By Julie Tomascik
Editor

A Travis County district judge overturned the state permit for the proposed Lake Ringgold reservoir Oct. 9, marking a major victory for Clay County landowners who have spent years fighting the project.

Judge Maya Guerra Gamble of the 459th District Court reversed the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s (TCEQ) decision to grant a permit for the reservoir, which would flood more than 16,000 acres of agricultural land and wildlife habitat.

The proposed reservoir, pursued by the City of Wichita Falls to address future water needs, has faced opposition from landowners concerned about the loss of productive ranchland, wildlife habitat, private property rights and the project’s necessity.

Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) supported the affected landowners and adopted organizational policy specifically opposing the planning and further consideration of Lake Ringgold.

“Texas Farm Bureau supports responsible water planning, but projects of this magnitude must be based on accurate data and a demonstrated need. Farmers and ranchers should not have to sacrifice their land and livelihoods for a project that cannot be justified,” said Jay Bragg, TFB associate director of Commodity and Regulatory Activities. “This ruling is an important victory for the Clay County landowners who have worked for years to protect

their property, and it reinforces the importance of private property rights across Texas.”

Years of opposition
Plans for a reservoir at the Lake Ringgold site date back to the 1950s. The City of Wichita Falls renewed its interest in the project following the drought from 2011 to 2015.

Clay County landowners challenged the project, questioning the city’s projected water needs and the data used to justify the reservoir.

An administrative law judge recommended denying the permit in December 2023 following a contested case hearing.

TCEQ commissioners rejected that recommendation and approved the permit in June 2024. Landowners subsequently challenged the decision in district court.

Deborah Clark, a Clay County landowner and Farm Bureau member, was among more than 60 supporters who attended the hearing in Austin. The decision validated years of work by Clark and other landowners who challenged the project’s justification.

“We feel vindicated, and we feel like we’ve been heard,” she said. “We believe that facts matter, truthful facts matter.”

Grassroots support
The opposition also gained support through TFB’s grassroots policy development process in 2024.

Clark and other affected landowners brought their concerns to Clay County Farm Bureau and asked members to consider the impacts of the proposed reservoir.

Several county Farm Bureaus in the region submitted resolutions against the project. Voting delegates approved statewide policy opposing Lake Ringgold at TFB’s 2024 Annual Meeting.

Clark said support from Farm Bureau at the county and state levels has been important throughout the process.

What’s next
The court’s decision reverses TCEQ’s approval of the Lake Ringgold permit, but the legal dispute may continue. The City of Wichita Falls has 30 days to appeal the ruling.

But Clark said the ruling sends a message to other Texas landowners facing similar challenges.

“It’s not over, but at this juncture, for two judges to agree that the data was not supportable and that the city did not prove the merits of their case, we feel very positive that this message can be taken out to landowners across the state of Texas,” Clark said.