Louisiana

Faimon Roberts: Selling water to Texas may be a good idea at some point. But not yet.

Published

9 months ago

October 12, 2025

Faimon Roberts: Selling water to Texas may be a good idea at some point. But not yet.

It’s not often that Louisiana balks at an offer to sell its natural resources for cash.

That’s why it’s a pleasant surprise to see two state legislators warn the Sabine River Authority that any attempt to sell water from the Toledo Bend Reservoir is a nonstarter. It’s even better that the two legislators, Rep. Brett Geymann, R-Lake Charles, and Sen. Bob Hensgens, R-Abbeville, chair committees that would need to bless any such sale.

For those who have not spent time on the bucolic, 186,000-acre, 65-mile-long reservoir located on Louisiana’s western border, let me explain. Toledo Bend was created when the Sabine River was dammed in the 1960s. It’s become extremely popular as a recreation and fishing spot for thousands from both Louisiana and Texas.

It’s governed jointly by Louisiana and Texas, through two different authorities, one on each side of the border. Water that flows through the dam on the reservoir’s southern end is used to generate hydroelectric power; each side has the authority to sell some of the water, though the proceeds must be split.

But for several years, there have been discussions about selling a portion of Louisiana’s share of the water to a company called Aqueduct Partners, which would pipe it to water-starved cities in Texas. Proponents argue that this sale could be done with little to no impact on lake levels and generate far more revenue than hydroelectric generation.

But the idea has drawn opposition from many locals, who argue that such a sale could cause water levels to drop and make the reservoir less amenable to recreation.

FAIMON ROBERTS_1.JPG (copy) — Faimon Roberts
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STAFF PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGER

Earlier this week, Geymann and Hensgens sent a letter to Louisiana’s Sabine River Authority, urging them to reject any proposed sale.

“We urge you to abandon these plans and safeguard the long-term interests of our people, economy and environment,” Geymann and Hensgens wrote. “Toledo Bend is vital to Louisiana residents, businesses and wildlife.”

They are right about that. But more important is something Hensgens told this newspaper’s David Mitchell.

“I just believe that in the next century, water is going to be the most important natural resource we’ve got, and it is Louisiana’s water. It belongs to the state taxpayers, and I just don’t believe we should be selling it,” Hensgens said.

Hensgens is absolutely right about this. Water is an increasingly valuable natural resource. Fortunately for Louisiana, the state is blessed with plenty of it both on the surface and under it. But there is little statewide impetus to take an accounting of just how much, despite increasing demands from industry, agriculture and, potentially, more data centers, which use a lot of water.

In other words, Louisiana is obviously water rich, but we have no idea exactly how rich we are. And until we know how much we have, we shouldn’t be selling what we do have, no matter how tempting the dollar signs dangled by rich Texans.

Thankfully, Geymann and Hensgens’ letter seems to indicate, at least for now, that no such deal will go forward.

It may be, at some point in the future, that selling Toledo Bend water is an idea that makes sense from a financial and resource-management perspective.

But that time has not yet come.

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Louisiana

Meta’s Louisiana Data Center to Surpass $250 Billion Price Tag

Published

11 hours ago

July 13, 2026

Press Room

Meta’s Louisiana Data Center to Surpass 0 Billion Price Tag

Meta Platforms Inc. has committed to spending an additional $40 billion on its sprawling data center campus in Louisiana, pushing its total expected investment beyond $250 billion for the site as it continues to grow its artificial intelligence computing footprint.

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Louisiana

DeRidder man found dead in Sabine River

Published

23 hours ago

July 12, 2026

Press Room

NEWTON COUNTY, Texas. (KPLC) – A DeRidder man reported missing was found dead in the Sabine River Sunday morning, according to the Newton County Sheriff’s Office.

Newton County Sheriff Colton Havard said Jordan Jamal Allen was located around 7:50 a.m. on July 12 with help from Texas Parks and Wildlife game wardens, the Beauregard Parish Sheriff’s Office, and 409 Search and Rescue.

Authorities say the body was recovered not far from where Allen went under Friday night near the U.S. 190 bridge east of Bon Wier at the Texas-Louisiana state line.

The sheriff said that Allen and a woman were said to be wading across the river Friday when the current began pulling the woman.

