Bois d’Arc Lake Water Supply Program Receives National Attention in APWA Reporter Magazine

APWA Reporter features North Texas Municipal Water District’s new $1.6 billion Bois d’Arc Lake water supply program in the magazine’s February 2024 issue on water use, reuse and wastewater solutions.

The program started providing water for more than two million North Texans in one of the nation’s fastest-growing areas in spring 2023, ahead of one of the hottest and driest summers on record.

The American Public Works Association publishes APWA Reporter monthly.

Freese and Nichols Chief Operating Officer Jeff Payne and Program Management Group Manager Adam Payne teamed with Cesar Baptista, NTMWD’s Deputy Director for Engineering and Capital Improvements to author the article. Our firm has partnered with the district since the beginning of their two-decade journey to deliver the Bois d’Arc Lake program, with numerous groups playing key roles, including: Water Resource Design, Environmental Science, Integrated Water Resource Planning, Transmission and Utilities and Program and Construction Management.

Extensive collaboration across the program involved district staff, designers, environmental scientists, structural engineers, construction contractors, and public agencies and officials and other stakeholders. Construction of 12 different projects (plus associated utility relocations) using construction managers at risk and a full-service provider took place simultaneously in 2018-2023.

Freese and Nichols oversaw the program and construction management and inspection and handled several other aspects, including:

  • Design of the dam, raw water and high service pump stations and terminal storage reservoir
  • Conceptual engineering and route location for 60 miles of pipelines; final design of a 12-mile raw water pipeline segment
  • Key permitting activities, including initial design of the environmental mitigation plan covering more than 17,000 acres

In 2023, the Bois d’Arc Lake water supply program received a Project of the Year Award from the APWA Texas Chapter.

To learn more, read the full article on the APWA website: Delivering a $1.6 billion new water source for two million people.

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