Work finally starts on Texas' first big lake in 30 years, and it has a new name

[TexasTowelie]

FANNIN COUNTY — Hope for dry weather during construction and then pray that it'll "rain like hell," was the closing message Friday when officials broke ground for Texas' first new major lake in 30 years.

The weather stayed dry just long enough for dozens of VIPs to reach their barbecue lunch at a former barn. Then storms swept through the old pastures and future reservoir about 90 miles northeast of Dallas.

Construction has already started on the $1.6 billion, four-year project. But Friday's cermony signaled the start of a new and final phase of what's been known as the Lower Bois d'Arc Creek Reservoir for a couple of decades. The permitting process alone took 15 years and was just completed in February.

-snip-

The reservoir will be called the North Texas Municipal Lake in honor of the water district, which was created in 1951 by 10 local cities. It now has 13 members and supplies water to 1.7 million people in 80 cities and communities.

Read more: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/environment/2018/05/25/work-starts-texas-first-big-lake-30-years-new-name

[rzemanfl]

1. I will be way too old, but doesn't bass fishing peak in new reservoirs at about ten years? n/t

[TexasTowelie]

2. I believe that is the case,

but only if the lakes fill up. I remember when Choke Canyon Reservoir was constructed in south Texas and it took many years for it to get to 50% capacity. Generally it hovers around 30% capacity now.

They made a mistake building Choke Canyon where they did because the only tributary is the Frio River. If it was built ten miles to the southeast (past Three Rivers) then it would have captured the watershed for the Frio, Atascosa and Nueces rivers. However, it would have displaced more people and inundated farmland. Considering that it is one of the primary water sources for Corpus Christi, it would have been a better bet for having a lake filled to near capacity.

[rzemanfl]

3. I remember, many years ago, reading a deposition transcript where a lawyer asked a surveyor in

a case involving the high water mark of a lake whether any tests were performed to determine whether the substance along the shore was water! I swear it's true.