NEW BOSTON, Texas - Riverbend Water Resources District's Board of Directors will consider a resolution to pursue additional water rights in Wright Patman Lake.
The joint resolution with the city of Texarkana, Texas, is the next step for Riverbend to get water rights for additional water in the lake, the amount of which was detailed in a recent Water Availability Model study paid for by the water district. It shows the lake has a firm yield of 340,000 acre-feet of water. The city has a contract with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which operates the lake, for 180,000 acre feet.
Kyle Dooley, Riverbend's executive director and CEO, said access to the additional water will greatly benefit the district's 16 member entities and help grow industry in the region.
"This is to make available water we are going to need into the future for our members and Texarkana," he said.
Studies have shown that Texarkana will need approximately 240 acre-feet of water by 2070. That number is not included in the 2016 State Water Plan, but the data has been presented to the Region D Regional Water Planning Group, which makes recommendations for the next water plan in 2021.
Riverbend provides water and waste water services to the Red River Army Depot and the TexAmericas Center and formally represents the counties of Bowie, Cass and Red River, as well as TexAmericas Center and the cities of Annona, Atlanta, Avery, DeKalb, Hooks, Leary, Maud, Nash, New Boston, Redwater, Texarkana, Texas, and Wake Village. All the member cities have passed resolutions supporting Riverbend in pursuing the additional water rights.
The meeting will be held at noon at the Riverbend Offices, 228A Texas Ave., New Boston.