Texas is closer to opening its first water reservoir in 30 years after heavy rainfall in the spring.

Bois d’Arc Lake in Fannin County was first planned in the 1980s and was put into motion in 2018 when the North Texas Municipal Water District won federal approval to begin the lake’s construction. The district provides water to 1.8 million people in 80 cities and communities across 10 counties.

The project is expected to cost approximately $1.6 billion and begin delivering water in 2022.

The reservoir, named after the tree bearing the same name, is expected to quench the thirst of fast-growing neighborhoods and corporate campuses in Collin County and surrounding areas, water district officials said upon the lake’s federal approval in 2018. The lake will be able to hold up to 120 billion gallons of water, according to the district.

North Texas experienced over 12 inches of rain in April and May, contributing to Bois d’Arc Lake’s rapid rise, the North Texas Municipal Water District said. The recent wet weather pattern resulted in lake closures and minor flooding across the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

But the water district said it is controlling the amount of water in the reservoir as crews continue the lake’s construction.

“At nearly a third full, the lake level is close to where we expected it to be,” spokesman Jeff McKito wrote in an email. Excess water is being spilled into the Bois d’Arc Creek and is leveling out beneath the creek banks.

According to McKito, the lake’s dam, which is projected to stand at 90 feet, is the current focal point for construction. Crews are working to complete the dam’s structure, water pump and overflow weir. Administrative offices and three boat ramps are also on the agenda before the lake’s completion.

Although the reservoir is close to being operational, McKito said the water district does not yet know when visitors will be permitted to use the lake recreationally.

Environmental impacts

Because the lake’s construction resulted in a loss of habitat and impacted local streams, public plans from the water district announced a restoration initiative for 17,000 acres of land that will include new trees, wetlands and grasslands with native plants.

Resource Environmental Solutions, an ecological restoration company based in Houston, is leading the project. Work on the surrounding forest began in 2018 and is expected to wrap up in 2023.

A December news release from the water district said RES had hired local residents with experience in restoration and construction to help with the project.

“This work is providing steady jobs at a critical time and ensuring that the construction of this important lake is a net positive for the environment,” said Rodney Rhoades, former interim executive director of the water district. “It is just part of the economic benefit that the Bois d’Arc Lake project is providing the surrounding area.”

Riverby Ranch, a 15,000-acre former ranch located about seven miles northeast of the lake, is also experiencing restoration work. Environmental plans for the former ranch include thousands of new trees, grasslands and wetlands.

According to the water district, work at Willow Branch Creek, which runs through the center of the Riverby Ranch area, is complete. The creek carries a majority of the water that falls within the ranch’s watershed.

As of January 2021, the creek’s path has been straightened and trees have been planted about 100 feet away on each side of the water. In its plans, the water district called the creek the “heartbeat” of the lake’s local ecosystem.

Information from The Dallas Morning News archives was used in this report.