Controversy on the Sulphur River The Proposed Marvin Nichols Reservoir Cassandra Gordon and Joan Norton

The Area Involved Northeast Texas Dallas/Fort Worth Proposed Reservoir

Lamar Red River Bowie Delta Hopkins Franklin Titus Morris Cass DallasTarrant Rockwall Proposed Marvin Nichols Reservoir Wright Patman Reservoir Jim Chapman Lake

The Issue  The Dallas/Fort Worth region is searching for water supplies to meet their increasing needs through the year  Construction of the Marvin Nichols Reservoir would meet this need.  80% of the water would be pipelined to Dallas.

The Problem  The reservoir will consume 72,000 acres of land.  This land consists of : –Ecologically important bottomland hardwood forests –Scattered farms and ranches  Devastating effects can be expected

Vegetation at the Reservoir Site Water Oak, Elm, Hackberry Post Oak Other

Land Cover at the Reservoir Site Deciduous Forest Land Cropland and Pasture Mixed Forest

Environmentally Speaking…  Submersing 72,000 acres of forested land could potentially mean: –Displacement of wildlife –Increased Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) –Disruption of fish habitat

Economically Speaking…  Losses to the timber industry –1,334 jobs lost –$41.4 million lost in labor income –$ million lost in industry output  Loss of agricultural jobs

Economically Speaking…  Little development because 163,000 additional acres will be set aside for mitigation.  Much different than Lake Ray Hubbard in Rockwall.

Economically Speaking…  72,000 acres under reservoir + 163,000 acres for mitigation = 235,000 acres worth of property tax lost.  Could mean higher taxes to make up the difference, or else regional schools will be deprived of funding.

Economically Speaking…  Recreational benefits will be trivial –Many preexisting reservoirs –Displacement of wildlife and possible death of fish

Economically Speaking…  Dallas will receive the benefits of the reservoir –Water intensive industries –Job retention  Northeast Texas will lose industry and jobs  Zero-sum game??

Alternatives to the Reservoir  Reuse treated waste water  Use water from existing reservoirs  Conservation! Lake Texoma