WICHITA FALLS, Texas — A proposed lake aimed at being built in North Texas has stirred up controversy amongst its residents, environmental groups and the city of Wichita Falls.
After a seven-day hearing of testimonies, an administrative hearing judge on Thursday in Austin recommended the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) deny Wichita Falls' request to build Lake Ringgold in Clay County. The recommendation was met with support from property owners in the area, as well as the Texas Conservation Alliance.
Dubbed the "Lake Ringgold project," it is a “unique reservoir site” and is the last viable reservoir site for Wichita Falls and surrounding areas, according to the city website. The city of Wichita Falls filed an application with the TCEQ to build Lake Ringgold with the intent of adding it to the city's water management strategy.
The city of Wichita Falls began its effort to build Lake Ringgold in 2017 following a record drought that decimated existing reservoirs. According to the Wichita Falls Times Record News, it will cost nearly $500 million to build the lake. The city owns some of the land needed for the reservoir, but would still need to acquire the remainder through purchase or eminent domain, the Times Record News reported.
Private landowners in Clay County have fought the project.
“This proposal for decision is a win for private property rights, landowners and for our environment,” said Janice Bezanson, senior policy director for Texas Conservation Alliance. “Water is essential for life, and as Judge Siano noted, the City of Wichita Falls should be commended for past conservation and reuse efforts. However, another reservoir is unnecessary, costly, and damaging to the people and natural habitat of the Texoma Region.”
Judge Christiaan Siano called the project "oversized" and said the city's population projections did not support the need. In the application, the city projected a population increase to 120,000 by 2070. U.S. Census Bureau statistics show Wichita Falls' population has actually dropped from 104,000 to 102,000 since 2010.
In response to the denial recommendation, the city of Wichita Falls issued the following statement:
“The City stands by its Lake Ringgold application and will follow the process laid out following this first draft of the ALJ’s proposed decision. The current proposal agrees with the City on the vast majority of the regulatory requirements, and the City will address those where additional briefing is needed. This is only the first step in the approval process as the TCEQ Commissioners will ultimately make the final decision regarding the permit. We all still remember the devastating drought, a new Drought of Record, not even a decade ago and this additional water supply remains critical to meet the City’s water supply needs into the future. The City intends to continue the fight for its future water supply.”
The TCEQ will ultimately rule on the application, and if the board goes against the judge's recommendation, the City would still need approval from the Corps of Engineers and will likely face lawsuits from landowners and advocacy groups like Texas Conservation Alliance along the way.
“Both rural and urban Texans share the same goal of living in vibrant, thriving communities,” said Deborah Clark, a cattle rancher and protestant in the case against Wichita Falls. “Building Lake Ringgold is not necessary, is too expensive and doesn’t help any of our communities. I’m so pleased with the judge’s recommendation to halt progress on this project.”
Here is a look at the City's breakdown of the Lake Ringgold project:
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