November - December 2023

Welcome to TRA’s Monthly Newsletter!

With a focus on people, places, processes and projects, inTRA highlights the faces of TRA, the communities we serve and the processes and projects that drive the Authority forward in its mission to promote conservation, reclamation, protection and development of the natural resources of the Trinity River Basin for the benefit of the public.

October Board of Directors Meeting:

Central Regional Wastewater System

The board awarded two engineering services agreements and amended the compensation provisions related to the Little Bear Creek Interceptor Segments BC_15, BC_10, and BC_16 projects. The project aims to upgrade the wastewater system in the northwestern areas of the CRWS service region. The projects involve replacing or rehabilitating the current vitrified clay pipe and polyvinyl chloride pipe interceptors. Four meter stations will also be replaced to measure wastewater flows from Grapevine, Colleyville, and Bedford.

Lake Livingston Fund

The board gave the green light to the professional services agreement concerning the final design and construction administration for Phases I and II of the TRA Lake Livingston Regional Public Golf Course, previously named the Cape Royale Golf Course. Covering roughly 2,500 acres, the golf course, a key component of the Authority's recreational options, ceased operations in 2018. The redevelopment of the golf course will help enhance the Authority's recreation portfolio and is expected to bring economic benefits to the counties surrounding the public golf course.

Lake Livingston Project

The board approved an increase of the operation and surveillance service fee from $625 per month to $700 per month for the Southern Region water quality surveillance contracts. These contracts provide operation and surveillance services to small wastewater treatment plants. The Authority supplies licensed operators to meet Texas Commission on Environmental Quality rules, ensuring a high-quality effluent discharge into Lake Livingston.

The board approved changes to the interlocal agreement between the Authority and Polk County for security services at the Lake Livingston Project. Through this agreement, the Polk County Sheriff's office provides security at the Lake Livingston Dam.

The board approved the contract for the slide restoration project at the Lake Livingston Dam with Solid Bridge Construction. Heavy rains in May caused a slide (soil movement) on the dam's eastern embankment due to rainfall penetration into the topsoil. While the slide doesn't pose a threat to the dam's structural integrity, repairs are necessary to address the affected area.

December Board of Directors Meeting:

Central Regional Wastewater System

The board approved the engineering services agreement related to Phase VII Rehabilitation at CRWS. This project focuses on updating aging electrical equipment at CRWS, including various pump stations, and the rehabilitation of additional electrical and mechanical equipment.

The board approved a construction contract, an engineering services agreement, and a materials testing services agreement for the Headworks B Fine Screen Improvements. This project involves installing a fine screen at the south headworks facility to enhance the capture of non-dispersibles, such as wipes, diapers, and other materials that may cause clogs at CRWS.

Denton Creek Regional Wastewater System

The Denton Creek Regional Wastewater System has gained a new customer, Hines Acquisitions, LLC. The board approved a memorandum of agreement for wholesale wastewater collection and treatment services for a 400-acre mixed-use development in Bartonville, Texas. Hines is establishing the Furst Ranch Municipal Utility District No.1 of Denton County, Texas, which will offer retail sewer and potable water services to the development. DCRWS will provide wholesale wastewater services to the Furst MUD.

The board approved a contract, an engineering services agreement, and a materials testing services agreement for the Peak Flow Storage and Rehabilitation Project. This involves building two 8.0-million-gallon peak flow storage tanks to manage excess flows during heavy rain events. The project also includes the rehabilitation of aging equipment.

Livingston Recreation Fund

The board approved the exchange of 132 acres in Trinity County for a 67-acre Trust tract in San Jacinto County, with a transaction cost of $375,000 funded by the Water Sales Special Revenue Fund. The shoreline tract, adjacent to Wolf Creek Park, will expand the park's land. General Manager Kevin Ward negotiated the final price, securing a substantial reduction from the initially proposed $2 million cost.

Using data to fine-tune Arlington’s wastewater treatment

The Trinity River Authority discovered that using a water information management system revolutionized traditional plant operations and data collection.

TRA Staff Partner with SMU for Educational Field Day

On Nov. 1, 2023, the Authority's Technical Services and Basin Planning team collaborated with the SMU Lyle School of Engineering for an Environmental Engineering Field Day at White Rock Creek. The event offered students practical training in the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Surface Water Quality Monitoring and TRA's Clean Rivers Program. Led by the Authority's TSBP team, students engaged in hands-on activities such as flow measurements, habitat assessment, identification of benthic macroinvertebrates (aquatic animals without a backbone) and the procedures for collecting water samples.

