteatlna; raid subetfuwies ~XWCI 

i%%e use and udlawrul dlrturb6acer and f0 him 18 

given th6 power to presrcrlbe the conditiona or requlremente upon which ruoh psrmltr zmy be izeued. 

In other wotix, thr vrlter believea that the Osrms, 

Flzh & Oyztor comal88ioner under ArtIs 4053 has th4 

authority to Issue a permit upon %uch conzideratlon 

au he deeaz expadfant, takUg. Into conzideratIon the 

nztur4 of the agency or individual doair- to remove 

such rublrtanoen, the uoe to which auah zubatantss are 

to be placed, and the 4ffect of hi6 action upon the, 

beet lnteresta or the rund entrusted to his oar4 aad 

of the Stat. of Texau a% a whole.” 

we ~111 nom sxaz~lne the quertlon of WW2wr or not 

Artlclbs 4053 Ma 403X, ft. 8. 1925, authorire the it~auance cl 

two dlrr4mit u&d8 or p4mit8, vLr. (1) a non-exclusive right 
. : 1603 

ffuae, Fish and OJatar Comml~r101-1 pags 4 

to take rand an4 gravel from State property at & price. if any, 

which the &me, Fleh end Oymter Co!mleslon In Its discretion 

may fix, and (2) an exclurIve right to certnln aand and gravel 

in place, vhIch must be purahaaed at not leer, then 4 cents a 

ton an4 the permit issued by end with the approval of the Oovernor, 

hrticrlr 4053~ which 1s eakd to authariro the first kind 

of per&t r&la a0 tollova: 

"Anyone de8lrIng.to pur&msa any OS ths 

marl and eand of commewIa1 value en4 any of the 

gravel, shells or mudrhell Inclu4ed within the pro: 

vIsIons of this chapter, or othez-wlre operate in 

any of the waters or upon any laland, reetf, bar, 

lake, hey, river, creek or bayou Included In this 

chapter, shall fimt 5ake written applicatloa therefor to the ComlaaIoner desIgaating the 3.Imits or 

the terrftory In which much perhon deafrae to 

operate. If the Conmdiaeloner ie estlrfled thst the 

taking, oamyIn& away or dlaturblng of the marl, 

grxvsl, aand, shella or mdehe3.l in the deslguated 

tsrrltory would not damage or Injurlounly etiect 

any oysters, oyster be48, fish Inhabltlng vatere 

thereof or adjacent thereto en4 that auoh operation 

would not damage or Lnjuriouely affect any Ialend, 

wef, bar, channal, river, or bayou ure4 for fmqu4at or oacaalonal arrvigatlon, nor chenge or otherwlee Iajurlounly aSfed any current that would affect 

navigation, he may issue a verait to such pe~on 

aster such applicant shell have moplIe vith all 

requiremats premsrlbed by eaI4 Comla8Ioner. %he 

pemlt rhall authorite the applloant to teke, carry 

avay or otherwIse operate vIthIn the IWit& al’ suah 

terrttory as may be deslgaated thereia, sad ror rwuh 

substance or purpose only as may be named in the 

permit an4 upon the tenor aad eoa4ltIone of the permit. Ho permit shalX be aeelgnable, and a failure 

or refusal or th* holder to col~ply vith the terms and 

conferred thereln or clatied thereunder. lo-speoial 

privilege or exclueive right &all be granted to any 

pttrrmn, assocletlon of peraoaa, corporate or othervlasi to take or oarry away any of euoh producte 

frh any territory or to otherwise operate In or 

upon any Irland, reef, bay, lake, river, oreek, or 

bayou Included in thle chapter.’ 
Omae, Blah & Oyeter Wmmisslon - Pagu 5 

Article 40f.ip6, which :t eald to authorleo the mecon 

kind of permit, read5 a8 Eollower 

"The CeGe, Flab 8nd Oyster Coweleelonsr by and 

Vlth the epyroval of the Governor, may sell the earl, 

@‘8Vsl, 6Ud, shell or 6UIdehhsil inClud6d within this 

Act, upon such tsrats snd CoXIdItlOu6 88 he my deem 

proper, but for not leer than four (4~) ceate per toa, 

and payment thersfor ohall.bs mede to e6id Comaiseioner. 

