As the urgency to supply Dallas-Fort Worth's booming population with water grows, so does the opposition from northeast Texans who would lose their homes.
The proposed $7 billion, 66,000-acre reservoir along the Sulphur River would pump water more than 100 miles to Dallas-Fort Worth.Eddie Belcher, 63, looks out from the porch of the home he built on land in Red River County that has been in his family for seven generations on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, near Cuthand, Texas. Residents in the Sulphur River Basin will be impacted if the proposed Marvin Nichols Reservoir in northeast Texas is built.
Now, urgency is at an all-time high because the Region C Water Planning Group that covers Dallas-Fort Worth and surrounding areas said it needs the reservoir online by 2050 and the state water boardthat found there were no time, economic or ecological barriers to prevent that from happening. Public comment on the draft feasibility study, viewable atthat “Region C is a good resource” and pointed to the feasibility review on their website.
He wanted to figure out the full extent of what the Marvin Nichols Reservoir would wash away. He printed pieces of a Red River County map on sheets of paper, pasted them to a poster board and made his own key. Reinforcers highlighted hot pink marked the homes he knew existed and X’s were put atop cemeteries. Bright orange marked the Cuthand Volunteer Fire Department, where the community frequently gathers. The church and cemetery, both built in the 1800s, are steps away.
An attorney who stayed in the Dallas area after graduating from Southern Methodist University’s law school, Rolen moved his family back in 2019. He, wife Mandi, a teacher at Rivercrest Elementary School, and their two sons and daughter, ages 2, 5, and 9, now live on the same street Rolen grew up on. The couple, who each wear a pistol on their hip, talked about the “absolute paradise” they created. They work hard in a place not too far from Bill’s business headquarters but also eat lunch together on a private lake off their back deck from noon to 1 p.m. daily, have a sundowner each evening, enjoy all their hobbies and host guests.They’re proud to say they once made it about two weeks without needing to leave and would be OK if they could go a longer stretch.
The Wilsons said they are one of the largest landowners who will be affected, so they feel a responsibility to be vocal. They even traveled to Austin to make sure they’re being listened to, a trip Bill said reminded him why he doesn’t live in the city.Employees at Ward Timber in Linden, roughly 60 miles southeast of Cuthand, inspect pieces of lumber as they move through the loud, metal machinery at an expedited pace. The mill is the largest hardwood sawmill operating in the state.
It would be a trickle effect, Lowery said. If the abundance of trees in northeast Texas takes a hit, the mill and jobs could be in jeopardy, the cost of the operation could rise and the customers would feel it in their wallets, too. VanDeaver said he was disappointed by the report and had hoped it would be more of a “reset back to zero” where more options than just the reservoir would be explored.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Who is the proposed Marvin Nichols Reservoir in East TX named after?Marvin C. Nichols, who at one point was one of Texas' best-known water engineers, is the namesake of the proposed Marvin Nichols Reservoir.
Read more »
Marvin Nichols Reservoir review says project is feasiblePublic input is being received on the Marvin Nichols Reservoir Project Feasibility Review that will be presented to the governor.
Read more »
TEXANS NEWSLETTER: Penalties persist, but Texans pull off late win vs. JaguarsThe Houston Texans rallied for a 24-20 comeback win over the Jaguars, but penalties and the run game remain concerns as they prepare to face the Buffalo Bills.
Read more »
Texans Recap: Fairbairn's foot secures Houston Texans nail-biting 23-20 victory over Buffalo BillsKa'imi Fairbairn's last-second 59-yard field goal lifted the Houston Texans to a 23-20 win over the Buffalo Bills, setting a franchise scoring record.
Read more »
Texans Pep Talk: Texans head north to visit undefeated VikingsThe Houston Texans are 2-0 to open the season with their next date, a road test against another undefeated team in the Minnesota Vikings.
Read more »
Texas water group plans for reservoir; some beg for it to be stoppedAbout a dozen people pleaded with the Region C Water Planning Group to stop efforts to build the Marvin Nichols Reservoir in East Texas that would pump water...
Read more »