Watershed Protection

A watershed is the land area that water flows through or under on its way to a stream, river, lake, ocean or other body of water.

Healthy watersheds help reduce erosion and act as a filter to capture sediment and pollutants before they enter water bodies. Maintaining healthy watersheds is vital for the protection of lakes and drinking water sources, including Bois d’Arc Lake.

Bois d’Arc Lake’s primary purposes are to provide drinking water to over two million people in North Texas communities served by NTMWD and support a healthy ecosystem. Protecting water quality is important to preserving both these uses, especially as changes in land use and development occur in the watershed and recreational activities on the lake increase over time.

Our watershed protection team is working closely with the public, local governments and partner agencies to identify and implement measures that will protect and improve Bois d’Arc Lake’s water quality. We are also managing the watershed carefully to maintain healthy habitats for plants, fish and animals, and ensure recreational use does not compromise the ecosystem.

  • Watershed Protection vs. Shoreline Management

    NTMWD has also created a Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) to protect the lake’s drinking water while allowing for recreation. This plan will work together with the WPP to protect water quality. The primary differences are that the WPP is a voluntary, non-regulatory plan involving everyone in the lake’s watershed, while the SMP’s purpose is to regulate uses of NTMWD property along the shoreline by current and future private property owners.