The sheriff said Allen tried to help her, but went under around 8:45 p.m. and wasn’t seen again. He said the woman made it back to land safely.

We will have more in this story as it develops.

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Louisiana

Check out the Outdoors calendar for fishing events

Published

1 day ago

July 12, 2026

Press Room

Check out the Outdoors calendar for fishing events

MONDAY

RED STICK FLY FISHERS PROGRAM: 7 p.m., Bluebonnet Regional Library, 9200 Bluebonnet Blvd., Baton Rouge. Open to the public. Email Brian Roberts: roberts.brian84@gmail.com. Website: rsff.org

WEDNESDAY

FLIES & FLIGHTS: 7-9 p.m, Rally Cap Brewing, 11212 Pennywood Ave., Baton Rouge. Casual fly tying. Open to public. Email Chris Williams: thefatfingeredflytyer@gmail.com

THURSDAY

ACADIANA FLY RODDERS PROGRAM: 6 p.m., Pack and Paddle, 601 E. Pinhook, Lafayette. Open to public. Email Darin Lee: at cbrsandcdc@gmail.com. Website: acadianaflyrodders.org

FRIENDS OF NRA/SOUTHWEST LA BANQUET: 6 p.m., Riverside Bar & Grill, 3748 Louisiana 3059, Lake Charles. Call Brack Cole 337-912-1620. Email: jbcoleair@yahoo.com

ONGOING

STATEWIDE TOURNAMENT & ANGLERS RODEO/S.T.A.R.: Through Sept. 7, Coastal Conservation Association’s summer-long fishing event. Tagged redfish, coastal/offshore species categories & youth division. CCA membership required. Website: ccalouisiana.com/star

LOTTERY HUNTS

DOVE/TEAL: July 27 application deadline for dove hunt on Elbow Slough Wildlife Management Area and teal hunt on White Lake Wetlands Conservation Area. Website applications only on Wildlife & Fisheries/Louisiana Outdoors License, Permits and Tags webpage. Fee $8.50. Details: dove hunt, David Hayden at dhayden@wlf.la.gov; teal hunt, Lance Ardoin at lardoin@wlf.la.gov

AROUND THE CORNER

JULY 21 — LAFAYETTE KAYAK FISHING CLUB MEETING: 6 p.m., Pack and Paddle, 601 E. Pinhook, Lafayette. Call 337-232-5854. Website: lafayettekayakfishing.com

JULY 21-22 — GULF COUNCIL SHRIMP COMMITTEE MEETING: Gulf Council office, 4107 W. Spruce St., Tampa, Florida. In conjunction with Scientific and Statistical committees. Website: gulfcouncil.org

JULY 23 — ACADIANA BUGS & BREWS: 6 p.m., Pack and Paddle, 601 E. Pinhook, Lafayette. Casual fly tying and local beers provided. Open to the public. Email Darin Lee: cbrsandcdc@gmail.com. Website: packpaddle.com

JULY 23-25 — International Grand Isle Tarpon Rodeo, Grand Isle Marina & Otto Candies Pavilion, Grand Isle. Website: tarponrodeo.org

JULY 24-25—BASSMASTER JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP: Kentucky Lake, Paris, Tennessee. Website: bassmaster.com

JULY 26 — SOUTH LOUISIANA HIGHPOWER CLUB MATCH: 8:30 a.m., Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Range, St. Landry Road, Gonzales. NRA XTC & F-Class match rifle or service rifle, 200-yard/50-rounds match course. Fee $15 members, $20 nonmembers, $5 juniors. $25 annual club (first match free) and Civilian Marksmanship Program membership (allows purchases from CMP). Call Mike Burke, 337-380-8120. Email: SouthLAHighPower@hotmail.com

FISHING/SHRIMPING

SHRIMP: Spring inshore season closed except for Breton/Chandeleur sounds; all outside waters open.

OPEN RECREATIONAL SEASONS: Private recreational red snapper; gray triggerfish; flounder; lane, blackfin, queen and silk snappers and wenchmen among other snapper species; all groupers except closed for goliath and Nassau groupers in state/federal waters.

CLOSED SEASONS: Greater amberjack; bluefin tuna; gag, goliath and Nassau groupers in state/federal waters. Commercial greater amberjack season closed.