Aaron Rolen
Northeast Texan Fears Losing Land and Tight-Knit Community to Marvin Nichols Reservoir
Cuthand, Texas resident Aaron Rolen fears that his family’s generational ties to the land and his community’s close-knit bonds will be severed if the Marvin Nichols Reservoir is built. As an attorney with deep roots in Northeast Texas, Rolen sees the land as more than just property—it’s the foundation of his family’s history and a way of life that he deeply cherishes.
“The land has been in our family longer than I’ve been alive,” Rolen said. After growing up in Cuthand, he moved away for college and law school in Dallas. “We lived in the Carrollton-Lewisville area for a while, then McKinney, both near Dallas. Life there was fine, but my wife and I wanted something different—a slower pace and a better quality of life. Not that Dallas doesn’t offer a good quality of life, but it’s just a different kind of life.”
Returning to his roots, Rolen built a home on land gifted by his grandfather, David Rolen, who acquired a total of roughly 500 acres of property piece by piece over decades while running an auto repair and body shop. Today, Aaron’s home sits just 100 yards from the house he grew up in, with his father and grandfather living on adjacent properties.
“This isn’t just land; it’s family,” Rolen said. “Right now, my little girl can run across the field to her grandparents’ and great-grandparents’ houses. What are the odds she’ll ever get to experience that again if this land is taken via eminent domain? What’s the market value of having your child be able to run next door for breakfast with extended family?”
Rolen also emphasized the misconception that large tracts of land equate to wealth. “I think sometimes people like those who’ve always lived in cities think that owning 500 acres means you’re a wealthy landowner. That’s not the case. This is land that’s been in the family for generations. If it goes, there’s nowhere else today that can provide the same value or be an equitable replacement,” he explained.
The land has contributed to their family’s livelihood for decades. “My dad and uncle each have about 50-100 cattle on the property,” Rolen shared. “This land is where they raise and sell the cattle. It’s also where we hunt and fish. It’s a way of life that has supported our family as long as I can remember.”
Beyond the land’s economic importance, Rolen also cherishes the strong sense of community in Cuthand. “It’s the kind of place where everyone knows everyone,” he said. “Every Sunday morning, the whole community gathers at church. People look out for each other. It’s not just where we live—it’s who we are.” For his three children, the area offers the kind of educational setting with small class sizes and a level of attention often found only in private schools.
But all of this is at risk. If the reservoir project moves forward, Rolen fears the destruction will go beyond his family’s land. “The lake won’t just flood properties—it will wipe out our community,” he explained. “If people are forced to sell through eminent domain, they’ll leave, the local tax base will diminish, and this place will die. Our school, Rivercrest, will probably shut down. The land is important, but the community is irreplaceable. Once it’s gone, it’s gone forever.”
Rolen is frustrated that the project is being pursued despite the availability of less invasive alternatives. “The people of Dallas-Fort Worth need clean drinking water—no one disputes that—but this old, destructive method isn’t the answer,” he said. “There are modern solutions that don’t require flooding thousands of acres or displacing entire communities. Unfortunately, this project seems driven by outdated thinking and profit motives.”
He hopes the residents of the DFW Metroplex will stand with rural Texans and demand better solutions. “If the good folks in Dallas and Fort Worth knew what was at stake, I think they’d speak up,” Rolen said. “I urge them to contact their representatives and tell them there are smarter, less harmful ways to secure water for the future than to take land from fellow Texans. Let’s explore those alternatives instead of destroying communities like ours. Once this land is gone, it’s gone forever, and so is everything that makes this place special.”