Three Rivers Water Restrictions 2026
Live Oak · Texas
Published: Updated:
Restrictions Active - Stage 3 Mandatory + Choke Canyon Supply Notice (March 23, 2026)
0
Days/Week
Handheld hose / drip / soaker: before 10:00 a.m. or after 6:00 p.m.
Allowed Hours
Up to $2,000 per occurrence (second and subsequent violations)
Max Fine
Find Your Watering Day
This city assigns watering days by property location, not by address digit. Find your assigned days in the table below.
Watering schedule by property location
| Property Location | Watering Day |
|---|---|
| All addresses | No automatic lawn irrigation. Handheld hose with shut-off nozzle only. |
Allowed Watering Hours
Three Rivers sits at the confluence of the Nueces, Frio, and Atascosa rivers, directly adjacent to Choke Canyon Reservoir. The city is a Corpus Christi Water wholesale customer and follows Stage 3 mandatory restrictions: all lawn irrigation is banned. Handheld hose, drip, and soaker hoses are permitted before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m. for trees, shrubs, gardens, and food crops. On March 23, 2026, the City of Three Rivers issued a public notice stating that Corpus Christi had informed it that earlier projections for Choke Canyon water availability were inaccurate and access would end sooner than expected.
Still Allowed
💧 Hand Watering
Allowed with shut-off nozzle. Hours: Handheld hose with shut-off nozzle permitted before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m. for trees, shrubs, gardens, and food crops. Lawn turf is not exempt..
🌿 Drip Irrigation
Exempt from day-of-week limits. Must follow allowed hours.
Fines & Enforcement
Up to $2,000 per occurrence (second and subsequent violations)
First violations receive a warning. Second and subsequent violations carry fines up to $2,000 per occurrence under the Corpus Christi Water Drought Contingency & Conservation Plan applicable to wholesale-customer cities.
Citations begin Stage 3 since December 2024; Corpus Christi supply notice issued March 23, 2026🏠 HOA Rules During Restrictions
Texas Property Code §202.007 prohibits HOAs from requiring residents to maintain green lawns in violation of active city water restrictions. HOAs cannot fine residents for brown or dormant lawns during Stage 3.
If your homeowners association sends a violation notice for a dormant or brown lawn during the current restriction period, respond in writing citing the applicable law and include a copy of the City of Three Rivers Water Department's current restriction order. Most HOAs will rescind the notice once they are made aware of the legal protections in place. If the issue persists, contact your county’s code enforcement division for assistance.
Why These Restrictions Exist
Three Rivers (population ~1,700) sits at the confluence of the Nueces, Frio, and Atascosa rivers in Live Oak County, directly adjacent to Choke Canyon Reservoir. The city is a Corpus Christi Water wholesale customer.
On March 23, 2026, the City of Three Rivers issued a public notice stating that Corpus Christi had informed it that earlier projections for Choke Canyon water availability were inaccurate and that access to the supply would end sooner than expected. Three Rivers said it had been told as recently as January 2026 that Choke Canyon water would remain available through April and May of 2027; the March 23 notice substantially compressed that timeline. Corpus Christi's response stated that no operational changes had been made to Choke Canyon reservoir management and that water projection models remained accurate, in full compliance with TCEQ-issued water rights.
The dispute changed Three Rivers' planning timeline. The city had stated on March 10, 2026 that it planned to pursue groundwater wells; following the March 23 notice the plan moved from option-to-immediate-priority. Combined Lake Corpus Christi + Choke Canyon storage stood at roughly 7.8 per cent on May 11, 2026, with Choke Canyon alone deep into single-digit-percentage territory.
Three Rivers is also home to the Valero Three Rivers Refinery, a major institutional water consumer whose cooling-water needs add industrial pressure on residential supply. The city is roughly 55 miles northwest of Corpus Christi.
This deficit has accumulated over the current water year and represents a significant departure from historical averages for the Three Rivers area. Water supply reservoirs and aquifer levels are well below seasonal targets, necessitating mandatory conservation measures.
How to Keep Your Lawn Alive During Three Rivers Water Restrictions
10 tips tailored for Three Rivers homeowners during Stage 3 Mandatory + Choke Canyon Supply Notice (March 23, 2026) restrictions.
Stage 3 bans all lawn irrigation in Three Rivers. The March 23 Choke Canyon supply notice compressed the city's planning timeline: conservation is now critical.
Handheld hose with shut-off nozzle is permitted before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m. for trees, shrubs, gardens, and food crops.
Allow lawn turf to go fully dormant. Bermuda and St. Augustine both survive 4-6 weeks dormant.
Install a rain barrel: captured rainwater is unrestricted at every stage.
Mulch heavily (2-3 inches of wood chip) around trees and shrubs.
Three Rivers, TX is on Stage 3 mandatory restrictions; if you are looking for Three Rivers, MI water rules, see the disambiguation FAQ below.
Skip vehicle washing, pool filling (top-offs allowed), and decorative fountains. Stage 3 prohibits all of these.
Convert ornamental turf to South Texas natives or xeriscape gravel paths.
Skip fertiliser and aeration through summer. Both accelerate lawn decline under Stage 3 conditions.
Monitor threeriverstx.org daily. The city's groundwater diversification plan is now urgent following the March 23 notice.
Three Rivers Water Restriction FAQs
What days can I water my lawn in Three Rivers?
What hours can I run my sprinklers in Three Rivers?
What are the fines for water violations in Three Rivers?
Can I install new sod or seed in Three Rivers during restrictions?
When will water restrictions end in Three Rivers?
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