The Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority board of directors named Darrell Nichols its new General Manager and CEO, officials with the public water conservation and reclamation district announced Feb. 15.

“I am honored and grateful to the board for the opportunity to lead this exceptional organization,” Nichols said in a statement. “I look forward to working closely with our talented and dedicated team as we continue to grow and move GBRA into the future.”

Nichols' most recent role was as GBRA’s senior deputy general manager. In that role, Nichols oversaw the policy development and operations for the organization’s 29 operating divisions. He has directed more than $300 million in capital improvement projects since joining GBRA in 2016.

Nichols previously served as the director of regional water planning and development for the Texas Water Development Board as well as a utility regulation consultant with the agency that preceded the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission.

GBRA coordinates water resources with local public and private utilities within a 10-county area, including Comal, Guadalupe and Hays counties. The authority is in the process of moving its headquarters from Seguin to a 21,380-square-foot office under construction in New Braunfels.