The prQOeed6 arlelng from such eble ehall b6 traaualttsd to the State Treasurer and be cr6dited to a 

epoci81 f-4 hereby cr436t64 to be k-mu a6 the 5554; 

gravel -4 ahell ma Of the St6t5, end eIi%y be expended by the esld Coemlosiomtr la the 6nforcemant 

of the provlslone of the eead, she= md gravel leve 

8iSd Ia the 6steb~IeheIent end meiatea8ac6 of fish 

hatCh6rle6, when provided by iogiQi8tiV6 appropriation, and la the peymut of refwds provided for in 

86otIon 7, Chapter 161, ol the Oaneral ~awe of ths 

Regular seaeloa of tha Thirty-sl&th L6$Islatur6, 

to couatiee, Gitf55 or towae OP any politscrl eubdivleioa of a couaby, city OP town, a5 PWId6d for Ia 

Section 7, Cbaptsr 161, of th6 Qsner8.l tawe of the 

RC?&$Ular 366l310!3 of th6 Thirty-eighth X,6$iel#itUX'6. 

And 8160 pmvtding; that ths euthorieatIon of refund5 

on 6EUid, gravel end shell 6h611 be extended to include 

rerun45 to the stat6 xighway Caealeaion of acmey paid 

the State throw21 the We@, Fish end Oyetcrr COW 

mlesloa Por read, gravel ead 6hell used by th6 Stats 

Hlghvey Co~laelon on public romde upon applloatlon 

for eUah refund8 in the warier pwacribed for cttee 

fLUd COUdi65. Provided fUrthor thmt not 166s t= 

eeveaty-Plve par cent or the prQCe046 derived thererroa, after ~tund5 above rt3lrrt~~04 to have been 05ma 

for, eh811 go for the 6etabliehaont ead 638lateaence 

of Sleh batharlea; ead the saad, grev61, and ehsll 

f'uad la haNby appropriated for the purpoee ot cerryfry out the yrovleloas of thle Act. St%14 hetcheriee 

to be 66tabllshed from tlrpa to tine In the Hats of 

Toxaa by the Fish, Gem6 mnd Oyetor Comi.ehlon, whon 

la their jum6nt a suitable :ocEtlon 15 55Gu3f34 and 

arrengsewnto therefor h6ve baen QOapbt6d." 
Qm, Fith Snd Oyster Commleslon - page G 

rheas articles must be conuiderad rlong vith 

Articlea 4051, 4052 and 4054, utioh read as follovsr 

"Art. 4051. All the lalands, reefs, bars, lakes 

and bay6 vlthln the tidevater liplit from the most 

inferfor point eeavard co-extensive vlth the furlrdfction of thle Sate, and such of' the fresh water 

islands, lakes, rlVer6, oretka and bayou6 vlthln the 

lnterlor of this state es.may not be ombmced in any 

rurvey OS private land, together vith all the nrarl 

and rind of coworclal value, and all the &ella, 

mudshell or gravel of vhst6oover kind that my be-in 

or upon any island, reef or bar, and l.n or upon the 

bottom of any lake, bay, ahallov v%t6r, rtvers, creeks 

and beyoue and fish hatcherlee and oy6ter bed6 rithin 

the jurl6dlction and territory herein derided, are 

Lnaludad within thr pcovlslons OS this chapter 

i 

aad 

are hereby plaaed under the 6maa&mmat~ eontro end 

proteatlon of’ t&e Commlrslaaer, llone of the marl, 

Gravel, 6helle, mudshells or rand incfuded herein 

ehell be purchased, taken avay or disturbed, except ae 

provided herein, nor shall any oyrter bed8 or flrh 

hatcheries vlthIn the territory included herein be 

dinturbed except as herein provided,” 

