The law of capture, as it pertains to water policy in Texas, essentially means that
A) the state owns the water rights because it is sovereign over Texas residents.
B) the federal government has the right to capture water in Texas because of the supremacy clause in the federal Constitution.
C) the first person to capture the water by pumping it out of the ground owns it.
D) the state can capture and tax any business that uses state water without reporting usage statistics to the state water board.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The law of capture in Texas means that the first person or entity to "capture" or pump water out of the ground has the right to use it. This system can lead to overuse of groundwater resources and has sparked a debate over ownership and regulation of water in the state.

The Law of Capture, as It Pertains to Water Policy