March 2025

Celebrating A Pipeline Milestone

The final section of Lake Ralph Hall’s 32-mile water delivery pipeline nears completion, marking a significant milestone for the lake project. Last month, Upper Trinity board members and staff, engineers, contractors, and local city and county officials celebrated the extensive collaboration that made this accomplishment possible. The event featured remarks by key project partners, and all participants were invited to sign a commemorative piece of pipe for future display.

As Construction Manager at Risk for the pipeline, Garney Construction worked with five other engineering, construction and consulting firms and 11 contractors to lay 3,400 pipe sections.

“This project reflects teamwork and coordination at every stage,” said Garney Area Manager Andrew Beck. “We were coordinating daily with the other engineering, construction and consulting companies on both pumped and gravity-flow segments of the pipeline, tunnels under roads or other pipes and lines, a new balancing reservoir and control station, as well as a new pump station being managed and built by Archer Western.”

Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) led the pipeline’s design, collaborating with Black & Veatch Corporation, Jacobs Engineering Group and Freese & Nichols. AMERICAN SpiralWeld Pipe produced the spiral-welded steel pipes, and AR Consultants, Inc. assisted with cultural resources. Garney also worked closely with Hunt County and Fannin County commissioners, fostering strong local partnerships.

The pipeline will be fully completed by December 2025, moving Lake Ralph Hall closer to providing long-term water supplies for North Texas.

Temporary Ladonia Fossil Park Closed
& Permanent Park Underway

The temporary Ladonia Fossil Park was permanently closed on March 3. The planned closure was necessary to protect the public as construction on the Leon Hurse Dam continues: Water is backing up in the North Sulphur River channel, causing the temporary park to be inaccessible. In addition, construction crews will soon begin clearing land near the temporary park.

“We understand how important the Ladonia Fossil Park is to the local community and fossil enthusiasts,” said Upper Trinity’s Executive Director Larry N. Patterson. “Safety remains our top priority, and we appreciate the public’s patience as we work to build a new, permanent fossil park with access downstream of the Leon Hurse Dam.”

Upper Trinity is coordinating with the City of Ladonia and the Ladonia Chamber of Commerce to open a new fossil park on FM 904 this fall (2025). The permanent park will have a parking lot, easy access to the riverbed and additional amenities. Upper Trinity will share more about the new park as its opening approaches.