10/12/2026
In 2019, the City of Wichita Falls ramped up its efforts to build Lake Ringgold. They had purchased 6,662 acres in Clay County years earlier, anticipating a lake that had been considered since the 1950s. It was determined back then that Lake Arrowhead was a better location. It was my first year in office, and there was much to learn.
Russell Schreiber, Public Works Director, and Daniel Nix from the Wichita Falls Public Works Department requested a meeting to discuss their plans for Lake Ringgold. It was good to see Daniel again; he was one of my Ag students at Rider. He was also instrumental in solving their drought problem through the city’s water-reuse project. I invited Precinct 1 Commissioner Richard Lowery to join us since it was in his Precinct. We listened, and then I suggested that we tour the area where the lake was proposed. Russell was a little hesitant because he wasn’t sure we'd bring them back when he saw the shovel in the back of my pickup.
After that, we began meeting with landowners that would be affected by the lake. We heard stories about how this would destroy pristine Tall Grass Prairie pastures, flood legacy ranches that had been in families for over 100 years, and cause irreparable harm to over 40,000 acres of the environment.
The Commissioners Court considered our role in the matter. Sadly, counties have no control over situations like this. This is becoming more evident as data centers and solar farms encroach on rural areas. The Court authorized former District Judge and Attorney Frank Douthitt to represent us in whatever way he could to fight this legal hurdle. Judge Douthitt has a strong history of holding the City of Wichita Falls accountable on the Lake Arrowhead project. We believed his $1.00 fee was reasonable.
My role in this was to write letters to our Senators and Representatives. I also traveled to Austin multiple times to testify before the Texas Water Development Board, the House Committee on Natural Resources, and the Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture & Rural Affairs. I was joined by affected landowners, the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, and many others. The message was consistent: the lake wasn’t needed; it would harm the environment and legacy ranchers' livelihoods. As for the county, it would cost Clay County taxpayers millions of dollars to replace and reroute county roads. It would take thousands of acres off our tax rolls and increase demand on our Sheriff’s Office and our Volunteer Fire Departments. We know this based on what happened to us at Lake Arrowhead.
When the City of Wichita Falls applied to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, it was required to hold hearings before an Administrative Law Judge. After weeks of testimony, the judge recommended denying the permit because the application lacked detail on how the water would be used and did not include the research needed to complete the process. The TCEQ Commission ignored his recommendation and approved the permit anyway.
This is where many would give up and say, "You can’t fight the government." That is not what happened; our landowners doubled down and dedicated themselves to fighting this unfair ruling. The appeal was filed, and the hearing was set for October 9, 2026, in the 459th District Court of Judge Maya Guerra Gamble. Her courtroom is on the 11th floor of the Travis County Courthouse in Austin, Texas. It was in Austin because that is where the TCEQ is located.
The hearing was set for 9:00 am. By 8:00 am, the hallway was filled with Clay County supporters. When the doors were opened, it was clear that the City of Wichita Falls only had a few employees and their team of attorneys for both the city and the TCEQ. Hearings are a little like weddings: attendees pick a side. In this case, the Clay County supporters said they would rather stand than give any appearance of supporting the City of Wichita Falls’ case. When Judge Gamble entered the courtroom, she noted the support for Clay County and encouraged those standing to take a seat, even on the Wichita Falls side.
It was also clear she had reviewed all the documentation from both sides. Each side was given equal time to present its evidence. Our landowners' team of attorneys quickly pointed out flaws in the application and approval process. Their argument made it clear that TCEQ merely checked boxes and failed to follow the procedures necessary for a fair evaluation. It should also be noted that emails from a former City Manager admitted that the 65,000 acre-feet requested was far above the 9,000 acre-feet that might be used by the City of Wichita Falls in their own documentation. The email also noted that the City would need a partner, such as the City of Fort Worth, to complete the project.
When TCEQ and the City of Wichita Falls attorney had their turn, they argued this was just one step in a long process and that it was too early to appeal. For me, the most offensive part was when they showed a picture of cows grazing and said there really wasn’t that much harm. The land's only real use was to kill a few deer and shoot some ducks. They suggested they could move the cows and wildlife somewhere else. They used the term mitigation.
Most everyone in the room expected Judge Gamble to take a few days to consider her ruling. We were pleasantly surprised when, immediately after each side closed, she complimented everyone on their presentation and set aside the TCEQ’s approval. That was it; she was done. Tears of joy and high fives filled the room.
Now what? The City of Wichita Falls has 30 days to appeal. They could choose to reapply using the lessons learned, or they could sell the 6,662 acres and use the money to repair leaks in their existing water system. That might mitigate the need for another lake. Another crazy idea might be to lower the tax burden on City of Wichita Falls taxpayers. If you look at the city’s budget, you will see a $6 million line item for legal fees for Lake Ringgold. That is $1 million more than our entire county budget.
How much is 6,662 acres worth in Clay County? Recent reports put land values as low as $5,000 per acre and as high as $100,000 per acre, with a data center developer recently paying the high end. At a conservative price of $10,000 per acre, that would total $66,620,000. I don’t know the original price, but that looks like a substantial profit for the city. As these values keep rising, the lake's cost will be well over a billion dollars.
I believe we witnessed a historic moment for Texas landowners and conservationists. This should give hope to those fighting eminent domain. In Texas, we believe in private property rights. If you want to sell your land, that is your business. But if you don’t, you shouldn’t be forced to. I don’t understand how a government entity can use eminent domain outside its jurisdiction. That is a topic for our Legislators to address.
Every day, thousands of acres are being taken out of food production for parking lots, data centers, solar farms, and subdivisions. Every day, the media talks about high food prices, especially beef. Someday they'll connect shrinking acres of food production to food shortages and higher prices.
I understand that water is important too. But when the pioneers first settled this land, they chose where to live based on the available water. If there was no water, they moved on. It’s harsh, but it is reality.
My advice to our neighbors in Wichita Falls is to choose Mayor and City Council candidates who understand that while long-term water security is admirable, it may not be affordable. If residents can’t afford to live in Wichita Falls because of high taxes and water rates to fund a lake, the problem will take care of itself.
