The Fourth Court of Appeals has sided with the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA) in a legal battle with lake property owners.
The court recently found property owners had no legal standing to sue the authority over property improvement losses after spill gates on two of its dams collapsed in recent years.
Lakes Wood and Dunlap were drained by collapsed spill gates, and then the GBRA lowered water levels on its other lakes out of fears similar spill gates on those dams would collapse, too.
Plaintiffs Attorney Doug Sutter plans to appeal the decision. He said the GBRA licensed those improvements, like docks and boat houses.
"Those improvements would not have been there without the GBRA issuing irrevocable license for those improvements and without water those improvements are worthless," said Sutter.
The GBRA said it's working with lake property owners on a way forward.
“We are pleased with today’s timely and decisive decision from the Court of Appeals,” said GBRA General Manager and CEO Kevin Patteson.
“The decision further demonstrates that cooperation and collaboration is the path forward for the Guadalupe Valley Lakes. The collective effort continues to yield results: Construction is underway on the Lake Dunlap dam with Lake McQueeney and Lake Placid to follow, thanks to the formation and voter confirmation of Water Control and Improvement Districts (WCIDs).”
The GBRA also operates a dam on Meadow Lake.
TPR was founded by and is supported by our community. If you value our commitment to the highest standards of responsible journalism and are able to do so, please consider making your gift of support today.
