10/10/2026
Water 💧rights are a hot topic in North Texas right now.
Have you been following this case over the years?
A significant victory for Texas landowners, private property rights, and the conservation of working lands.
Today, a Travis County district judge overturned the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality's approval of the water-right permit for the proposed Lake Ringgold reservoir in Clay County. The project threatened to flood more than 16,000 acres of productive agricultural land and wildlife habitat, including portions of the conserved Birdwell Clark Ranch.
Texas Agricultural Land Trust (TALT) holds a perpetual conservation easement on 11,800 acres of the Birdwell Clark Ranch, protecting its agricultural productivity, wildlife habitat, and natural resources for generations to come.
TALT was proud to stand alongside Deborah and Emry, fellow landowners, and partners in Austin today as the court considered this important case. Our commitment to landowners doesn't end when a conservation easement closes. It is a promise to stand beside them, defend the conservation values they've worked to protect, and help ensure their land remains intact for generations.
We congratulate the affected landowners on this important milestone and recognize their years of dedication and perseverance.