Opposing water plans put controversial Marvin Nichols reservoir in question

KERA | By Pablo Arauz Peña

Published February 27, 2025 at 5:32 PM CST

This part of the Sulphur River, and all its wildlife, would be underwater by 2050 if a plan for the Marvin Nichols Reservoir becomes reality. June 29, 2021 in Cuthand, Texas.

A rift between regional water planners is coming to a head over the proposed Marvin Nichols reservoir in Northeast Texas.

The controversial project has been up for debate for decades. Residents who live in the Northeast Texas counties where it would be built are adamantly against it, saying that the project will destroy wildlife habitats and the local timber economy.

Meanwhile, planners in North Texas say the rapidly growing region needs the project to keep up with water demands.

Last week, the water planning group for Region D, which represents Northeast Texas, stated its opposition against the reservoir.

“It has been, and continues to be, the position of the Northeast Texas Regional Water Planning Group,," Chair Jim Thompson told KERA, "that due to the significant negative impacts upon environmental factors, agriculture resources, other natural resources and third parties, Marvin Nichols should not be included as a water management strategy in any regional water plan or the state water plan."

This comes after the Texas Water Development Board released a feasibility study last month saying the planned reservoir could supply water to several North Texas cities by 2050.

Planners in Region D in Northeast Texas say a conflict with Region C over the proposed Marvin Nichols reservoir might have to go before the Texas Water Development Board.

This week, Region C planners approved an “initially prepared plan” for North Texas’ water needs that pushes back the reservoir project by 10 years to 2060.

“With unprecedented growth that we've got in Region C, we do believe that new reservoirs will be needed in the future to meet our water needs, but we're doing everything we can to prioritize other water projects to meet our water's needs,” Jenna Covington, secretary for the Region C planning group, told KERA.

Covington noted that counties in Region C make up about 26% of the state’s population and use roughly 10% of the state’s water.

Thompson with Region D said there are numerous other avenues that Region C planners can take to provide North Texas water needs.

“That includes reducing their water losses, which are tremendously high,” he said.

Thompson added he expects Region D planners to hold a meeting to decide whether to set forth a conflict with Region C’s plan. If that happens, the two groups would need to resolve the issue at the state level with the Texas Water Development Board.

Covington said North Texas planners are aware of Region D's plans to declare a conflict.

“We would work with the folks in Region D to identify if there could be some resolution reached, and see if we can find some path forward that would allow for both Region C and Region D’s needs to be met,” Covington said.

Pablo Arauz Peña is KERA’s growth and infrastructure reporter. Got a tip? Email Pablo at parauzpena@kera.org. You can follow him on X @pabloaarauz.

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