2023 Texas Statutes › Water Code › Title 3 - River Compacts › Chapter 44 - Sabine River Compact › Article V.

Texas and Louisiana hereby agree upon the following apportionment of the waters of the Sabine River:
(a)  All free water in the Stateline reach shall be divided equally between the two States, this division to be made without reference to the origin.
(b)  The necessity of maintaining a minimum flow at the Stateline for the benefit of water users below the Stateline in both States is recognized, and to this end it is hereby agreed that:
(1)  Reservoirs and permits above the Stateline existing as of January 1, 1953 shall not be liable for maintenance of the flow at the Stateline.
(2)  After January 1, 1953, neither State shall permit or authorize any additional uses which would have the effect of reducing the flow at the Stateline to less than 36 cubic feet per second.
(3)  Reservoirs on which construction is commenced after January 1, 1953, above the Stateline shall be liable for their share of water necessary to provide a minimum flow at the Stateline of 36 cubic feet per second;  provided, that no reservoir shall be liable for a greater percentage of this minimum flow than the percentage of the drainage area above the Stateline contributing to that reservoir, exclusive of the watershed of any reservoir on which construction was started prior to January 1, 1953. Water released from Texas' reservoirs to establish the minimum flow of 36 cubic feet per second, shall be classed as free water at the Stateline and divided equally between the two States.
(c)  The right of each State to construct impoundment reservoirs and other works of improvement on the Sabine River or its tributaries located wholly within its boundaries is hereby recognized.
(d)  In the event that either State constructs reservoir storage on the tributaries below Stateline after January 1, 1953, there shall be deducted from that State's share of the flow in the Sabine River all reductions in flow resulting from the operation of the tributary storage and conversely such State shall be entitled to the increased flow resulting from the regulation provided by such storage.
(e)  Each State shall have the right to use the main channel of the Sabine River to convey water stored on the Sabine River or its tributaries located wholly within its boundaries, downstream to a desired point of removal without loss of ownership of such stored waters.  In the event that such water is released by a State through the natural channel of a tributary and the channel of the Sabine River to a downstream point of removal, a reduction shall be made in the amount of water which can be withdrawn at the point of removal equal to the transmission losses.
(f)  Each State shall have the right to withdraw its share of the water from the channel of the Sabine River in the Stateline reach in accordance with Article VII.  Neither State shall withdraw at any point more than its share of the flow at that point except, that pursuant to findings and determination of the Administration as provided under Article VII of this Compact, either State may withdraw more or less of its share of the water at any point providing that its aggregate withdrawal shall not exceed its total share.  Withdrawals made pursuant to this paragraph shall not prejudice or impair the existing rights of users of Sabine River waters.
(g)  Waters stored in reservoirs constructed by the States in the Stateline reach shall be shared by each State in proportion to its contribution to the cost of storage.  Neither State shall have the right to construct a dam on the Stateline reach without the consent of the other State.
(h)  Each State may vary the rate and manner of withdrawal of its share of such jointly stored waters on the Stateline reach, subject to meeting the obligations for amortization of the cost of the joint storage.  In any event, neither State shall withdraw more than its prorata share in any one year (a year meaning a water year, October 1st to September 30th) except by authority of the Administration.  All jointly stored water remaining at the end of a water year shall be reapportioned between the States in the same proportion as their contribution to the cost of the storage.
(i)  Except for jointly stored water, as provided in (h) above, each State must use its apportionment of the natural stream flows as they occur and there shall be no allowance of accumulation of credits or debits for or against either State.  The failure of either State to use the stream flow or any part thereof, the use of which is apportioned to it under the terms of this Compact, shall not constitute a relinquishment of the right to such use in the future;  conversely, the failure of either State to use the water at the time it is available does not give it the right to the flow in excess of its share of the flow at any other time.
(j)  From the apportionment of waters of the Sabine River as defined in this Article, there shall be excluded from such apportionment all waters consumed in either State for domestic and stock water uses.  Domestic and stock water reservoirs shall be so excluded.
(k)  Each State may use its share of the water apportioned to it in any manner that may be deemed beneficial by that State.