‘Art. 4052. The Commleeloner in hereby inVe6ted 

with all the pover and authority neoassary to oarry 

into effect the provislorui of thle chapter, and 6&hall. 

have full charge and dlecretion over all mttez+6, pertalnlng to the ~3.~28, the taking, oamylng avay or dinturblng of all ~1, sand or ravel of oommtraial 

value, and all gravel and she if le or audshell and ogatrr 

bed6 end their protection from fPet we end unlavlril 

dleturblng or l pproprlstion of emeel vlth cuch exceptloarr a6 6~y be QrOVided herein. 

“Art. 4054. If any county, or rubdivlsion OS 

a county, city or town should desire aq~ m%rl, gravel, 

sand, the11 or mud6hell included ln this ahapttr for 

~60 in the bulldlng of any road or street, vhich vork 

18 done by said county, or any subdivision of a county, 

city or tom, such mmialpality may be granted a 

perralt without charge and shall have the right $0 take, 

carry avay or operatq in my vaterr OT upon eny Islands, meIn, or bars included herein; such ~~~lclpality to do the work under lta cnm eupemoieion, but 

ahall iiret obtain from the Commirsl.aner a pemmtt to do 
Qaat, Flrh and Oyyrter coamria61on - Pa&e 7 

LO. and the gmmtlng OS same for the operation In 

the territory deelgnated by suoh munlc1pellty ehhall 

be subject to the 6eme ruloo, regulations end 

liaritatlona end dlscretlon of the CorPrn1661olIer 86 

ere other appllmmts and permits. When euch bulldl.ng of rond6 or taking of ruch produotr la to be 

done by uontreat, then the anfd Patnic1palIty 663~ 

obteLa e refund from the Co6mlseiaaer of the tax 

levied and collected on &aid products a8 fixed by 

the comlraloner at the tlae of tha taking thereof, 

by varmint drawn by the Comjeroller upon ltemised 

aooount mm-n to by the pxwptr officer rttprerentl.ng 

auoh 6mn1olpalIty end approved by the Oo666iasloner,~ 

and wder such other rule6 and mqlulations a6 pvrg 

be pre6caibe4 by t&B C~Rulonec.' 

The80 flVt 8rtiCie6 VWQ O~lgiadiy tB6Uted In igil 

am part OS Ch. 68, Act8 32nd. Mglslature, Reg. so66. p, 118. 

At that time they did not authorlse the 166Wnoe of a ,per6iIt 

to take ranff from *frtth water lslandn -- rlver6, creeks 

and bayoua’ and dld not lnolude grevel. All. of the other provlslono vem ln the orlglaal act except that .the Mnl6wa price 

va6 "not 108s then ten centa per oublo yard" md in lieu the 

provlslons for payE#nt ot refund6 contolned in Artioh 4053d, 

above, the origInal sot containad this prov%abonc 

"If any oounty, OP my 6ubdlvision of a county, 

city or tom ebould derlre any asr4, eend, 0P eh&l or 

66adehtll Included in this hat for u6e in the bullding 

of any road or 6treet, which vork 1a dent by rush 

COUBty, Ql' Ury SUbd.fViS~OB Of II COURty, Oity OC tOtm, 

rutb county or eny rubdlvi61on of a oountyc city 0P 

town lacy bo granted a pem6lt without chwge and rball 

have the ri&ht to take, carry euy or operate l.n 8ny 

vaters, or upon eny 16lend6, reef6, OT bare included 

In thir Aot, e&d this whether euoh county, 6ubdlvlrlan 

or a aountf, clth or tom doe6 the vork under 1t6 

own tuptrvlslon or.by Contract, but rucrb county, or 

any subdivirton Of B OOUIlty, Ctty or tOUR 6h&;L first 

obtain from the rlld Co666iosloner a permit to do 60, 

and t&e granting of 8ame for the opmxat,lon i.n the 

territory designated by euch county, or sag rubdlvltalon 

of a county, city or tom, rhell be nubfeet to the ea6ie 

rule6, regulations and limitation8 end dlscretlon oi 

the tald commltsloner 18 trt other appUaaatt and 

pormltl.” 
613 

asme, Flab and Oyster Comsirsion - Page 8 

The caption of the 1911 dct miadr In part aan Act . , . 

