Opponents of a proposed reservoir that would flood thousands of acres of land around the Navasota River are victorious after two water planning groups voted to remove it from the list of long-term plans.

Brazos G Water Planning Group voted July 14 to table plans for the building of the Millican Reservoir, canceling the project for the time being. The group’s decision came after the Region H Water Planning Group, which handles water planning for Houston area, voted unanimously to take the reservoir off the plans. City governments and development firms also
offered support.

“This vote is a major step in the right direction to permanently protect the river and surrounding areas,” said Barry Denton, director of the South Texas Division for Bluegreen Communities. “Area homebuyers can celebrate the preservation of this beautiful land for generations to come.”

The Brazos County Commissioners Court approved a resolution against the building of the project in late April and joined the courts of Madison and Grimes counties, as well as the College Station City Council, in voicing opposition to the project.

Plans for the Millican Reservoir called for the flooding of 71,000 acres of land across five  counties, an area larger than Bryan and College Station combined. Construction would cost about $1.2 billion and take between 12 to 15 years to complete.

The construction of a reservoir in the Brazos area could still happen, but for now, the people who spent months fighting the Millican Reservoir plan are celebrating.

“We’re very happy that they saw the light of our argument,” said Robert Averyt, spokesman for the Guardians of the Navasota River. “It’s nice when common sense prevails.”