Landowners Criticize Plan For New Lake
Monday, August 1, 2005 By Vicki Graves / Herald Democrat

The process to get drinking water for future Dallas-Fort Worth masses might kick some North Texans off their land. In that vein, several who oppose new reservoirs attended a Region C Water Planning public hearing Monday in Arlington.

Rural landowners are upset that their property might end up flooded to provide reservoirs for the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Property long held by families and family cemeteries would be inundated, if current plans move ahead.

The Region C Water Planning Group discussed a long range plan that will shape how 16 counties will get and use water over the next half century. It is finishing the second phase of the planning process and held the public hearing to solicit public feed back.

Jerry Chapman, a member of the Region C Water Planning Group, said about 175 people attended the public hearing.

A consultant reviewed the draft plan and the Group received comments from more than 40 interested parties in the general public. Some were very positive and others were negative. People applauded the efforts to increase in importance of conservation and reuse water.

Negative comments came from people who are against all new reservoirs in Texas, Chapman said.

Now, there's a 60-day written comment period, which ends Sept. 9. Then Region C meets again on Oct. 10.

Lake Ralph Hall is one of the options in the plan, along with three or four other reservoir options, including the Marvin Nichols Reservoir in East Texas, Lower Bois d' Arc Reservoir in northeast Fannin County and Fastrill Reservoir, near Palestine.

Mayor Jody Smith of Flower Mound asked that Lake Ralph Hall be considered only as an alternative.

"There were a lot of positive comments from various people. The representative from the Dallas Chamber of Commerce, the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, Sulphur Manager city manager and a lot of individuals," Chapman said.