A disagreement between regional water planners over the proposed Marvin Nichols Reservoir in northeast Texas may prompt state officials to weigh in, as talks appear to deadlock.
Monday was the deadline for the Texas Water Development Board’s 16 regional water planning groups to submit drafts of their 2026 water plans ― which are updated every five years and inform the State Water Plan.
Region C, which includes Dallas-Fort Worth and North Texas counties, listed the reservoir as one of its future water strategies. Region D, where the project would be built, called for it to be removed from the state’s plan.
The controversial project is a manmade lake that spans more than 66,000 acres, suggested to be built in the Sulphur River Basin and including portions of Franklin, Red River and Titus counties. It would pump water to more than 200 user groups in the state, with the majority of them located more than 100 miles away.
Despite decades of opposition – which has seen a recent resurgence – Region C has repeatedly called for the reservoir to be constructed on Region D’s land. Northeast Texas residents have said the project has loomed over their families for generations, since it’s been included in multiple state water plans since 1968.
Reservoir supporters say it’s one of the best solutions to North Texas’ population boom, and its increasing water needs, with the area projected to have roughly 14.7 million people by 2070.
A recent feasibility review conducted by the Texas Water Development Board was submitted to Gov. Greg Abbott’s office at the beginning of the year.
It evaluated the implementation timeline, costs, land acquisition considerations and economic impacts, concluding the reservoir could feasibly be completed and operating within the next 25 years.
On Feb. 19, Region D water planners unanimously approved its initially prepared plan and included its vehement opposition to the Marvin Nichols Reservoir, citing “significant negative impacts upon environmental factors, agriculture resources, other natural resources and third parties.”
The statement reiterated that Marvin Nichols “should not be included as a water management strategy in any regional water plan or the state water plan.”
Less than a week later on Feb. 24, Region C water planners unanimously voted to approve its initially prepared plan, including Marvin Nichols. Before the vote, members asked about the logistics of what happens if Region D declares a conflict, which it has done before.
Now that the initial plans have been submitted, Region D could declare an “interregional conflict” since Region C’s plan includes a project to be built in its jurisdiction.
Region D officials have said they will hold a special meeting to decide whether or not to declare the conflict. A conflict has to be declared in writing within 60 days of the draft submissions.
If that happens, the Texas Water Development Board’s executive administrator will review the information submitted by Region D and present it to the agency’s board.
If the board deems a conflict exists, the administrator will try to resolve the conflict with the groups.
However, if a resolution can’t be reached, the administrator will propose a solution, and hold a public hearing before making a recommendation to the board.
Then, the board will weigh statements from each group before determining a resolution. The board’s decision is final, and cannot be appealed.
If the conflict isn’t resolved early enough before the October deadline for the 2026 regional water plans to be finalized, the groups will have to modify their plans by excluding the strategy and “all language relevant to the conflict.”
This reporting is part of the Future of North Texas, a community-funded journalism initiative supported by the Commit Partnership, Communities Foundation of Texas, The Dallas Foundation, the Dallas Mavericks, the Dallas Regional Chamber, Deedie Rose, the McCune-Losinger Family Fund, The Meadows Foundation, the Perot Foundation, the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and the University of Texas at Dallas. The News retains full editorial control of this coverage.
