After decadeslong arguments over the controversial Marvin Nichols Reservoir, a state board adopted regional plans that will provide water to North Texas, including the future reservoir.
The plans include recommendations for spending billions on reservoirs, conservation and water pumping from existing resources in order to meet future demands due to rapid growth.
In a Jan. 22 meeting, Texas Water Development Board members adopted the plans for Regions A through P, which will be used to create the 2027 statewide water plan.
The $7 billion Marvin Nichols Reservoir project is central to the Dallas-Fort Worth region that needs new water sources, officials have said. Projections show current supplies will provide only about 35% of the area’s water through 2080, with conservation and reuse coming just behind.
A proposed Marvin Nichols Reservoir has long drawn scrutiny from northeast Texas residents because the project will flood more than 66,000 acres of forest, crosstimbers and private property in that region. About 80% of the water pumped from the new reservoir would flow to North Texas.
The water board’s 16 planning groups draft plans every five years for inclusion in the state water plan.
The Region C water planning group is responsible for determining how the Dallas-Fort Worth area’s water demands will be met through 2080. Region C encompasses 16 counties in North Central Texas:
Dallas
Tarrant
Denton
Parker
Collin
Ellis
Kaufman
Rockwall
Navarro
Henderson
Freestone
Jack
Wise
Cooke
Grayson
Fannin
By 2080, the Dallas-Fort Worth area is expected to have more than 15 million residents, according to projections. That’s up from the nearly 8 million people now.
That growth requires over 3 million acre-feet per year of water by 2080.
Acquiring water from sources outside of the region requires immediate planning as it takes decades to develop projects, local water officials have previously said.
Drinking and municipal water makes up most of the demands for North Texas, more than any other demands or industries such as manufacturing, irrigation or agriculture.
This part of the Sulphur River and its wildlife, pictured in June 2021, would be underwater by 2050 if a plan for the Marvin Nichols Reservoir becomes reality. (Keren Carrión | KERA News)
The Marvin Nichols Reservoir is one of the plan’s most expensive projects, priced at $7 billion. The reservoir was first proposed in state plans in 1968.
Over the years, critics of the project, poised to be located along the Sulphur River, have said it would negatively impact agriculture and timber industries, slash resident income and result in the loss of natural habitats for wildlife.
Before North Texas planners could submit their final draft of their water plan to the board, officials had to find a solution with planners from northeast Texas. This summer they reached that agreement to move Marvin Nichols forward.
Meanwhile, the Toledo Bend Reservoir is another costly project for North Texas water planners.
Tarrant Regional Water District board president Leah King, left, and general manager Dan Buhman present a resolution during a Jan. 21, 2025, board meeting, renaming the district’s newest wetland projects for longtime board member Marty Leonard, center. (Nicole Lopez | Fort Worth Report)
The reservoir, located in far East Texas, has a price tag of more than $9 billion.
State water board members questioned the reason for the influx in costs for the current water planning cycle, citing the Toledo Bend Reservoir as an example.
That project is “not a little bit of money. That is a lot of money,” board member Ashley Morgan said.
A combination of higher construction costs, interregional conflicts, and more outreach to local water groups or utilities led to “significant” increases, said Sarah Lee, senior adviser for the state water board.
While not as costly, Dallas-Fort Worth’s water plan includes pulling resources from below ground, particularly from the Carrizo-Wilcox and Queen City aquifers, which both stretch across East Texas.
Local water suppliers — including the Tarrant Regional Water District, the North Texas Municipal Water District and the city of Fort Worth — identified how they will obtain more water through reuse and filtering projects. Those include the $673 million Marty Leonard Wetlands and the Mary’s Creek Wastewater Reclamation Facility.
Conservation strategies call for fixing aging transmission lines, advanced technology and continued water loss reporting.
The amended 2027 state water plan, which will include plans from all 16 regions, will go to the board later this year for adoption.
Nicole Lopez is the environment reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at nicole.lopez@fortworthreport.org.
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