The Trinity Partnership
Several entities comprise “The River Partners,” an alliance that promotes the health and vibrancy of the Trinity River throughout Fort Worth and Tarrant County. These parties are the driving forces that have led the transformation of the Trinity River in recent decades and have joined together again to forge CONFLUENCE: The Trinity River Strategic Master Plan.
In addition to Streams & Valleys, The River Partners are:
Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD)
TRWD manages the flood control system in Fort Worth, including 27 miles of flood way channel improvements and levees along the West Fork and Clear Fork of the Trinity River. TRWD is the major water supplier for the region, constructing and managing large infrastructure projects and water supply reservoirs on the Trinity River and in East Texas. TRWD provides clean, healthy water for more than two million people across a service area of more than 5,800 square miles in 11 counties. TRWD also constructs and maintains a large portion of the trail system along the Trinity River’s levees, and grants permits for events along the river. TRWD works in close partnership with the City of Fort Worth, particularly the Park & Recreation Department (PARD), on river-area projects and their maintenance.
City of Fort Worth
The City of Fort Worth is committed to ensuring that the Trinity River is a valuable asset for the Fort Worth community. The Park & Recreation Department (PARD) maintains and operates all parks along the Trinity River and its tributaries, including the major assets of Gateway Park, Trinity Park, Riverside Park, Cobb Park, Sycamore Park, Buck Sansom Park and Marion Sansom Park, in addition to the Fort Worth Nature Center and Wildlife Refuge. PARD is also responsible for permitting activities and events in these parks, as well as for trail expansion and maintenance outside TRWD’s jurisdiction. The City of Fort Worth Planning and Development Department is also actively involved in development along the Trinity River, working with developers to approve and permit new projects, and to promote the continued health and vibrancy of the Trinity River as the built environment expands.
The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG)
The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) is also involved in connections to and along the Trinity River. NCTCOG works on a variety of transportation and sustainability efforts for North Central Texas, including the North Texas Regional Veloweb, which is a proposed network of off-street shared-use trails for active transportation. The Veloweb includes all Trinity Trails and many connecting trails and roads. NCTCOG coordinateswith TRWD, the City of Fort Worth, the City of Arlington, and other local jurisdictions on trail, bikeway, and pedestrian infrastructure projects.
The Trinity River Vision Authority (TRVA)
The Trinity River Vision Authority (TRVA) is an economic development corporation created by the Tarrant Regional Water District to implement the Panther Island project, a massive infrastructure and flood control initiative that will open 800 acres of land for re-development just north of Downtown Fort Worth.
The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE or Army Corps)
The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE or Army Corps) has developed flood way systems in both Dallas and Tarrant Counties. The primary focus of the Army Corps is flood damage reduction along the river. To that end, they have established an extensive “Levee Safety Program,” which rates levees that protect populated areas from damaging flood events.
Parks along the Trinity River within the City of Arlington are owned and operated by the Arlington Parks and Recreation Department. The cities of Fort Worth and Arlington are actively partnering to develop a riverside trail connection between the two jurisdictions.
With the multi-layered political and jurisdictional context of the Trinity River, it is important for all entities to collaborate and communicate about various projects and planning initiatives. CONFLUENCE: The Trinity River Strategic Master Plan, creates a framework that assists the relevant parties as they work together for a healthier, stronger Trinity River and Tarrant County.
