Mid City Times

Published on June 4, 2024

Fort Worth continues to raise funds to advance the Trinity River Waterwheel Initiative. The innovative partnership seeks to remove floating litter and debris from the Trinity River and promote environmental stewardship by piloting a floating, waterwheel-powered trash interceptor in the river. The City of Fort Worth, Tarrant Regional Water District, Streams & Valleys Inc., and sponsoring partners support a goal of reducing floating litter and debris in the Trinity River.

Controlling litter sources remains the best defense against litter in the environment – stopping litter before it starts. Community efforts to abate litter before it enters storm drains and waterways are also an important part of the solution. Locating a waterwheel in the Trinity River promotes a clean river at the end of the system and raises awareness of anti-littering behaviors, litter source control, and the value of water resources. It will provide an educational opportunity and visual reminder of community efforts to combat litter and supports responsible watershed management.

The waterwheel will be installed at Clear Fork Trinity River. It is engineered to be effective as water surface levels rise and fall, demonstrating significant benefits during and after medium and high rainfall events like those experienced recently in Fort Worth. These rainfalls frequently flush litter and debris into the river from stormwater drainage systems.

The waterwheel collects and removes trash and debris from the river’s surface using hydropower or solar power, containment booms, and a conveyor belt system. Once constructed, Fort Worth will be home to the sixth waterwheel in the world and the first in Texas – highlighting an inland river application. The concept has been successfully demonstrated in Baltimore Harbor, which has four waterwheels, and most recently in Panama City, Panama.

Approximately $1,340,700 in funding has been secured so far; an additional half-million dollars is still needed to complete the project. The City of Fort Worth and project partners are receiving sponsorship donations. To learn more or donate, individuals, groups or businesses can go online or contact Streams & Valley Inc., which sponsors through a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

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