Lower Bois d'Arc Creek Reservoir Receives Final Permit Needed For Construction

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Lower Bois d’Arc Creek Reservoir receives final permit needed to begin construction

Project will serve as critical water source for fast-growing North Texas communities

Wylie, TX – February 2, 2018: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) issued its Record of Decision (ROD) and has granted a 404 permit to allow construction to begin on the long-awaited Lower Bois d’Arc Reservoir (LBCR). The North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) has been working for over 15 years with federal, state and local officials on planning for the new lake that will provide water for the growing communities it serves.

The 16,641 surface acre lake will be located northeast of the city of Bonham in Fannin County. This is the first reservoir to be built in Texas in 30 years. Construction is planned to begin this spring with completion in 2022.

“This is a major milestone for a critical project that will provide water to 1.7 million people living in about 80 communities in North Texas. The lake will be one of the key sources of water to meet the needs of a growing region expected to double in population in the next 50 years,” said Robert Thurmond of Wylie, President of the NTMWD Board of Directors.
The NTMWD Board of Directors look on as Executive Director Tom Kula signs the final major permit required for construction to begin on the Lower Bois d'Arc Creek Reservoir project.

The permit was required under the federal Clean Water Act and involved a thorough and lengthy process that requires avoiding and minimizing environmental impacts and identifies ways to offset those that do occur. Key agencies and entities involved in the process were USACE, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPWD), Texas Water Development Board (TWDB), Fannin County and the city of Bonham, along with other agencies and organizations.

“Reservoirs are an absolute necessity in the state of Texas where most are manmade,” said Terry Sam Anderson of Mesquite, the longest serving NTMWD member of the Board. “This historic milestone is a result of significant planning, investment and support from the 13 Member Cities which are represented on the Board of Directors,” Anderson added.

The North Texas Congressional delegation including Senators Cornyn and Cruz and Representatives Sam Johnson, Pete Sessions, John Ratcliffe, Jeb Hensarling, and Eddie Bernice Johnson have strongly supported the Lower Bois d'Arc Creek Reservoir. This includes attending and participating in USACE and EPA Region 6 stakeholder meetings on the reservoir. Members of the District’s delegation also sponsored legislative provisions urging federal agencies to advance the permitting process.

“This has been a tremendous team effort, and we appreciate the support of all involved in the process,” said Tom Kula, NTMWD Executive Director. “It is a great example of the value and importance of regional water planning and collaboration among communities for the shared need of a long-term, reliable water supply.”

Construction of the project and other system improvements is estimated to cost more than $1.2 billion (2016 dollars). The TWDB has already approved $1.2 billion in low-interest funding for the project through the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas (SWIFT) program, which is anticipated to save NTMWD and ratepayers nearly $200 million in financing costs.
More project information online at: www.ntmwd.com/projects/lower-bois-darc-creek-reservoir

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NTMWD: No landfill planned for Fannin County

Fannin County, Texas -- With early voting beginning February 20, political operatives are working overtime and the latest attempt to mislead voters is an unfounded rumor of a landfill coming to Fannin County. North Texas Municipal Water District confirms that no landfill is in the works for southern Fannin County.

This latest rumor suggests that the landfill near Melissa has reached its capacity.

Actually, the landfill in Melissa is expected to meet local needs for approximately 39 more years.

According to Janet Rummel, Public Relations & Communications Officer for North Texas Municipal Water District, all land purchases in Fannin County by NTMWD are associated with Lower Bois d’Arc Creek Reservoir and associated projects, which includes acquiring land in Leonard for a new water treatment plant.

NTMWD has purchased just over 1,000 acres near Leonard for a water treatment plant, pump station, power substation and a terminal storage reservoir. This land purchase is larger in size than the NTMWD water treatment facilities in Wylie due to the terminal storage reservoir.

There are also other projects associated with the more than $1.2 billion cost of building Lower Bois d'Arc Creek Reservoir and getting it online to supply water customers. A 90-inch, raw-water pipeline will be constructed to transport water from the intake station on the northeast side of the reservoir to the water treatment plant in Leonard.

In addition, an 84-inch pipeline will be needed to run water from the Leonard water treatment plant to McKinney.