Ladonia, Texas -- Proponents of Lake Ralph Hall feel the proposed 7,605-acre lake on the North Sulphur River near Ladonia has the potential to profoundly impact southeast Fannin County on a scale that hasn't been seen since the Rural Electrification Act brought running water into the homes of rural Texas. Upper Trinity Regional Water District (UTRWD) believes this lake will be needed in the years ahead to keep water running into the homes of a burgeoning population in Denton and Collin counties, as well as meet future water needs of the Sulphur River Basin in Fannin County.
In order to keep the public informed of the timetable associated with Lake Ralph Hall project, one of two lakes currently in the permit process for Fannin County, UTRWD provided local media outlets an opportunity to visit the site of the proposed Lake Ralph Hall in order to document erosion on an epic scale that has occurred since a 16-feet wide, 10-feet deep channel was dug in 1928-29 along side a small meandering stream in order to alleviate occasional flooding of the cotton fields that bordered the often-dry riverbed.
While the project was originally declared a success -- this became one of the only rivers in the U.S. that never leaves its banks -- two important facts were overlooked. First, although a flood could devastate a crop, it also brought silt and nutrients to naturally replenish the soil. Secondly, thousands of acres were destined to disappear as that 16x10 channel eroded into what is now a 300-feet wide, 60-feet deep channel that is twice is wide as the Panama Canal.
Tom Taylor, Executive Director of UTRWD feels this is a unique opportunity to create a future water source for North Texans, greatly mitigate erosion and create new wetlands.
Taylor brings a unique set of experiences to this project; he started in 1976 with Dallas Water Utilities, one of the largest water suppliers in the U.S. and, as executive director, brought Lake Fork and Lake Ray Roberts online.
"It's the right size, the right time, and it's a great investment," Taylor says of the proposed Lake Ralph Hall.
Although approximately the same size as Grapevine Lake, Lake Ralph Hall is projected to produce more water because southeast Fannin County averages slightly more rainfall than the Grapevine area. Engineers predict Lake Ralph Hall will have a dependable yield of 32,940 acre-feet per year. Grapevine Lake's maximum depth is 65 feet.
The 300'x60' channel running through the center of Lake Ralph Hall will give it a maximum depth of well over 100 feet. When Lake Ralph Hall is full, water would be 50 feet above the current Hwy 34 bridge. Below the bridge, the channel is 60 feet deep and gradually getting deeper with each significant rainfall event.
"We're turning lemons into lemonade," Taylor says of turning the massive eroded channel into a holding tank to supply water for North Texans.
Coming in part 2 -- Target online date for Lake Ralph Hall and a look at the original streambed of North Sulphur River