Northeast Texans pack Region D meeting in opposition to Marvin Nichols Reservoir

By Kenny Mitchell

Mount Pleasant Tribune, November 5, 2024

Close to 300 people packed the meeting room at the Region 8 Service Center last week in Pittsburg to listen to presentations and voice their concerns over the proposed Marvin Nichols Reservoir in the Sulphur River Basin of Northeast Texas, and to oppose its inclusion in the 2027 Texas State Water Plan. That number included Region D board members and a group from Region C. Experts at the meeting told the Tribune that the fact that Region C members attended suggests that the Marvin Nichols issue is getting more statewide and DFW attention.

The next state water plan for Texas is scheduled to be in place in 2027. The Texas Water Development Board is currently developing the plan, which will be based on the 2026 Regional Water Plans. The TWDB is responsible for preparing and adopting the state water plan every five years. Region D (Northeast Texas) has fought for years to keep Marvin Nichols out of the State Water Plan, while Region C (DFW) wants the proposed reservoir included in the plan to address its water needs in 2050 and beyond.

A contingent of 42 concerned residents of Northeast Texas spoke during the meeting voicing their overwhelming opposition to the behemoth lake, which would drown 66,000 acres in the Sulphur River Basin and require as much as three times that amount for mitigation.

Jim Thompson, who works for Ward Timber and was at the meeting representing Cass County small businesses, questioned the apparent conflict of interest in having engineering firms that stand to benefit from the lake’s construction be the ones to conduct studies, like the recently published feasibility study ordered by the Texas Legislature. That study found no negative impacts would result from the lake’s construction. Those findings have been widely protested by water planners and conservationists.

Thompson has been involved in the battle against Marvin Nichols for over 20 years and noted that the reservoir has been” hanging over our people” for more than 20 years and spoke about the negative impacts on agriculture, ranching, and the general quality of life of those that would be impacted, saying, “Marvin Nichols is not the way to do it.” Thompson noted his belief that improving infrastructure in Region C would be a better solution to the need for water and noted that Region C’s demand on water supplies is higher than all of the other metropolitan areas of Texas including Houston and San Antonio.

Thompson noted that the reservoir is one of the largest takings of private property ever. He said, “… it is a flawed project, it should not go forward, it should be removed from the State Water Plan….there is a lot of people out here whose quality of life would be ruined if this project goes through.”

Kevin Ward, representing Region C, noted the “prolific nature” of the Sulphur River as a reason for it being targeted for a new dam and reservoir. He also told the large crowd gathered at the meeting that the people of Region C are working hard on conservation efforts and the use of existing water sources, but the population of North Texas is expected to more than double, creating the need for more water, and the need for Marvin Nichols.

Region D Board members spoke in answer to Ward’s comments calling into question things such as conservation efforts, infrastructure failures, water loss and population growth. One Board member noted that instead of taking Northeast Texas land why not slow the population growth by simply not having the water to support it.

A proposed 80 percent of the water that would come from the proposed Marvin Nichols Reservoir would be pumped to the DFW region.

Many from Northeast Texas who have opposed the lake’s construction for years spoke on the issue during public comments.

Cass County Judge Travis Ransom questioned the massive eminent domain land grab by saying, “That’s like saying I really want a swimming pool, but I don’t want to put it in my back yard, I want to put it in your back yard.”

Texas House Representative Gary VanDeaver said, “I believe there are some reservoirs in the Dallas Fort Worth area currently that’s being used for recreation that I would contend should be converted to consumption, before you come take land in Northeast Texas.”

Janice Bezanson, a director at the Texas Conservation Alliance and a leader of the opposition to the reservoir for more than 20 years noted, “Marvin Nichols Reservoir would be devastating environmental, economically and socially.”

The proposed Marvin Nichols Reservoir has been opposed by water planners in Northeast Texas since it first became an issue more than 20 years ago. Region D (Northeast Texas) has repeatedly fought and lobbied against the efforts of Region C (Dallas area) water planners to keep the reservoir out of the state water plan, and local landowners and businessmen like Ward Timber have gone as far as filing, and winning, a lawsuit to block the reservoir’s construction.