The Texas Water Development Board has given a preliminaryrecommendationfor the Marvin Nichols Reservoir proposal. The project would create a reservoir along the Sulphur River and would flood about 70,000 acres in Red River, Franklin and Titus counties.
The board's announcement on March 4 begins a public commentary period which will continue though April 15. During the public commentary period, two meetings will be held on the topic - one in Northeast Texas and one in the Dallas area. The board will publish a final decision on May 15.
The Texas Water Development Board had been tasked with resolving a dispute about the reservoir between two of the state agency's 16 regional planning groups. The Region D group, which includes Northeast Texas, opposes the project. The Region C group, which includes the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area, favors the plan.
Those who support the Marvin Nichols Reservoir cite the increasing need for municipal water sources for the Dallas area. Opponents of the project cite environmental damage, economic hardship and the loss of land through eminent domain.
