Texas Redraws Its Border to Solve Water Issue
Texas has officially redrawn its northern boundary with Oklahoma to address a water supply issue affecting northern Texans, as announced by the Texas General Land Office. The change involves a small land exchange of only 1.34 acres that ensures a water pumping station, located near Lake Texoma, remains within Texas borders. This issue has its roots in a discovery of zebra mussels, an invasive species, which prompted questions about the legal operation of the pump station.
Initially built in Texas, the pump station was inadvertently affected when a new boundary was drawn in 2000, placing part of it in Oklahoma and potentially violating federal laws against the interstate transport of zebra mussels. In response to these complications, Texas proposed a boundary amendment in 2021. This was finalized on October 30, 2024, ensuring that the pump station is now entirely within Texas, thereby securing approximately 30% of the drinking water supply for over two million people in northern Texas.
As part of the resolution, the North Texas Municipal Water District will also remit $10 million to the Oklahoma State Treasurer. The land is ultimately controlled by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, which oversees Lake Texoma. State officials expressed gratitude for the resolution, highlighting its importance for future water supply stability.
After years of back-and-forth with Oklahoma, Texas finally redrew its northern borderline to solve a tricky water dilemma, the Texas General Land Office announced in a Thursday news release.
Neither state grew larger or smaller, however, as they only exchanged a sliver of land amounting to 1.34 acres, according to the North Texas Municipal Water District.
Although this particular border issue goes back decades, the ball really started rolling in August 2009, after a discovery in Lake Texoma, a border lake in which Texas operates a water pump station.
The North Texas Municipal Water District discovered zebra mussels, an invasive species.
Suspending the operation of the pump station to prevent further spread of the mussels raised a question with a complex answer: Was the station located in Texas or Oklahoma?
If located in Oklahoma, operation of the pump would violate federal law that prohibits the interstate transport of zebra mussels.
Further investigation revealed that the pump was within Texas borders when it was built in 1989. But in 2000, Texas and Oklahoma drew a new line along the south bank of the Red River, making part of the station within Oklahoma, according to The Texas Tribune.
As a solution, Texas sent Oklahoma a proposal in 2021 for a new boundary.
On Oct. 30, the Red River Boundary Commission executed the Amended and Restated Texoma Area Boundary Agreement, correcting the border issue and ensuring the pump station was located wholly in Texas, the GLO news release said.
“As Texas Land Commissioner, it is my honor to work on behalf of all Texans and bring solutions to the table to benefit our great state,” said Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham.
“This redrawn boundary line will ensure that millions of north Texans’ water comes from a secure source in Texas,” she said.
Today, Commissioner Buckingham is pleased to announce that the Red River Boundary Commission, with the help of the @TXGLO‘s surveying team, has redrawn the Texas-Oklahoma boundary under Lake Texoma in north Texas.
This redrawn state boundary will ensure the security and… pic.twitter.com/gqgE9ORYjA
— Texas General Land Office (@TXGLO) November 7, 2024
The newly redrawn boundary would ensure the security and availability of about 30 percent of the drinking water supply for more than 2 million people in northern Texas, according to the GLO.
“One of the top priorities for the NTMWD Board of Directors is to ensure our growing region has sufficient water supplies,” said NTMWD Board Member Marvin Fuller.
“Achieving an agreement on this matter is a key part of our long-range water supply plan. We’re thankful to bring this issue to a resolution.”
As part of the agreement, the NTMWD will remit $10 million to the Oklahoma State Treasurer, according to an NTMWD news release.
Technically, neither state owns the land. Instead, it is controlled by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the agency responsible for Lake Texoma, the NTMWD release said.
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