to provide for tho sale and protection ot all aarl and atmd of 

comm%rcfal value.” 

Thla Act va% amendad and rs-snaot%d in 1919, Ch. 

7’1, Wm. Lmtzr, 36th L%glslature, 2nd C. S. p.~ 215-218. Th% caption 

% uotee th% caption of the 1911 Act and continusr with th% words 

by adding thereto ths lDBna&%a%nt, control, sale and protection 

by tho aam%, Plmh aaid Oyster Coamiealonttr of all gravel, DSCZ, 

sazd, 8hell OT mudshell that may b% in or upan any l&and, lake, 

liver, cc%%k, or bayou, vlthin the interior of this Bfete 80 may 

not be embraced in any survey of private lund; and providing for 

a t-efund to any county, subdiv2aLon or a county, or city or town 

of all mon%ya vhlch ma,y be paid by th%a for the taking of marl., 

sand, gravel, ahells or mudshall from the public vaters of ths 

Stbte end declbrtng rp~l wadrgbnoy.” The extwrgoncp clause recited 

that “the fact that larg% quantltl%a of marl, sand, and gravsl, 

ehsll. or mudahell belonging to the Stat% ar% being taken and 

carried avay daily vlthout ths stat% r%cetvmg ntmwaratlon for 

same creatoe an omtwgency”, eta. Th% 1919 Aot added fresh vater 

Islands, rivocs, crebk6 and bayous to the temftocfoe covemd by 

tho 1911 Act and grbvel to tin% list of produots. All other 

provisions of the 1911 rtatute u%r% ro-enacted, exoapt that. 

Section 8, quotod above, vas rs-vocdad so that it no longer authorir%d.th% issuanc% or a permit without chbrge to *any county, 

or subdlvlslon of a county, city or tovn” far the building of 

roads or streets vhsro the vork vas to be done by contract but 

in such ca6%s authorized a refund to the county or fmy eubdlvlsfon of a county, city or town "or the tax levied and colleotsd 

on said grav%l, marl, sand, or shell or mudahsll. a8 fixed by 

fEmyh Plsh and Oyrter commlseionar.at the tim% of tha 

8~. 7, ch. 74, aen. Laws, 36th. Legis. va5 retakIn.g 

%naot%d'In 1923 by Beation 7. Ghaptsr 161, O%nelvL Lava, 38th. 

Legirlature, Rsgular %sa%on, and amended only to the oxtent OS 

adding a aentenao approprlatlng out of ths flrh and oystor fund 

suah amount as may be neoesaary to pay "countlolr, aftiaa and 

towns” for refunds m just claims accruing oubsequont to October 

20, 1921. 

Only that portion of sac. 7, vhlah vaa part of th% 1919 

Act YOS brought torvard in the 1925 Codlflcntlon as Article 

4354, abovs quotod. The appropriation vhlch vaa added by the 

1923 amendnumt vu% dropped, b606U66 In 1925 Section ci of Ch. 74, 

Qen. Lbvs (1.919) 36th. Lagis., E;econd C. S., YbS amended 00 as 

to create m apecral tund )rrroun aa tho sand, gravel and shell 

puad pnd t,be Qam%, pioh and Oyator Cosmiasloner vbs given authority to pay refW8da out of thbt sp6CIal fund. This 1923 amendment 
Game, Fish and Cy4ter~CSmmi4sion - page g 

of Section 6 of the 1919 Act also provided for refund4 to the 

Stnte HighWay C~nmiasLon "of' riloney paid the State throu;;h the 

Game, Fish and Oyeter Commlaalon for sand, grovel and 8h311 

used by the State Hlghney Conuniaelon on public roads." This 

1925 arPendment of Sea. b of the 1919 Act ~84 brou&t forward 

in the 1925 codlflaatlon a8 Article 4053d, quoted above. 

