Start with what TRA controls
The Trinity River Authority of Texas owns and operates Lake Livingston. TRA's shoreline permit process applies to improvements on Lake Livingston Project lands that TRA owns or controls. Those project lands include the lakebed and the flowage easement. If your project reaches into that area, permit planning is not something to leave until after a contractor is ready to start.
TRA's shoreline application lists bulkheads, boat stalls, docks, boat slips, buildings, excavation, boathouses, piers, boat ramps, and other improvements. That list covers many of the projects lake homeowners think of as normal shoreline work. The practical lesson is simple: before you build, alter, or add a shoreline structure, confirm the requirements with TRA and make the permit part of the project plan.
Lake Livingston Bulkheads is not affiliated with TRA. This guide summarizes TRA's published forms as of 2026. Confirm all requirements directly with TRA before you build.
Step 1: Understand the flowage easement
Lake Livingston's conservation pool level is 131 feet above mean sea level. TRA's published materials describe a flowage easement that reaches higher than the conservation pool: up to 135 feet MSL at the south end of the lake and 140 feet MSL at the north end.
Construction in the flowage easement area requires a Joint Use Agreement and Permit. TRA's information also says that dwellings below the guide contour must have the floor at least 2 feet above it. Those elevation references are important because a property can look comfortably above the water and still include land covered by the easement.
You do not need to guess where a particular project sits in relation to those elevations. The point of this guide is to help you know what questions to ask and what paperwork TRA expects. Confirm the property-specific details with TRA and with the contractor preparing the project drawings.
Step 2: Know which federal general permit is involved
TRA's published shoreline forms also connect Lake Livingston projects to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers authorization. Piers, boathouses, and bulkheads fall under the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Galveston District Regional General Permit SWG-2007-00720. That regional general permit covers Lake Livingston in Polk, San Jacinto, Walker, and Trinity counties, and TRA administers it locally.
TRA's forms also reference Nationwide Permit 13 for bank stabilization and Nationwide Permit 19. This does not mean a homeowner should choose a federal permit category on their own. It means the shoreline package is tied to published Corps authorization, and the TRA forms are the place to start for Lake Livingston work.
Step 3: Build the application package
TRA's “Application Procedures for Shoreline Permits” lays out a specific package. Having these pieces organized before work is scheduled can reduce back-and-forth and makes it easier for the property owner to see exactly what is being proposed.
1. TRA Shoreline Application
The TRA Shoreline Application must be signed by the property owner. Because the owner signs it, the owner should understand what is being submitted rather than treating the permit as a contractor-only detail.
2. General Permit page
The General Permit page is also signed by the owner. It calls for the square footage of a pier or boathouse, and that square footage includes the roof overhang. For bulkhead work, it lists the bulkhead length and width and the amount of fill behind the bulkhead.
3. Two drawings
The package calls for two drawings: a plan view and a cross section. TRA's procedure says the drawings show the length from the water's edge, distance to the road centerline, distance to property lines, deck and roof elevation, water depth at the end, vegetation at the mud line, and roof overhang. These are not decorative sketches. They are part of describing where the improvement sits and how it relates to the shoreline and property.
4. Materials list
The application package includes a materials list. TRA lists 6x6 treated pilings, all galvanized hardware, and all treated wood in its published materials list. For a new bulkhead or boathouse discussion, that gives the owner a concrete list to compare with the submitted application.
5. Vicinity location map
TRA calls for a vicinity location map in color with the property marked by a red X. This is part of the package, so it is worth getting it ready with the other application materials rather than waiting until the end.
Step 4: Check the project-specific rules
Some shoreline projects have extra details that are easy to miss. For piers, TRA publishes a maximum length of 150 feet, or one-third of the width of the water to the opposite shore. That rule matters during layout because the permit drawing should reflect a project that fits within the published limit.
For boathouses and piers, the roof overhang counts toward square footage on the General Permit page. A design can therefore be affected by more than just the footprint of the deck below the roof.
Any electrical work must meet the National Electrical Code and be done by a TDLR-licensed electrical contractor. TRA's application calls for the electrical contractor's name and license number. That applies to work such as lights, outlets, and powered boat-lift equipment when electrical work is part of the project.
Dredging is handled separately. TRA publishes a separate Dredging Application. If the shoreline plan includes dredging, do not assume it is covered just because a dock, bulkhead, or boathouse application is already being prepared.
Step 5: Know the forms by name
TRA publishes several forms that shoreline property owners may encounter. The published list includes the General Permit (2023), Boathouse/Pier Authorization (2022), Bulkhead Application (2022), NWP-19, and Dredging Application (2024). Which forms apply depends on the work being proposed.
Applications, payments, inspections, and permit searches are handled through TRA's online portal, MGO Connect, which TRA links from its Lake Livingston property owner permits page. The shoreline permit fee is not published by TRA, so owners should contact the Lake Livingston Project office for the current fee rather than relying on an old number from another website or contractor.
Step 6: Record the permit before construction
This is one of the clearest requirements in TRA's published process: the permit must be recorded in the county deed records before construction begins. If it is not recorded before work starts, the authorization is void.
For a property owner, that means “TRA approved it” is not the final checkpoint. Ask for proof that the approved permit was recorded in the county deed records before anyone begins construction. Keeping that documentation with your property records can also help you understand what was approved if questions come up later.
Unpermitted shoreline work can become the property owner's problem because the owner is the person whose land and shoreline improvement are involved. Even when a contractor handles the application, the owner should verify that the approval and recording steps are complete.
Step 7: Contact TRA directly when something is unclear
TRA's Lake Livingston Project office is at 5170 S. FM 1988, Livingston, TX 77351. The phone number is (936) 365-2292. TRA's Lake Livingston property owner permits page links to MGO Connect for applications, payments, inspections, and permit searches.
TRA does not publish a shoreline permit fee. Contact TRA's Lake Livingston Project office for the current fee.
If a property, project type, elevation, or form requirement is unclear, TRA is the source to confirm it with. A contractor can help prepare the work and drawings, but the property owner should still know what was submitted and keep copies of the permit documents.
A practical permit checklist for homeowners
Before construction starts, make sure you can answer these questions: Has the correct shoreline application been signed by the property owner? Is the General Permit page complete? Are both required drawings included? Is the materials list included? Is there a color vicinity map with a red X? If there is electrical work, is the TDLR-licensed electrical contractor listed? If dredging is planned, is the separate dredging application being handled? Has TRA approved the permit? And finally, has the approved permit been recorded in the county deed records before construction?
That final recording step matters enough to repeat: an unrecorded permit is void if construction begins before it is recorded.