Turkey Peak Funding Gets Next Green Light

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Turkey Peak Funding Gets Next Green Light

April 16

10:03 2024

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Water District Moves Forward in Funding Reservoir Project

By Amy Bearden

Mineral Wells Area News

Palo Pinto Municipal Water District #1 General Manager Howard Huffman might have a pep in his step at tonight’s regular City Council meeting.

The Texas Water Development Board has approved a pre-application for the Water District to apply for funding for the construction of Turkey Peak Reservoir.

In a letter dated April 11th to Huffman from the TWDB, the State agency indicates the District has been given permission to complete the full application for up to $200 million dollars in low interest loans from SWIFT funds to construct Turkey Peak Reservoir.

We are pleased to extend the Palo Pinto Co MWD # 1 an invitation to submit a complete application for financial assistance through the SWIFT program. All applicants have 30 days to submit their applications. The deadline for receipt of the complete application is 5:00pm, Central Daylight Time, on Monday, May 13, 2024. The invited amount and type of SWIFT funding eligible to be included in the application is summarized below. This prioritization approval does not constitute a funding commitment, but indicates that the SWIFT program is estimated to have sufficient capacity for the project, contingent on the financial and technical review of the complete application.
Invitation Amount and Type of Funding:
Total: $200,000,000 Low-Interest Loan
2024: $60,000,000
2025: $100,000,000
2026: $40,000,000
Texas Water Development Board

Huffman indicated at the last Council meeting that the pre-application had been submitted to TWDB and they were just awaiting notification. He said this was just one of the many hoops to jump through to get the “funding” ball rolling but this letter should build confidence that his organization is doing what they were tasked to do.

“This is not an approval, but this is showing that my team is doing their job and we have been moved to the next stage of the SWIFT process,” said Huffman.

Huffman and his staff have taken a ton of criticism over unwarranted accusations of fund mismanagement and a lengthy permitting process.

Turkey Peak Reservoir has been on the State Water Plan since 2008 and the District received the Federal 404 permit in 2018 for the construction. Dam design is completed and land acquisition is at 95% according to the District and expected to be final in June. The general contractor for the project is expected to be hired this summer with construction set to begin in 2025 and a completion time frame of sometime in 2028.

***More information regarding Turkev Peak Reservoir***

The reservoir is expected to more than double the storage capacity for the City of Mineral Wells and could bring water security to the region for about 50 years.

Tonight the City Council meeting will begin at 6pm and as usual, public comments are allowed on any published agenda item.