The Brazos River Authority’s fourth reservoir is moving closer to fruition after gaining momentum in 2025.
Last year marked the completion of a wide range of critical technical, environmental, and key site-specific activities necessary to apply for federal permits for the BRA’s proposed Allens Creek Reservoir. According to Rachel Lane, BRA Program Manager, these included environmental and cultural resource investigations, detailed soil and geotechnical characterization, and other essential technical assessments of the proposed project site.
The proposed Allens Creek Reservoir is a pumped-storage water-supply reservoir designed to capture excess water during high-flow periods to make more water available during drought while contributing to a more sustainable water future for the basin. This proposed reservoir is strategically located in the lower Brazos River Basin closer to some of the organization's largest users. Providing a new water source in the lower basin reduces the need for releases from upstream reservoirs, such as Possum Kingdom Lake.
“Right now, there's a lot of positive momentum with the project, and we're determined to keep it moving forward,” said Jon King, BRA Chief Strategic Officer. “Things are happening, and it's exciting to see it all come together. For me, this project is easy to get behind. It's full of purpose. It will benefit our basin for generations to come. There's just a lot of upsides to it. It's really one of those projects you can look back on over your career and really be proud of.”
With only three reservoirs in the BRA's Water Supply System being located on the Brazos River itself (lakes Possum Kingdom, Granbury, and Whitney), at times, there are millions of gallons of water that travel the length of the river in excess of environmental needs that are uncaptured, flowing into the Gulf of America unused. The proposed Allens Creek Reservoir will help capture water that would otherwise be lost, further enhancing the water supply options for the entire basin.
All the completed work done in 2025 represents a critical milestone, as the data collected will form the basis of permit documentation, environmental analyses, and impact evaluations required under applicable regulatory frameworks, Lane said.
“By completing this work early, the project team has reduced uncertainty, identified potential constraints, and positioned the project to address permitting considerations proactively. This early investment in rigorous data collection and analysis enhances regulatory readiness, supports efficient review processes, and represents a meaningful and positive step forward for a project of this scale and complexity,” she said.
The new reservoir will not dam the Brazos River as lakes Possum Kingdom and Granbury. Allens Creek is different. It will be constructed just off the Brazos River near Allens Creek, a small tributary of the Brazos. It will then be filled and refilled by an intake structure located near the river.
You can’t have growth without water, and Texas is booming.
“We can all see the growth that continues in Texas, and with this growth comes an increase in demand for water,” King said. “You really can't have one without the other. And if you look at the latest regional water plan, our basin alone is projected to nearly double in size by 2080. That will put us around 10,000,000 residents by that time. And that's more than a few new faces around town. The big takeaway here is that water doesn't magically show up just because people move here. It takes being intentional today in preparation for tomorrow.”
Allens Creek Reservoir will help make the basin more drought-resilient.
The BRA owns the property in Austin County, north of the city of Wallis, that will house the proposed embankment dam, impoundment, and associated flowage easements, outlet control structure, spillway, and administrative facilities. In Texas, to build a reservoir, generally you must have three things: the property, the water right permit, and a 404 permit from the federal government's U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The BRA has already secured the first two requirements and is working to acquire the appropriate permits before construction begins.
The permitting and design process will involve evaluation of all aspects of the project and any potential impacts that it will have on flooding, the environment, cultural and historical resources. Negative impacts that are identified through this process will be mitigated, or the project configuration will be adapted to avoid or minimize the impacts. Public involvement will be a part of the process.
Those in the area of the proposed reservoir might see BRA trucks or employees. But hopefully, by the end of this year, the BRA will also have an office at that site, Lane said.
“Everything that we're doing and all that we've done up to this point is helping define our permitting path for the project,” King said. “And getting that path right depends on having this good information from the start. That's what really sets the foundation for a smoother process and a successful project overall.”
If you’d like to learn more about the Allens Creek Reservoir project, check out our new podcast with more from Rachel Lane, Jon King and our host, Charlie Shugart, here, or find it on Amazon, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.