Article8 4051, 4352 and 4053, quoted above, have not 

been rPsterially changed rriaae they vepB enacted in 1919 aa a 

part of chapter 74, Osneral Lw8, 36th. Legis., Bscond Called 

Session. 

It appearm froa the foregoing revlev of the hietory 

of the above quoted article4 , that minhnum priCe provlalona 

for the eale of rand, marl, etc. vore firtt enacted a4 a part 

of the 1911 Act and that the exaot language of the f'lrst 

sentence of Artiole 40536, quoted above, va4 lncorporatod tn 

the 1919 Act. A4 a part Of the 1919 Act alSO va8 the lmguage 

nov lncor?orated 81 the Isat sentence of Article 4053, stating 

that "no special prtvilege or exaluslve right ahatl be granted 

to any person, a44oclatlon of per4ona, corporate or othervla8, 

to take or carry away any marl, gravel, 4an-d, sh811 or mudehell from any territory or to othervito operate In or upon 

any island, reef, ba7, lake, river, 

this act .‘I 

creek or bayou inClUd8d in 

That the 144uance OS a psrnlt to the Lover Colorado 

Rfver Authorltg to remova sand and grcvel'frcm atate property 

without charge ~a4 a privilege can hardly be denied. It vli4 

a privilege that, under the artiolos quoted above, could only 

be granted to a county or a aubd%viaion of a cOunt7, city or 

tovn vhen the sand and gravel va4 for a48 in building a road or 

street end vhen the vork vae being done bg *such munlclyallty” 

ltrelf and not by contract. Art. 4054. The Lovelr Colorado 

RLver Authorlt7 is a governmental agency and lta Board OS Dlroator4 la a State Board, Lover Colorado Rivsr Authority vs. 

Mccrav, 125 Teex, 268, 83 9. Ii, (2) 629, but ther8 la no provlslon in the act of it8 creation glvlng it authority to use 

sand and gravel from gtato property without charge. Article 

8194, et seq., '@Z'llOA'S &lllOt4t4d civil St4tUt44. Even the 

State Hlghvay Commlsslon vhen~ building public road4 vith state 

funds met pay the nlnlmwn tax of 44 per ton and make application for ~refunds iA tha manner pretcrlbed for cltlea and 

countler. Art. 40536. The statute4 above quoted arust be con- 
615 

O'ime, Biah and Oycter cc#arpLS41OA -Fa&e 10 

titrued together 45~~8 they rulate to the amt9 aubjact af 

le@alat5oA and vere IA their prinolpal prowla~ons parts of 

the B&IIQ Act. 33 Tex. Sur. 253. ifouevar, VB fQld no umbfgUtty Or ilICOA454teACy in th8tr jUWikiOA4 vhethar they urfz 

consfdared aep%r%fely ar toðer. &%lcle 4053 glvae the 

OQme, giah and oyster Co~~~Usaion a dlscretlon in debermfn5Ag 

whether to 588ue 0 peruit. ~'Izt, mulct be sctisftsd (1) that the 

tuklng, csrrylng away or dirrtwblng of the 14~1, &ravel, 

4hell4, or aatdah411 in the dermted territory vould not 

cand, 

damage or iajur5oully affect any oyotero, oyeter bcdu, fleh 

inhabitlAg vater& thereof or rdjacont thereto, (2) that.such 

o&?S'etlon vould AOt damsEe or ~AjUr5OU8ly sffect any islsnd, 

reef, bar, chhennel, P~VBP, creek or bayou used for lrequant 

or occaalo~al nav5gatlan, nor (3) that tush opwutlon would 

not change or othervite 5~jurioualy afreat img.,-cwrent that 

vould alfeet Aavlgatlon. 

