For more than thirty years, Streams and Valleys has served as the primary advocacy group for the Trinity River in Fort Worth. Through concerted efforts to restore beauty to the river corridor and develop recreational amenities, the organization has been the community representative partnering with the City of Fort Worth and the Tarrant Regional Water District to create a beautiful, active greenbelt that reaches into almost every quadrant of the community.

Streams and Valleys is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that utilizes tax deductible donations from individuals, foundations and local businesses as leverage to government funds in order to plan, design, construct and implement projects and events that encourage use and respect of the Trinity River. Its volunteer board consists of community leaders who share a vision for the river and devote many hours to lobby, promote and plan for this valuable resource.

Incorporated in 1971, the Streams and Valleys committee’s first project was to hire the consulting firm of Halprin and Associates to study the Trinity River in its existing condition, as well as its potential and possibilities along an eight-mile stretch near downtown. Halprin recommended low-level dams to regulate water level, extensive multi-user trail systems, lighting, planting thousands of trees and vastly improving public access.

Essentially, the Halprin plan established a cause for Streams and Valleys:

• Beautification: Protecting and maintaining the natural components of the river’s beauty: trees, grass, wild flowers and flowing water.
• Recreation: Offering in every season abundant fun, exercise and recreation through an extensive trail system to accommodate runners, walkers, birdwatchers and naturalists, roller blade and skateboard enthusiasts, horseback riders and festivals. More recently, attention has been focused on creating attractive and accessible amenities for water-contact activities.
• Preservation: After restoration, preserving what has been improved.
• Resources: Seeking support from membership, grants and foundations.

As recently as 2001, Streams and Valleys found that it had fulfilled most of the objectives set forth in the plans submitted by Halprin in the early '70s and EDAW in the late '80s. It then partnered with the Tarrant Regional Water District to be both a financial sponsor and community liaison for the Trinity River Vision.

Recreational amenities that are in place and available to the public include:

Hike and bike trails: The 40-mile trail system extends along the West and Clear forks of the river as well as Marine Creek and Sycamore Creek. Most of the trail is hard-surfaced, either concrete or asphalt. In certain areas, paralleling or serving as an extension is a soft-surfaced trail of finely crushed limestone. This surface is suitable for most trail users except racing-type road bikes, skateboards and roller blades.

Boat Launches & Facilities: Several boat launches are located along the West and Clear forks: the White Settlement Trailhead, Trinity Park, River Park Trailhead, Heritage Park and Gateway Park. Most of the low-water dams serve as easy access to the water, though not always near parking facilities.

Fishing: Fishermen are often seen along the Clear Fork. The limestone bottom and shallow pools near the River Park Trailhead on Bryant Irvin provide an ideal location to hone fly-fishing skills. In December and January, trout are stocked in the Trinity Park area. Stocking dates are available on the Tarrant Regional Water District website (www.trwd.com). Please note: consumption of fish caught in the Trinity River downstream of the 7th Street overpass is banned.

Equestrian Trails: Horses are permitted and encouraged along specific areas of the trail system where space allows for multiple user groups. Trail rides from the Stockyards utilize the river corridor along the West Fork north of downtown. Two annual riding events are hosted along the river targeting special styles of competition.

White-Water Drops: Three low-water dams in Trinity Park have been modified to incorporate chutes which create white-water drops of varying heights. With flows as low as 50 cfs, kayakers, canoeists, rafters and tubers can enjoy a bit of excitement. Higher flows of 200 cfs and above create a true white-water experience.

Rowing: The Fort Worth Rowing Club is headquartered at Gateway Park. The club sponsors lessons and rents storage space for its members and the general public. The Steerhead Regatta is held each September along the river straightaway in front of the club building. For more information, see their web page at www.fortworthrowing.com.

Festivals: Each spring, Mayfest is held in Trinity Park on the banks of the river. The four-day festival features non-stop entertainment, a children’s area, river activities, an artists’ area and many free or low-priced activities. Please see their website at www.mayfest.org for more information.