“Texas” and “border”.

When most people hear these words in conjunction, they typically think of the Lone Star State’s southern border, shared with Mexico.

But this time, the border in question is the one we share with our neighbor to the north: Oklahoma.

While 1.34 acres may not seem like much, it’s the crux of the redrawing of the TX-OK border… all in an effort to secure a pump station that provides water for more than 2 million Texans. 

The story of the pump station, owned by the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD), started nearly fifteen years ago, all due to the discovery of certain unexpected guests within the station: zebra mussels.

Zebra mussels, according to the National Park Service, are an invasive species of shellfish, originally native to water bodies in southeastern Europe, later discovered near the Great Lakes, and now prevalent across the western United States. Spread through the transport of water, such as in boats that haven’t been appropriately cleaned or drained, zebra mussels have become a growing concern, wreaking environmental havoc and devastating food webs.

In an effort to curb the proliferation of zebra mussels, the federal government implemented a law making it illegal to transport this invasive species across states, known as the Lacey Act. Since the NTMWD’s pump station was situated precisely on the border between Texas and Oklahoma, the discovery of zebra mussels caused the station to inadvertently violate federal law.

In 2014, lawmakers sought an exception to the act from Congress, which allowed the resumption of water pumping from Lake Texoma by the NTMWD. Yet, the station continued to be situated, at least partially, in Oklahoma.

But with the redrawing of the TX-OK border, the pump station is now finally completely located in Texas, putting it back in accordance with the Lacey Act and further securing a crucial water source for North Texans.

Beyond the new border, the agreement that led to this redrawing had one more result: a $10 million sum paid to Oklahoma by the NTMWD for future water-related projects, as well as an additional $300,000 to compensate for the cost of surveying, legal fees, etc.

So what does this new border mean for Texans?

In reality, not much.

First and foremost, the redrawing of the border does not mean a gain or loss in land for both Oklahoma or Texas. Instead, it’s merely a swap of 1.34 acres, which, for reference, is almost negligibly bigger than a football field.

Second, the land upon which the NTMWD pump station is situated isn’t even actually owned by either state; instead, it falls under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who are also responsible for Lake Texoma, the source of water in the pump station, as a whole.

In addition, the formerly Texan land gained by Oklahoma is completely underwater and the exchange of land is projected to not impact the ownership or rights, whether they be those of the states or Native American nations in the area, to the land in the area in any form or fashion.

So, for all intents and purposes, the redrawing of the TX-OK border has no real impact on both Texans and Oklahoma residents, beyond further securing the rights to the NTMWD pump station and the water it comes with that quenches the thirst of countless Texans.

“We’re pleased we’ve reached an agreement with our partners in Oklahoma ensuring continued use of our Lake Texoma pump station to provide water to our rapidly growing service area,” executive director and general manager of North Texas water district Jenna Covington said in a news release referenced in a Dallas Morning News article. “This agreement secures a vital water supply for the region, as Lake Texoma accounts for approximately 20% of NTMWD’s permitted water supplies that serve more than 2 million North Texans.”