-i73,t;+liWFts d56tZetioA. 

The4e are the nratters~thst ure pieced 

Art.. 4053. ct Could pefure a pernit on 

ang orw or all of t&me yruunds p,o mtter hov much the apyllcant vas vlflinp; to pan but 5~ ha8 AO diearetion 5.~ d8t4rI!d&Lng 

vhether or Aot to cherge'the mZn54mm RrfCa of 4 PQF toA uhen axid. 

gravel etc. vu& being removed and appropriated tr the ap~llcont. 

There map be ca8e4 where the perm5t vould authorize opamt5oA8 

on the Stata’r property vhlch Vould AOt l~volvs ~a taklly or 

approprlatfon of the aend, gravel, etc. oi comaerclal value. 

IA suoh caue tho Ccpp~OVld Of the Qovernor to the lesuance Of the 

permit vould Aot be Aeceaoary beuauw AD atie 54 involved or aontewlatad. Thi4 vea not true, hoveww, LA regard to ths permit 

kaeued to the Lover Colorado R5veP Autborlty. Them the aaad 

Qnd gravel vu reamed tram *bSPB in the Colorado aAd Wane 

Riveman and, u4 ve understand th% f'act4, wed in aonatruct~ 

dams and other propertie bslonglng to thu L. C. R. A. 

The lmgusge of the ebovs quoted statutea cannot, lo 

our oginloa, bs coAstru6.d aa glvhg the 08&w, plsh 4nd Oy8ter 

ckmmla4fox aiecretfon In iaaufrrg pttrmfta for tha sale or and 

end graVo1 to permA% AOt nutued ia the Act for lee8 than 

Y 

per 

t-. &ut 4~812 lf the atatutar vur4 not claar on thie pain ati 

a connrtructlon veF4 ~4oes%my, VB vould hold that the Cc3m4laal~r1 

did not have this diucrotion 5n view of the character and legal 

fl54tOry Of the Stats property iAVo~VUd. 

The bed8 of Iaavlgable rivers are the 8ama specie4 

of state property a6 lrh.r~Ifi and t&o shores of the am. UAder 

the 'Cl1111 L&V Md the aommo~ 18U a8 appllrd in TeWb4, thl4 character of property vas In a pecUrr 48~46 hold by ths goverxuamt 

ln trwt for the ~4: pnd btvmfft of all bbs maple aad YES never 

subject to location an& ati4 86 "publle laAd4*. Robert4 V. 
“FFOPL it8 oerllsbt hidory this otate haa Mnowwed it6 public policy that lands underlying 

navigable vatera 6~0 held in trust by the ctate Ior 

the we and benefit of all' tho people. Roabaro 

va Piaton, 12 Ttrx. Clv. APP. 113, 34 s. w. 792, 

S. Ii, 1033, and caeee cited therein; -dry V. Ro-- 

b&eon, 110 Pex. 295, 219 83. 6191 SQmea v. Paokard 

92 TeX. 44, 45 8. W. 562. 

“The rule is also flmly establlahed that 1-d 

under mtvigable vaters paesea by grant or sale oriiy 

vhe~ 80 expressly provided far by the eoverefgn 

authority, and there irr no pre8umption that there 

has bven ~AJ aat of the gOV8I’AEMAt Vhich could bav4 

the ettect of pa6alng away its tltlo. Ho pouer under 

the law tr given the surveyor OF the land compaiasioner = 

to gPRAt soil wader navigable watera., and no rubsequent recognition or aonlbaRtlon by the lsad oomaireionw of a ourvey mad6 to paee eoli uAder euah 

vatera will be premmed. Rorborough v. PietOA, 12 Tex. 

