Fall 2002 - Lone Star Chapter, Sierra Club

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4 Lone Star Sierran Fall 2002 Feature Continued from previous page. not see that future water supply or jobs associated with construction of the reservoir as providing any benefit to them, at least no benefit that outweighs the negative impacts on their communities and way of life. Among their primary concerns, of course, is the loss of their homes, their farms, their ranches, their forests, their traditional livelihood, and their cultural heritage as the reservoir drowns their land. Flooding of this land could cost the region in excess of $140 million annually due to loss of timber and agricultural production. Local opponents of the reservoir concerned about the economic and social impacts of the proposed project are organized as the Sulphur Oversight Society (SOS). These local landowners and other Northeast Texas citizens have joined forces with environmental groups such as the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club and regional Sierra Club groups in North Texas, the National Wildlife Federation, and the Texas Committee on Natural Resources. Environmentalists oppose the Marvin Nichols Reservoir for a variety of reasons. One of the major reasons is the potential loss of bottomland hardwood forests. Over 36,000 acres of such forests would be flooded and thus lost as a result of building the reservoir. The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service considers bottomland hardwood forests as one of the most endangered ecosystems in the Southeastern United States. Waste of Water in the Dallas/Fort Worth Region Another reason for the opposition to the Marvin Nichols Reservoir from both environmentalists and Northeast Texas landowners is that the Dallas/Fort Worth region does not truly need the water from the proposed impoundment. Dallas and other cities in the region have been shown to use an incredible amount of water per capita, far more than most other large cities in Texas. Although estimates vary, Dallas, for example, uses in the vicinity of 250 gallons of water per person per day. That compares to approximately 146 gallons of water per person per day in San Antonio, a city that has made great strides over the past decade in trimming water consumption by its residents through a variety of measures. The Region C water plan predicted that the per capita water use in Dallas would actually increase over the next 50 years to a level of 264 gallons per capita per day – one of the few areas in the state where per capita use for expected to go up. By one analysis done by the National Wildlife Federation, if Dallas Water Utilities (the city’s water department) were to decrease its per capita water consumption by 2050 to just 200 gallons per day, that alone would provide the city with almost twice as A broad coalition of people attended the Region C water planning group meeting in July to promote water conservation as an alternative to the Marvin Nichols Reservoir. much water as it would gain from its share of the Marvin Nichols Reservoir project. Yet, despite the cost effectiveness of saving water rather than paying for an expensive new impoundment and pipeline, the City of Dallas and its North Central Texas neighbors have done little thus far to conserve water. Opponents of the reservoir see no reason for the building of a vast new impoundment of water in Northeast Texas to feed the unquenchable thirst of a neighboring region unwilling to curb its profligate use of water. There is no justification, they say, for a project that would have such a devastating impact on the environment and way of life of Northeast Texas just to water St. Augustine grass lawns in Dallas, Fort Worth, and their suburbs. Moving Forward The united opposition to the reservoir is beginning to make a difference. Local elected officials who have been sitting on the fence or speaking positively about the project are starting to express their opposition. Media coverage is building. Members of the Region C Water Planning Group have shown a willingness to take a closer look at their plan’s reliance on the proposed reservoir. Opposition to the reservoir on the Region D Water Planning Group has grown. The effort to defeat the reservoir is far from over, but the grassroots opposition is making its power felt. Photo courtesy of Justin Murrill
Lone Star Sierran Fall 2002 5 Water for People and the Environment Second Round of Regional Water Conferences Set for the Fall How do we get the water we need at a price we can afford How do we get serious about water conservation How much water is being wasted through leaks in our water lines How does water conservation protect fish and wildlife Are we overbuilding water projects to respond to droughts Is water reuse the answer to our problem or does it cause problems Is desalination the way to meet future water needs What are the energy and environmental costs of desal What are the current and emerging conflicts over water supplies What’s the latest on regional and state water planning Answers If you want the answers to these questions, plan to attend one or more of the following four regional water conferences to be conducted by the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club this fall: Feature Houston (Southeast TX Region) September 28, 2002 University Hilton – UH Main Campus Dallas (North TX Region) October 5, 2002 Downtown Public Library San Marcos (South Central TX) October 12, 2002 Southwest Texas State University Mercedes (South TX Region) October 26, 2002 Biblioteca Las Americas The conferences are sponsored by the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Clubin partnership with Environmental Defense, National Wildlife Federation, Texas Center for Policy Studies, Texas Committee on Natural Resources, & other organizations. Support for the conferences has been provided by The Houston Endowment, Inc.; The Meadows Foundation; The Brown Foundation, Inc.; and The Jacob and Terese Hershey Foundation as part of the Texas Living Waters Project. Last year’s conferences were a resounding success with approximately 400 people attending one or more of the conferences. This year’s round of conferences should prove to be equally informative and motivating. Cost of the conference (including lunch and materials is only $15 per person. A registration form accompanies this announcement. For more information check out: www.texas.sierraclub.org or contact the Lone Star Chapter office at 512-477-1729 or lonestar.chapter @sierraclub.org. “WATER FOR PEOPLE & THE ENVIRONMENT” Regional Conferences on the Water Future of Texas Registration Form: Name__________________________________ Address________________________________ City/State/Zip Code_______________________ Phone (including Area Code)_______________ E-Mail Address__________________________ Please register ____ person(s) for the following regional conference(s). ____ Houston – September 28 (reg. deadline: Sept. 24) ____ Dallas - October 5 (reg. deadline: Oct. 1) ____ San Marcos - October 12 (reg. deadline Oct. 8) ____ Mercedes - October 26 (reg. deadline Oct. 22) I/we (specify number: _____) prefer a vegetarian lunch. Enclosed is a check for $_____ ($15 per person per conference). Make check payable to “Lone Star Chapter, Sierra Club.” Charge my credit card for $_____ Expiration Date: __________. Type of card: _____ Master Card _____ VISA Card # _______________________ Signature: ______________________________ Return form & payment to: Lone Star Chapter, Sierra Club ATTN: Regional Water Conferences P. O. Box 1931 Austin, TX 78767
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Fall 2002 - Lone Star Chapter, Sierra Club

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