Lake Ralph Hall, a lake the Upper Trinity Regional Water District is building in Fannin County, is starting to fill with water, according to a July news release.
The lake is roughly the size of Grapevine Lake but is deep enough to hold twice as much water, said Jason Pierce, UTRWD manager of Governmental Affairs and Communications, in 2024.
Once operational, the lake will provide water to Prosper, Celina and other North Texas communities to help increase water capacity as the population grows, according to prior reporting.
In a nutshell
This marks the end of major construction on the reservoir, which started in June 2021, according to the project website.
Now that construction crews have completed the part of the dam that helps control water flow, Lake Ralph Hall will fill naturally as it rains, per the release.
Filling the lake will take three to five years depending on rainfall, and Lake Ralph Hall is set to begin limited water delivery by the end of this year.
At full capacity, Lake Ralph Hall will deliver 54 million gallons of water per day to 29 communities across North Texas, according to UTRWD documents.
The big picture
Lake Ralph Hall’s milestone comes as North Texas communities are looking for ways to increase water capacity for a growing number of residents.
The city of Celina enacted increased water use restrictions July 2 to mitigate water supply issues during peak summer months, and Celina City Council expects to review an array of new ordinances designed to conserve water later this fall.
In Prosper, watering is limited to twice a week from April 1-Oct. 31, and town officials are encouraging residents to curb water use on social media.
Lake Ralph Hall will help Prosper and Celina increase their water supply to meet the needs of their growing populations.
The two municipalities are also coordinating with UTRWD to expand the Doe Branch Water Reclamation Plant, a $269 million project that will increase their wastewater treatment capacity from 4 to 12 million gallons per day.
One more thing
In addition to addressing water capacity in North Texas, Lake Ralph Hall will also include a recreational component.
Future public access areas and amenities at the site will include:
- Boat ramps
- Fishing jetty
- Hike and bike trail system
- Camp sites
- Visitor center
As part of the project, Ladonia Fossil Park was relocated downstream of the dam on FM 904, per the website.
The new location is open to the public and features a larger parking lot, paved pathways, benches and a covered pavilion.
Other activities like fishing or boating will become available as the lake fills up.
