Due to water concerns in Mineral Wells and surrounding areas, the water district has proposed a second lake behind Palo Pinto Lake. The water district secured a $200 million loan for the project and has purchased all of the land that will be flooded by the lake. They have done engineering studies, cultural artifact studies, and appear to have begun construction in the dam area. However, they never signed an agreement with TXDOT to flood the state highway and therefore the project has temporarily been paused. They managed to already spend $30 million and have no right to actual flood the ground, and no viable solution to an alternative path according to text dot. They did all the work based on a drafted MOU in 2016 that was never confirmed or signed….

And to make matters worse, beginning in 2023 water rates in Mineral Wells have increased 147% to pay for this project that they can’t actually complete.

What a cluster…

You see this more and more. Things are moving so fast these days that the I's and T's aren't being properly dotted and crossed. 'Haste makes waste', a tale as old as time.

I wonder what the plan was for FM4, that's great scenic drive.

Some of my old books from water treatment classes that discussed water development in Texas listed this as a proposed project in the 60s/70s if I remember correctly. They should have broken ground back then, would have cost significantly less moneys and less regulations at the time.

I live about 10 miles from 4 and frequently drive from Palo pinto to Santo on it, they already cleared all the vegetation off of the cliff on the west side of 4. Looks totally different, you should make the drive up 4 this spring and enjoy the colors while you can.

Also besides the hiway , there is a large electric transmission line that I believe would have to be moved, not to mention all the coop distribution lines back there.

Yep and I wonder who is going to get a whooping for that oversight?

Pretty decent explanation of it

https://www.weatherforddemocrat.com...b065618-fad7-11ef-b049-379567e41d2e.html

Copy and paste article so we don`t have to pay to read it.

Doesn't get more .gov than that.

I'm convinced over regulation by elected folks, who believe they are far smarter than the folks they represent, will be a big reason this country fails in the future...sadly.