TCEQ approves Wichita Falls permit to build Lake Ringgold

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality on Friday approved the city of Wichita Falls' application for a permit to build Lake Ringgold in Clay County.

In approving the application, the commission rejected the finding of an administrative law judge that it should be denied. His recommendation came after lengthy hearings this past summer.

"This decision reflects that the City of Wichita Falls met its burden in establishing that the City’s application complied with applicable state laws and regulations and is a defensible permit decision," the city said in a press release after the vote.

"Most importantly, this decision ensures that the people of Wichita Falls and its surrounding communities are one step closer to having water security for the future," the city said.

Wichita Falls Public Works Director Russell Schreiber said in the statement that city officials are pleased with the ruling.

“This is an important step toward securing our future water needs not just for the City of Wichita Falls, but also for our 15 wholesale water customers in towns around the city,” Schreiber said in the statement.

A member of the opposition to the Lake Ringgold project said there is a possibility for legal appeal.

“Unfortunately, TCEQ has approved the permit for an unnecessary reservoir which, if built, would saddle North Texans with a half-billion-dollar burden, force fellow Texans from their private property and cause irreparable environmental damage,” said Janice Bezanson, Senior Policy Director for the Texas Conservation Alliance.

Before voting, the TCEQ panel heard arguments from representatives for the city and representatives from opponents of the plan.

Nathan Vasser, an attorney representing Wichita Falls, said the city had met its burden of proving the lake is necessary for its water needs in the future. He said the city's argument was "not even a close call. We have met our burden."

Ruth Takeda, staff attorney for the TCEQ, agreed the city had met its obligation and recommended granting the permit.

Lauren Ice, an attorney representing some of the opponents, argued construction of the lake would inundate thousands of acres of land and destroy habitats.

Marisa Perales, who also represented opponents, argued the city did not specify how they would use the volume of water the lake would provide, as required by rules.

However, all three commissioners spoke on why they thought the application was valid and voted to grant the application.

Although the TCEQ vote was a crucial development, it does not necessarily end the fight over the lake. Opponents can take the issue to a district court.

The next step for the city would be to obtain approval from the Corps of Engineers, a process that could take a couple of years.

The city applied for the TCEQ permit in 2017 in the wake of a historic drought that significantly depleted existing reservoirs.

Schreiber has said the lake could take 15 years to complete. He said how quickly it fills up would depend on rainfall. He estimated with normal rainfall it would take a couple of years.

When completed, Lake Ringgold would be roughly the same size as Lake Arrowhead. It could impound 275,000 acre-feet of water, and the city asked TCEQ for 65,000 acre feet for its own purposes.

Building Lake Ringgold has been discussed for seven decades. In 1958, voters turned down a proposal to begin the project because of its $15 million price tag. The city has relied on lakes Arrowhead and Kickapoo for most of its water supply with a smaller portion coming from Lake Kemp.

The latest estimate on the cost from a regional planning group in 2021 was $443 million. The city has not disclosed plans for paying for the project.

But Schreiber said the Texas Water Board has several financing options. Ultimately, the cost would be paid by water customers.

More: Live blog: TCEQ makes decision on Lake Ringgold

More: Perry calls Lake Ringgold 'an option' for area's future water needs

This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: TCEQ approves Wichita Falls permit to build Lake Ringgold