Watergoats Program Receives Global Recognition

A partnership led by TSBP won the Outstanding Flagship Project award from the Regional Center of Expertise North Texas.

The watergoats program, part of the Village Creek-Lake Arlington Watershed Protection Plan to improve water quality, received U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approval in 2019. The Authority and its partners, UpSpire, the UTA Office of Sustainability, Tarrant Regional Water District, and the Dorris Family Foundation secured a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grant to purchase and install 10 watergoats in the watershed in May 2022. Since their installation, more than 15,000 pounds of litter have been removed from local waterways. Congratulations to everyone involved in this project. Learn more about the project: Watergoats

TRA Employees Show Generous Support for Local Charities

During the holiday season, the employees of the Authority showcased their giving spirit by positively affecting the lives of others through their generosity. The staff members of the Authority's General Office came together to spread happiness to a military family. They did this in collaboration with Holidays and Heroes, an organization that donates gifts to military families. Meanwhile, employees in the Southern Region raised money to buy gifts for the Christmas of Hope project at the Polk County Center of Hope. The organization provides resources and food to individuals facing difficult circumstances.

United to Make a Difference

The Authority's employees have once again showcased their wholehearted support in this year's United Way of Tarrant County Campaign which shattered records, amassing a remarkable $90,621! The funds were raised through diverse initiatives such as employee pledges, engaging games, cookouts, and other activities. Employees at the General Office also donated clothes, food, and essential items to the Presbyterian Night Shelter. The nonprofit provides emergency shelter, employment opportunities and other services to people in need. Heartfelt thanks go out to all the employees whose generosity made this achievement possible. The funds will profoundly affect and support local communities, reflecting the Authority's commitment to the communities it serves.

Birdville ISD Sixth Graders Tour Water Treatment Facility

More than 200 sixth graders from Birdville Independent School District had the opportunity to tour the Tarrant County Water Supply Project. The student tours took place over two days in early November. Marion Tims, TCWSP operations and maintenance chief, and Mariana Anguiano Verjan, Northern Region assistant engineering manager, led groups of students through the different treatment processes and technologies at the facility. Students also had the chance to interact with water operators and gain insights into different roles within the water industry. A special thank-you goes to all the staff members involved for providing an incredible and educational tour experience.

Did you know that pouring fats, oils, and grease down the drain can lead to nasty clogs? Avoid this common mistake this holiday season. Recycle your grease by bringing it to our grease roundup container at our General Office, 5300 S. Collins, Arlington, Texas. Learn more at defendyourdrainsnorthtexas.com.

Wishing you a joyous holiday season and happy new year from the Trinity River Authority.

PHOTO OF THE MONTH

“Wastewater under the Rainbow,” Karl Moellering, DCRWS project manager

Congratulations to Bruce Austin, senior maintenance mechanic at CRWS; Rodrick Long, senior electronic technician at CRWS; and Classic Rayford, chief maintenance mechanic at CRWS, for winning first place in the best beef category at the Water Environment Association of Texas North Texas 2023 Opstoberfest. And, kudos to the TRA team, Back 40, for winning the hospitality award.

Angela Nelson, project/program analyst, graduated from the DFW Emerging Leaders Academy. The program is a joint initiative of the University of Kansas Public Management Center and DC Municipal Consulting.

Jordan Fansler, operator I at DCRWS, earned his Wastewater Treatment Operator Class D license.

Thomas Tackman, husband of Melody Tackman, financial services supervisor, earned his Wastewater Treatment Operator A license. He had previously obtained his Water Operator A license in April 2023. Thomas, a training specialist at the City of Fort Worth, is now among the 1% of Texas operators who hold double A licenses, and he is pursuing certification as a water professional.

Congratulations to Emily Garcia, a biologist at CRWS, who tied the knot on Nov. 10, 2023. We wish her a lifetime of joy and happiness in this new chapter of her life.

Cora Burns, permit administrator and receptionist at LLP, is celebrating her husband Scotty Burns for winning first place in his category (in progress) at the 38th Annual Wolf Creek Car, Truck, and Bike Show.