Titus County Fresh Water Supply District Number 1 (TCFWSD or the District) owns and operates Lake Bob Sandlin and the Fort Sherman Dam. The TCFWSD Board of Directors named the dam Fort Sherman Dam to commemorate the fort built in 1839 near where Texas Farm to Market Highway 21 crosses Cypress Creek. They named the reservoir Lake Cherokee Trail since the trail used by the Cherokee Indians to travel back and forth from the Nacogdoches area to Oklahoma crosses the lake where F.M. Highway 21 now crosses. However, the Board later changed the reservoir's name to Lake Bob Sandlin to honor Board member Bob M. Sandlin who worked for many years to make the lake a reality.
Lake Bob Sandlin furnishes water for domestic and industrial use. The general public is permitted to use the lake for recreation, but no life guards are present and all activities on the lake are at the sole risk of the person indulging in them, whether with or without a District permit. The lake is remarkably free of any pollution and the District recognizes its responsibility to those who use and enjoy the lake to prevent any future pollution. In consideration of contractual agreements to supply raw water to Mt. Pleasant, Pittsburg, and TXU Corporation, which made lake financing possible, the District recognizes its responsibility to maintain and operate the lake as efficiently as possible and to do everything necessary to provide for maintaining an adequate supply of high quality raw water.
On February 19, 1966, Titus County voters authorized the creation of Titus County Fresh Water Supply District No. 1 under the provisions of Chapter 4, Title 128, RCS of Texas and acts 1967, 60th Legislature, regular session, Chapter 221, the District boundaries being the same as that of Titus County. In the same election, voters elected Bob M. Sandlin, A. C. Anderson, Harold Smith, John F. Cook and Buck Self as the District's first Board of Directors. Lake supervision and operation is overseen by the District's Executive Director. The Board of Directors appointed John W. Mason as the District's first Executive Director.
In another county-wide election on August 9, 1966, Titus County voters authorized issuance of $2,225,000 in tax and revenue bonds for construction of a lake on Big Cypress Creek. On May 13, 1974, the Texas Water Rights Commission entered an order changing the District to a municipal utility district. District powers and authorities are granted under Chapter 54 of the Texas Water Code.
The overall cost of the project was estimated at $28,000,000. Titus County Fresh Water Supply District No. 1, in conjunction with the Texas Water Development Board, built the lake and dam. The Texas Water Development Board was an original co-owner of the lake, having furnished approximately 60% of the finances. Land acquisition began in 1973, dam construction began in 1974, and the lake completed filling in 1980. The spillway level is 337.5 feet above mean sea level, and the District owns fee simple title to all lands to this elevation. The District owns an additional easement in 100 feet outside the 337.5 mean sea level contour or to 342 feet above mean sea level, whichever is greater. The District administrative office, Security and Safety Department office, public restrooms, boat ramps, and camping areas are located in the recreation area at the north end of the dam.
The District later purchased the Texas Water Development Board's portion and now owns the entire project. The District owns all of the property required for the administration building, appurtenances, shop, dam, spillway, outlet works, the lake proper, and necessary protective areas surrounding the lake. Stringent rules apply to the use and disposal of all lands owned by the District. No fee simple property owned by the District can be sold or leased for private, public or commercial use so long as the property is required for present or future uses of the District, and none of the District's fee simple property can be used for any purpose other than District uses without the express consent of the District. No property owned by the District can be disposed of unless the Board of Directors determines the property to be surplus to any use by the authority and a written statement from the District's Engineer to the effect that the sale or transfer of the property will not in any manner affect the efficient operation of the District must be obtained before the property can be sold. If any real estate is deemed surplus, it will be offered for sale to those from whom the District purchased it, if such is permitted by law, and the sale price in such event will be what the District paid for the land plus its additional cost for surveying, appraisal, legal and recording fees. If the law does not permit the sale of land to the previous owners, or if the previous owners do not wish to purchase the land if permitted, then the land will be sold in the manner required by law for the sale of public lands.
The City of Mt. Pleasant and TXU Corporation (formerly Industrial Generating Company and Texas Utilities) contracted to purchase water from the lake, and those contracts were important to getting the lake built. The City of Pittsburg is permitted to take water from the lake under an agreement between District and Northeast Texas Municipal Water District.
The District has no taxing powers for maintenance and operation. Maintenance and operation must be paid for out of revenues from the water sales. Certain provisions were made for maintenance and operation funds in the bond indentures of the City of Mt. Pleasant and TXU Corporation, but the Board of Directors, felt that these were not sufficient and established certain fees, charges and rentals for lake use in order to provide additional revenues. The additional funds are used to provide maintenance personnel, equipment, notices and publications necessary for the lake's operation and maintenance.
On September 13, 1976, the Board of Directors also adopted rules and regulations to secure, preserve and maintain the sanitary condition and chemical quality of the waters in and flowing into the reservoir; prevent waste and unauthorized use of water; control hunting, fishing, boating and camping, and other recreational and business privileges along or around the reservoir; and regulate privileges on any land or easement owned or controlled by the District.
Lake rules and regulations are enforced by the Security and Safety Department, which operates under the Executive Director's direction, and are also enforced by authorized local and State officers. The lake patrolmen are peace officers who are authorized to make arrests if necessary to prevent or abate the commission of any offense against the rules and regulations of the District or Texas laws when the offense occurs on any land, waters or easement owned or controlled by the District.