Civ. App. L13, 34 8. U. 791, 43 3. W. 10331 City of 

Cmlveston v. nenard, 23 Tarx. 349; G~lmston City SurS 

Bath- Co. v. Reldenhslmr, 6) Tex. 562; Arnold v. 

nuAay, 6 P. b. Lav, 1, 10 Am. WC. 356; ‘i4tua v. sawyer, 29 y. C. laavks) 226; Martia v. Wddell, 16 Pet. 369, 

lo L. lid. 997. 

nhat case hold thet the north Pork of Red River was a 

navlgablo 8trsu. The test for dstemulnlng VhetheF the bed or 

charmel oi a rtmmm lo utats property Is whether or not the 

atream Is nwigable under ArtLcb 5302, Vernon~o Ann. Civil 

8tatutea. rf 4 streaa “mteiA8 a~ average vldth of thirty feet 

from the mouth up” (Art. 5302) to the point under inquiry, its 

bed belongs to the State mgardlew~ of vhen the riporian leads 

w&w6 &p%mod and 8veA though at the time of inquiry the river 

my AOt h4V4 0 drop Of water l.5 it. 

Dlvea8lan Lake Club v. Ileath, 126 Tex, 129, 66 

Wry v ,“;;t;y2’i”~; 

Uhittenburg 0. State, 157 8. W. (2d) b91, error retwed. 
617 

w.me, Flrh f&d Oyster comnL8sI~n - Page 12 

The pover of the legirlatwe to defermIne by atatute 

the dlaporil&m to be made of the beds or channe'la of mivlgable stream and thefr produotr is AOW reeognlrcod. 'State v. 

Black Broe. llti TSX. 615, 2%' S. U. 213, 53 A.L,R. 1281s 

Stephenson v. wood, 119 T. 564r 34 S. W. (2) 240. In o~lalon 

ao. O-4329, approved April 1, 1942, this departmfmt rulad 

that R. B. 9, Aat 46th. Legirl&tUe (1939) RW Article 5421c, 

vernon'r &A. fXvl.l Statute, did not ui'feat~or impair the 

authority of the &me, Floh and Oyster ComnXtalozl to administer 

the sale of marl, gravel, sand, ohell and amdahell under the 

provlalons of Chapter 3, lltlo~67, Article 4051, et PIBU., R.B. 

1925. 

prior to the 1919 Act, diecuosed above, all reeeiberk 

of the public had the right to take sand and $ravel from the 

be&z of navi~abla rivers in this State. IQ Ooer v. CLty of 

Roeonberg (lg@), 115 8. Y. 653, the Oalveeton CoWt of Clvll 

Appeals In an optnlon by Pleaaants, C. J., held that the City 

of RooenberE had AO autholrity to prevent the public fXWa taking 

gxavel out of that pert of tho bed of the Bracoa River which 

adjoined that city. The Court said8 

*IA 40 far ss the gravel vhich hatl ~~uaailat0a 

in the bed cf the river io concerned, vhI1.s appsllbnt, 

(a rlparlun wrier) hatr no f3xclualVe right to rwioV0 

and appropriate saw, he haa e@zkL rZght$ with other 

eltlseas therein, bnd ao 1~ as he doe8 not lnterfere vltb tho rights of others in aafd gravel. he 

cannot be restretied fma the iMer?tiae Of the ?lghtS 

comeon to him and other citleena." 

In th0 reoent ofise of @.go Broe. v. Vhit0mux, 139 Tex. 

3 

22, lb3 8). Y. (26) 636, it vaa held that a band and gravsl 

ease, like en 011 leaau, veot8d in the lerree a detsralneble 

fee to thu wind end gravel nil and under the land. It wae further 

held in that a880 that the 0vner*0 miedy r02- b-a aad grtive;l 

vron@ally ooAvorted under bn tivfdia lease vb~ an aatlori for 

demsgsr to the, extent orp the lo%8 euffered. 

