The North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) officially dedicated Bois d’Arc Lake on October 14, celebrating the construction completion of the state’s newest major reservoir. NTMWD present and past board members and staff were joined near the lake’s dam and spillway by representatives of the District’s Member Cities and Customers, key government partners, local and state elected officials, and the project’s engineers and contractors.
The event “Celebrating the Gift of Water and Legacy of Service” included a ceremonial ribbon cutting by the NTMWD Board of Directors and program speakers. Several state and elected officials spoke at the event, including Newt Cunningham, Fannin County Judge-Elect, Brooke Paup, Chairwoman of the Texas Water Development Board, Craig Bonds, Inland Fisheries Director for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, State Senator Bob Hall, and State Representative Reggie Smith.
“Today is a great day of celebration and recognition of work by hundreds of individuals for almost 20 years,” said NTMWD Board of Directors President Jack May as he opened the program. “The long list of recognition and thanks makes it clear how large and dedicated a team it takes to execute a project of this magnitude. Successfully delivering the first major reservoir in Texas in over 30 years is truly an amazing accomplishment.”
The dedication ceremony recognized the hard work of all involved over the decades and especially since construction began in 2018, involving five major contractors, dozens of subcontractors, and a general workforce of about 1,000 at the peak of construction. While reservoir construction is complete, Bois d’Arc Lake remains closed for public use as the region waits for enough rainfall to make it safe for boating, fishing, and other recreational activities.
“Bois d’Arc Lake will contribute meaningfully toward raising the next generation of water enthusiasts, add to the water supply for Texans, and stimulate economic impact for this area,” added Inland Fisheries Director Craig Bonds with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
Once Leonard Water Treatment Plant is operational next year, it will be able to treat up to 70 million gallons of drinking water per day from the lake, with future expansions totaling up to 280 MGD.
“Reservoirs like this are what allowed Texas to become Texas because there is only one natural lake in Texas,” said State Senator Bob Hall. “If it wasn’t for what we did building reservoirs like this, we wouldn’t have the 30 million people or be the economic powerhouse that Texas is.”
SOURCE: North Texas Municipal Water District
