Fannin County, Texas -- For the construction of Lake Ralph Hall in Fannin County, Upper Trinity Regional Water District (UTRWD) operates under a permit with both the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Texas Historical Commission (THC). The permit requires careful handling and study of artifacts, fossils and archeological items. All contractors working on the Lake Ralph Hall job sites are trained on standard operating procedures for when a suspected artifact is detected.
UTRWD has contacted AR Consultants (ARC) to manage and execute handling, studying and recording artifacts and fossils found onsite. ARC is a highly regarded expert in archeology and has worked on numerous sites in Texas and nationally. To date, hundreds of archeologists have conducted investigations within Lake Ralph Hall. Crews average about 50 in the field at a time. Findings will be compiled into final reports in compliance with the Texas Administrative Code Chapter 26. Redacted versions protecting site locations will be available to the public once the reports are filed with USACE/THC. Artifacts and records related to these studies will be permanently curated at the Center for Archaeological Studies at Texas State University in San Marcos according to the Texas Administrative Code Chapter.
Since the beginning of construction on Lake Ralph Hall, UTRWD has worked with the Perot Museum to identify, extract and/or study significant fossil finds. This includes the 2022 discovery of a Tylosaurus on a section of the North Sulphur River owned by UTRWD (see image below - courtesy of the Perot Museum). UTRWD worked with Perot Museum paleontologists to extract the specimen for further study at the museum.
To continue allowing public fossil hunting in the North Sulphur River during lake construction, UTWRD constructed a temporary Ladonia Fossil Park. Once Lake Ralph Hall is completed, a new, permanent fossil park will be established downstream of the lake’s dam. The new access point will be at a different river location and provide opportunities for additional and untapped fossil discoveries. Learn more.
