The debate over the proposed Marvin Nichols reservoir in East Texas is headed to mediation after a state board declared a conflict between two regions at odds over their water supply plans.
The Texas Water Development Board concluded to declare the conflict on Thursday after hearing testimony from both Region C, representing North Texas, and Region D, which represents Northeast Texas. Region C's 50-year plan includes the reservoir as a recommended source of water; Region D's plan states that it "should not be included as a water management strategy" in any regional or state water plan.
The conflict marks a crucial step in the decades-long battle between the growing water demands of North Texans and the land and livelihoods of their rural neighbors in Northeast Texas.
The reservoir project proposes to inundate more than 66,000 acres of land in Red River, Franklin and Titus counties to help supply water to millions of North Texans, while local landowners say it will leave entire neighborhoods underwater.
鈥淚t will displace families,鈥� said Red River county resident Susan Conway. 鈥淎nd for what? So Region C, which includes the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, can continue to expand without accountability?鈥�
Conway鈥檚 husband, Casey, said the economic impact to the local agricultural sector would be substantial.
鈥淭he mental anguish of Marvin Nichols Reservoir over the ag sector and over our area is unmeasurable for the damage it has done to the people and the damage it will bring to our food supply in this environment,鈥� he said. 鈥淲ater is important, but the food supply is right there with it.鈥�
Region D鈥檚 water planning chair Jim Thomson told the board that residents, elected officials and business leaders across Northeast Texas oppose the project, especially due to its environmental and economic impacts.
鈥淩egion C鈥檚 position is often that they must have this water supply or they will run out of water. That's just simply not true,鈥� said Region D chair Jim Thomson. 鈥淚t's a red herring.鈥�
The board earlier this year said it's feasible the reservoir could supply water to several North Texas counties by 2050. The region's population is expected to grow to roughly 12 million people by then.
North Texas water planners said while they don鈥檛 鈥渢ake lightly鈥� the impact of water development projects on residents, they believe the reservoir will be an overall benefit to the state.
鈥淓very water supply strategy has real impacts, both positive and negative,鈥� said Rachel Ickert, chief engineering officer for the Tarrant Regional Water District, reading a letter by Region C chair Dan Buhman. 鈥淯nder an appropriate weighing of all of the impacts, Marvin Nichols Reservoir will have a net positive effect.鈥�
The state board鈥檚 two members, L'Oreal Stepney and Tonya R. Miller, said the conflict will go through a mediation process that鈥檚 set to be scheduled by July 14.
Pablo Arauz Pe帽a is 四虎影院鈥檚 growth and infrastructure reporter. Got a tip? Email Pablo at parauzpena@kera.org.
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