Did you Know the Texas-Oklahoma Boundary Was Redrawn Last Month?

Were you aware that the Texas-Oklahoma boundary was drawn earlier in November?

After 24 years, the Texas-Oklahoma border has been redrawn. The reason? A pump station that provides drinking water to millions of people has been returned to the Texas side of the border, according to a story from WFAA.

On October 30, the Oklahoma Contingency Review Board adopted the measure. However, 1.34 acres of land were swapped. That means Oklahoma didn't lose land; they just traded it out.

The boundary that was redrawn runs through Lake Texoma. As a result, a pump station that had been on the Oklahoma Side is now on the Texas side.

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On the Texas side, the North Texas Municipal Water District explained 'the boundary between the states was previously redrawn in 2000, with most of the North Texas Municipal Water District’s pump station being placed on the Oklahoma side,' reports WFAA.

It's interesting to note, though, that Neither Oklahoma nor Texas owns the 1.34 acres where the water pump station is located. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is responsible for Lake Texoma, owns the land.

What makes Lake Texoma such a big deal for Texas?

Sherman and Denison, Texas are growing quickly these days, and Lake Texoma is the primary source of water for those towns, not to mention it provides close to 20% of the water supply for over two million people served by the North Texas Municipal Water District.

In addition, the new measure means the North Texas Municipal Water District will pay the Oklahoma State Treasurer $10 million.

The agreement was approved by the Texas General Land Office Commissioner on October 22 and it was accepted by the Oklahoma Contingency Review Board on October 30.