Ve are of the oplnldn that APticlea 4051~4054, above 

Quoted, do not authorize the Owe, Plah am!l Oyster colaarieslon to 

make a sand and gravel lease. The last sentexace of’ Article 

4053, provldlni: that "Ro . . . exclusive right shall be &ranted 

to any person, aaaoaiatlon of pcroone, corporate or otheswlse" 

foPbbids a aale of aSad aad grav61 in plbc4. under ths male of 

etrlc> ~.~tructlon of grbnts of Dover for dlapo~izq OF tNa 

apecie&,of.e'tate property a8 laid doun Lo the cases OS Roberts 

. 
618 

Qaue, Fish and Oy%t%r Coml6elon - Page I.3 

vs. Terr811, DeMerltt v. Robison and gtste v, ijradford, oited 

above, ~8 are of the @nion that the only authority the &we, 

Fish Mb Oyst%r COBBaiB8iOn h6a t0 p%rmlt the tRkiD& and earryine 

away of 8-d and gr%v%l of ~0namrol81 v%l.ut firon State-owned 

river beds 1% through the lsauanco by %nd with the consent of 

th% Oovernor of’ a ,non-sxclualvs 

fi 

trmlt providing for pagmcnt to 

ths Cotantlseion of not 1%~ then # per ton. See our oplnlons 

nos..O-2209 and 0-2209A, vhlch uer6 lsaued to you on April 25, 

1940 and Way 21, 1940. 

It 1s V611 settled that the St&t6 cannot be astopped 

by the note of its officer8 done fn the exarciaa of 6 povsr not 

canfcrrad upon them. 34 Tsx. Jur. 462. The powers of Stste 

officers being i'lxed by law, 6ll geraons dealing vlth then are 

charged with knowledge of the extent of their authority OP 

power to bin4 the State, %nd~ %re bonnd, at their psrf.1, to a8- 

certain vhethsr the contemplsted contrsctfe vZthir& th6 pouter 

conferred. 38 vex. sur. 840. Blichols v, State, 32 S. W. 452, 

error refused; Fort Worth Cavalry Club v. shsppard, 125 Tex. 

339, 83 s. w. (2) 6601 state v. x%&land Cllnlc Hospital, 138 

Tex. 393, 159 8. W. (26) 105. The COt8lI$iS6iOA,haVia(5 8XCO%d%d it6 

authority ia lsaulng a permit t0.L.C.R.A. to teke 8and %nd grevel 

of cownerclal value ulthout oharge, the pBlYl&t w&a void end th% 

Stats u6y non 8afOZ'C8 paysmat bp L.C.R,A. Of the Vahe of the 

sand md gr%v%l, vhich ve8 vrongfullg Q&en, State V. b@Ck6n, 

162 S.Y. u60, error refuused; State v. B&udford, 121 Tex. 515, 

50 8. W.~ (2dj.1065; Fort worth Cavslryclub v. Sheppard, 125 

ma. 339, 83 s. w. (26 

5'2, 163 8. W. (26) 63 b 

6601 and saga Br?a. v. Uhlt%uB=?, 139 Tex. 

“ 

We acoordirigly aneww your rirst qU8BtlOSl iA the negatiV8. f.8 to your. arcond queatlon, ~0 suggest that you ascertain 

f’rorn any avall+ble 8~1~88 and through the e.Xercls% of your 

statutory pavers thc~amount OS oand end @avel which has b88n 

vrongfully taken by L. C. R. A. from rlvar bed8 belonging to the 

strte by virtue of the invalId pemlt and m&e demand on,L. C. R. A 

for~payment OS the valus of ruah %and and gravel et the estebl&eh%d 

price (ot not less than b$ 8 ton) for vhlch the Co~nniseloa va8 

selling 88nd &ad &ravel &t the tiS6 or the VPongfti taking. 

Truetlng that the Sor%&~,oing %n?iVer% your tnquirlecr, we are