A Texas district judge has overturned the state water permit for the proposed Lake Ringgold reservoir in Clay County, TX, giving a victory to the ranchers and landowners who have spent years fighting the project.
On Oct. 9, Judge Maya Guerra Gamble reversed the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s (TCEQ) decision to approve the reservoir proposed by the city of Wichita Falls. The court’s order reverses the commission’s approval of the Water Use Permit. However, the two-page decision does not explain the judge’s reasoning or identify which arguments persuaded the court.
The ruling marks another setback for a project that has divided Wichita Falls officials and Clay County landowners over future water supplies, private property rights and the loss of productive ranchland.
Years of opposition
Plans for Lake Ringgold date back to 1958, but Wichita Falls renewed its interest following the severe drought from 2011-15, when existing reservoirs reached historically low levels.
The city submitted its permit application in 2017, proposing a 275,000-acre-foot reservoir on the Little Wichita River, downstream from Kickapoo and Arrowhead lakes. The reservoir would cover approximately 15,500 acres of surface area, with additional land affected by the project. Wichita Falls sought authorization to divert up to 65,000 acre-feet annually for municipal, industrial, agricultural and mining purposes.
City officials argued the reservoir was needed to ensure a reliable water supply during future droughts. According to the administrative record, Wichita Falls provides water to approximately 70% of the population in the Region B water planning area.
However, landowners questioned whether the city’s projected water needs justified the reservoir’s size and the permanent loss of ranchland.
Following a case hearing in August 2023, State Office of Administrative Hearings Judge Christiaan Siano recommended denying the permit in December 2023.
Siano acknowledged the city’s serious drought concerns but found its conservation and water reuse efforts had substantially reduced projected demand. He concluded the city failed to demonstrate that the requested amount was necessary and reasonable. Siano also found deficiencies in how the application specified water quantities for its proposed uses.
Siano again denied the permit in February 2024, stating that city officials did not adequately address the concerns in the original denial.
Despite that recommendation, TCEQ commissioners approved the permit in 2024, prompting landowners and conservation organizations to seek judicial review.
The landowners and the Texas Conservation Alliance (TCA) filed a petition in the district court in September 2025 to overturn the permit.
Landowners welcome ruling
TCA called the decision a victory for private property rights, conservation and responsible water planning.
“This is a big win for property rights, conservation, and thoughtful water planning based on common sense,” said TCA Executive Director Grahame Jones.
Jones credited landowners for standing up for their homes, ranches and communities throughout the lengthy permitting and legal process.
TCA argued the reservoir would destroy native tallgrass prairie, wildlife habitat and working ranches along the Little Wichita River. The organization also questioned whether the city had adequately evaluated alternatives and demonstrated a need for the project.
Texas Farm Bureau (TFB), which adopted statewide policy opposing Lake Ringgold in 2024, also welcomed the ruling.
“Farmers and ranchers should not have to sacrifice their land and livelihoods for a project that cannot be justified,” said Jay Bragg, TFB associate director of commodity and regulatory activities.
Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) President Stephen Diebel called the decision an important milestone in protecting agricultural land and natural resources.
Diebel said TSCRA would continue advocating for private property rights and the resources that sustain Texas ranching operations.
City’s next steps
Wichita Falls officials maintain Lake Ringgold remains important to the city’s long-term water security.
“Today’s step is just one of many along the path toward the ultimate permitting and construction of Lake Ringgold, and we remain mindful of the drought that necessitated this project in the first place,” said Public Works Director Russell Schreiber.
Mayor Tim Short told local news outlet KAUZ the city would consult legal counsel about an appeal. The city had 30 days from the ruling to pursue that option.
For now, the ruling leaves the reservoir’s future uncertain, while landowners who have fought the project for years remain determined to protect their property.
“It’s not over, but at this juncture, for two judges to agree that the data was not supportable and that the city did not prove the merits of their case, we feel very positive that this message can be taken out to landowners across the state of Texas,” Clay County landowner Deborah Clark said. — Charles Wallace, WLJ contributing editor
