We, the undersigned, oppose the proposal to lower Lake Whitney’s conservation pool to 512 feet under Tentatively Selected Plan #6 (TSP #6), which would reallocate more than 242,000 acre-feet of water from Lake Whitney to the Brazos River Authority (BRA). Currently, BRA has rights to about 57,000 acre-feet of storage in Lake Whitney—but this plan would give them more than four times that amount, expanding their control to 242,000 acre-feet. While BRA could choose to sell this massive increase in water to private companies in the future, large-scale users such as data centers—including proposals like the DFW10 project—have been discussed as potential beneficiaries. Facilities of that size can require millions of gallons of water per day for decades, raising the risk of long-term depletion of a public resource.

Lowering the lake to 512 feet would have devastating and permanent consequences for our communities and the entire Brazos River Basin:

• Boat ramps and marinas would become unusable
• Fish and wildlife habitats—including bald eagle nesting sites—would be destroyed
• Property values would plummet
• Tourism and 1.5 million annual visitors would vanish
• The ecological balance of the region would be disrupted
• Drought vulnerability would increase, with lower water quality and higher flood risk downstream
• Local businesses and economies would be devastated
   

All this to convert a public water source into an industrial utility, prioritizing private profit over public good—without meaningful input from local residents.

We demand:

• Complete transparency from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and BRA
• Independent environmental and hydrological impact studies
• Genuine community engagement before any final decision
   

This plan undermines Congressionally authorized uses of Lake Whitney—recreation, ecology, and flood protection—while failing to comply with federal law (Public Law 85-500 and NEPA) due to insufficient transparency, public review, and environmental study. Handing over billions of gallons of public water to private interests would be an irreversible decision with devastating impacts.

For $100 million in BRA payments, USACE risks destroying Lake Whitney—crippling tourism, harming wildlife, lowering property values, and even jeopardizing hydropower generation at Whitney Dam. Smarter alternatives exist: repairing aging water infrastructure, expanding conservation and recycling, investing in drought-resilient technologies, or building new off-channel reservoirs. These solutions would strengthen Texas’ water future without sacrificing Lake Whitney.

Lake Whitney belongs to the people—not institutional investors. We call on decision-makers to suspend this plan, conduct a full environmental review, and ensure Congressional oversight before any further action is taken.

Please join us in protecting our water, our economy, and our future. Sign this petition to stop the reallocation of Lake Whitney’s water storage.