Fannin County, Texas -- Texas Water Development Board Executive Administrator Jeff Walker may have said it best when he quipped that Fannin County is getting close to Minnesota's claim of being the "Land of 10,000 Lakes."

Only three years after breaking ground on the first major reservoir to be built in Texas in almost 30 years -- Bois d'Arc Lake -- the dirt flew again June 16, 2021 as Upper Trinity Regional Water District held a formal groundbreaking ceremony for Lake Ralph Hall. Both of Texas' newest reservoirs are in Fannin County.

June 16 also marked the 32nd birthday of the formation of Upper Trinity Regional Water District in 1989. Its service area includes all of Denton County, plus limited portions of Collin and Dallas counties where it provides services to all or parts of more than 30 different cities, towns and utilities.

The 7,600-acre Lake Ralph Hall will provide up to 54 million gallons per day of water for some 29 communities in Denton and Collin counties and the lake is named after the late Congressman Ralph Hall. Located north of the City of Ladonia on the North Sulphur River in southeast Fannin County, the reservoir is scheduled to begin delivering water by 2026.

Components of the $490 million project include constructing a reservoir that can store 180,000 acre-feet of water, a dam, a 2.5 mile State Highway 34 bridge (1.1 miles over the lake that will accommodate pedestrians and cars), a raw water pump station, a 32-mile raw water pipeline, a balancing reservoir, an operation/maintenance facility, and improvements and upgrades to state and county roads.

Larry Patterson, Executive Director of Upper Trinity Regional Water District, summed up the project that was decades in the making by saying, "We came together, we stayed together and we worked together."

Larry Patterson

Mr. Patterson recognized the contribution of two former mayors of Ladonia, the late Leon Hurse -- "He believed in this lake..." -- and the late Doug Franklin -- "He was the epitome of a servant leader. His fingerprints are embedded in this project."

Patterson also expressed his gratitude to the current mayor of Ladonia, Jan Cooper, for her dedication to this project.

Patterson recalled the advice of former Upper Trinity Regional Water District Executive Director Tom Taylor who always said, "If you believe you can do something, you are halfway there."

With that, dignitaries gathered for photos as a dump truck unloaded the first dirt for what will one day be Leon Hurse Dam.

Board members and staff of Upper Trinity Regional Water District pose with construction managers at the future site of Lake Ralph Hall. photo by Upper Trinity Regional Water District

Presentation of the Colors was performed by members of Fannindel FFA.

At the end of the groundbreaking ceremony, representatives of entities that came together to develop this project were asked to assemble a puzzle that was symbolic of the partnerships required on a project of this scale. Tom Taylor, former Executive Director of Upper Trinity Regional Water District, had the honor of placing the first piece of the puzzle.

Brooke Paup, chairman of the Texas Water Development Board, assembles a piece of the puzzle as Texas Water Development Board Executive Administrator Jeff Walker looks on.

Ladonia Mayor Jan Cooper adds to the puzzle.

Brett Hall, a member of the family of Congressman Ralph Hall, contributes to the puzzle.

Fannin County Judge Randy Moore reaches for a piece of the puzzle.

(L-R) Denton County Commissioner Bobbie Mitchell, Denton County Judge Andy Eads and Denton County Commissioner Ron Marchant

Larry Patterson, Executive Director of Upper Trinity Regional Water District, plugs in the final piece of the puzzle. photo by Upper Trinity Regional Water District

Members of the family of Leon Hurse (left) and members of the family of Congressman Ralph Hall (right) stand beside the completed puzzle. photo by Upper Trinity Regional Water District