Dallas Whitewater Park

[Big Daddy D]

I mentioned at Scott and Renee's party about construction beginning on the new Dallas waves. Phil ran down there today and got these pics. Thought some of you might find it interesting to see what's going on after our discussion at the party.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipit/set ... 869913005/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

BDD

[Tmuse]

Nice! Hope y'all get your park n play spot. I will have to make the drive when the wave or waves are complete.

[Michele Jackson]

BDD - Can you tell me where exactly this is in the Dallas area? Maybe a Hwy name/intersection? I have family down there; I may check it out sometime.
Thanks!

[okc-horton]

Thanks for the pictures. Completion date? Damn release?

[Big Daddy D]

It is just off Riverside Drive south of downtown, near where the Trinity River meets East Eighth Street.

My understanding is that they hope to have it completed in December of this year. It is supposed to have two wave features. This part of the Trinity has at least 600 cfs during the dry season. The wave is supposed to be in even at low water. We'll see how it is at diffferent levels.

Here is a link to a map of the entire project. The standing wave is just a couple of features on the river to spark interest and keep the ball rolling. As you can see on the map, there are plans for a self-contained whitewater park further upstream that will use clean water from the water restoration facility. The hope is that the main park will be built in the next 4 or 5 years. My numbers and facts may not be 100% accurate, but it gives you the gist of what's going on.

http://www.trinityrivercorridor.com/htm ... eline.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

BDD

[Randy Dodson]

looks like I'll have to bring a boat down every time I go see Mom and Dad.

[Flipit]

okc-horton,
This section of the Trinity is below five (5) metroplex lakes. That was the whole idea of this particular location. Even if each lake is only releasing 100 cfs, it adds up to 500 cfs at this feature. Well... not exactly, because there are 2 sets of lakes that dump into each other.
Completion estimated for December 2010 I believe.

[jvickery]

more reasons to visit friends in Dallas. Sweet!

[Flipit]

A few more pics of this project.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipit/491 ... 781542278/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[hellbender]

Thanks for the updates.keep'em coming

[Dave Thomas]

I've been reading up on the Trinity River. Especially the section flowing through the Dallas area. Is the water quality projected to get better any time soon?

"Because of these elevated levels, the TCEQ has issued a fish possession ban and a fish consumption advisory for parts of the Upper Trinity River, the Lower West Fork Trinity River, the Clear Fork Trinity River Below Benbrook Lake and the West Fork Trinity River Below Lake Worth. That covers 1,540 square miles of watershed in and around the DFW area.
The main causes for the dangerous water quality are municipal and industrial wastewater discharges, and by storm water runoff from agricultural, industrial, and urban areas". - Shane Allen
http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/health/Meeti ... 12997.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The following quote is from a report by Janis L. Schubert,
a UT student:
"Additional study would be necessary to determine whether the Trinity River is actually becoming cleaner or more polluted and to determine why the readings at these sites were so consistently high. Until then, I would recommend keeping any kids, pets, and feet out of the Trinity River"!
http://www.utdallas.edu/~jls036100/Trin ... roject.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Big Daddy D]

More pics that Flipit just go today from the park. Riverbed is not dry.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/flipit/set ... 781542278/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


In regards to the water quality issue, I don't know what to say. The water quality of everything we paddle in Dallas is horrible. White Rock Creek after a big rain has tons of trash and residue. Fort Worth Whitewater Park has styrofoam and trash in the eddies. Rowlett Creek is even worse. We live in the middle 6 million people and our creeks and rivers suffer the consequences of that. Whether the section of the Trinity where they are building the waves is the same or worse, I don't know. Most of us are still paddling it because we love the sport and it's all we have.

This is my hope. That when the city and community see us using it and recognize the potential of the standing wave to revitalize the downtown area and the river, they will want to clean it up and make it a more pristine and beautiful river. Maybe we're the guinea pigs in this little experiment, but I think it can lead to a better appreciation for our rivers in the long run.

D

[FarPastGone]

Is the water quality projected to get better any time soon?

I don't understand how the water quality just gets better, the Trinity River Authority monitors and tries to manage a number of environmental aspects in the watershed, and this park will help. It will do two things, one of which is create a recreational opportunity in the heart of a major city, hopefully leading to increased awareness and use of the river (incentivize improvements in the water quality). The park will also physically help the Trinity through the aeration created by the new rapids increasing the dissolved oxygen content of the river below this section, although probably not on a scale to induce major environmental changes, it will be beneficial in the long run if construction practices are done correctly and don’t negate any positives this will have.

- Matt

[Flipit]

" ...I would recommend keeping any kids, pets, and feet out of the Trinity River"!

Well, I'm not a kid anymore, haven't had a pet since 1974, and I paddle Jacksons, so I think my feet will stay dry.
I should be ok.

[mvhyde]

In talking with Rebcca Duggar, my only concern is that they design the features correctly. By that, they need to make sure the wave/hole is constant in behavior or scaleable as flow increases. Sort of like the Glenwood Wave in Glenwood Springs, CO.

As far as water quality goes, has anyone ever done a study of the Cossatot? How much chicken poop and fertilizer and other stuff washes into it when it rains? Water quality sucks everywhere, even in so-called pristine Colorado creeks and rivers. I'll take some of the stuff that gets into the water here over the constant heavy metals you find up there.

Any of you that have ever paddled the Eagle or Homestake ever wondered what happened to the town of Gilman, CO? It's the one you see fenced off when you go to paddle Gilman Gorge. It's an EPA superfund site. It's nasty, full of cadium, radium, nickel, lead, zinc, arsenic, mercury, etc.

That's my two cents...