This timeline chronicles our evolving legacy as one of Texas' largest and most impactful water supply agencies. It traces the District's evolution from humble beginnings to becoming an influential regional water supplier that services one of the nation's fastest growing populations.
Our mission is to provide a reliable and sustainable water supply, vital flood protection, and exceptional recreational opportunities for all we serve.
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After a devastating flood in 1922, Tarrant County Water Control and Improvement District No. 1 is established. The District’s primary role of flood control is expanded two years later to include water supply.
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K. Robey is appointed as the water district’s first Manager-Engineer. His tenure ends in March 1926.
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The District receives a permit (# 1074) to build Eagle Mountain Lake in Northwest Tarrant County.
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The District receives a second permit (#1073) to build Lake Bridgeport in Wise County.
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Joe B. Hogsett joins the board of directors. He will serve 42 years on the board, including 29 years as its president.
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Construction of Lake Bridgeport is completed. Building the lake provides much-needed employment for local residents during the Great Depression.
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Eagle Mountain Lake is completed. Together, Eagle Mountain and Lake Bridgeport satisfy the water needs of residents in Tarrant County and surrounding areas through the early 1970s.
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Eagle Mountain Lake receives a second permit (#1254) allowing it to be used for recreation and pleasure. The lake finally fills to conservation level four years after being impounded. (Elevation 649.10 msl)
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Nine years after construction is completed, Lake Bridgeport finally reaches conservation level (Elevation 826.0 msl).
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C.L. McNair is appointed General Manager, replacing Ed Cheatum.
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A deadly flood in May 1949 leads to calls for extensive modifications to the Fort Worth Floodway. The District assumes the role of local sponsor as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers begins designing floodway improvements.
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U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) begins a massive overhaul of the Fort Worth Floodway. Work on the Trinity Levee System continues for another 18 years. As local sponsor, the District is responsible for maintaining the levees and low water dams located on the Floodway.
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Ben F. Hickey is appointed General Manager of the District. Hickey serves as G.M. of the Water District for the next 31 years.
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Permit (#3216) to build Richland Chambers Reservoir is issued to the City of Fort Worth.
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Permit (#1909) to build Cedar Creek Lake is issued to the City of Fort Worth.
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Flood retention dam is installed on Cement Creek, just north of Fort Worth Meacham International Airport.
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As a seven-year drought of record comes to an end, the water district and Freese and Nichols engineering firm complete a long-range water supply plan. The plan calls for the construction of two new reservoirs – Cedar Creek and Richland-Chambers, southeast of Dallas.
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Another flood retention dam is installed on Marine Creek, creating a 250-acre lake. Over the years, Marine Creek Lake becomes a recreational oasis surrounded by a six-mile trail and two trailheads with boat ramps.
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The District enters a water supply contract with the City of Fort Worth. Fort Worth agrees to pay for water provided by the District and agrees to assign the applications and permits for Cedar Creek and Richland-Chambers Reservoirs to the District.
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With water demands on the rise, the District completes construction of Cedar Creek Lake, located in Henderson and Kaufman counties. The surface area of the reservoir spans nearly 33,000-acres.
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The USACE completes levee and channel improvements in the Fort Worth Floodway.
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A new concrete side channel spillway is added at Eagle Mountain Lake. The new channel gives the District the ability to release floodwater from the lake before it rises above the original spillway.
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The District enters into a contract to provide raw water to the City of Arlington.
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The District completes improvements to Lake Bridgeport dam and spillway, which raises the lake’s conservation elevation by 10 feet, to 836.0 msl.
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The 72-inch diameter Cedar Creek Pipeline begins delivering water to Tarrant County. The 74-mile pipeline and pump stations are capable of delivering 129 million gallons per day (mgd) from Cedar Creek Lake.
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The Arlington Outlet on the Cedar Creek Pipeline is constructed. The outlet allows for the discharge of water into Village Creek, which flows into Lake Arlington. The discharges help supplement lake levels and provide additional water supply to the City of Arlington and Trinity River Authority’s Tarrant County Water Supply Project.
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The District begins supplying raw water to the Trinity River Authority (TRA). TRA provides treated water service to customers in the mid-cities, including Bedford, Colleyville, Euless, Grapevine, and North Richland Hills.
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The District and its four primary customers – Fort Worth, Arlington, Mansfield and TRA – reach a Settlement Agreement, followed shortly by an Amendatory Contract. The agreement establishes a method to equitably renew contracts with existing customers and provide for the addition of new customers to the District system.
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The District begins expanding the Trinity Trail System on the Fort Worth Floodway. The trail system is one of Fort Worth’s recreational gems. It connects people to the river, spanning 31 neighborhoods and 21 parks.
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Jim Oliver is appointed General Manager of the Water District. His tenure as the District’s top official spans 35 years.
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Trinity trout release. The District launches an urban fishing program, releasing thousands of rainbow trout into the Trinity River each winter. The program is designed to give anglers of all skill levels a chance to catch fish close to home.
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Construction of the Richland-Chambers Reservoir wraps up. At approximately 44,000 surface acres, this new reservoir nearly doubles the District’s total available water supply.
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The District acquires a permit to begin using Lake Benbrook as a terminal storage reservoir for storing water pumped from its East Texas reservoirs.
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Pumps on the Richland-Chambers Pipeline are fired up. The 78-mile pipeline is capable of delivering 250 mgd into Tarrant County.
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The Water District hosts its first Trinity River Trash Bash event. The idea behind the event is to promote stewardship of the Trinity River and local waterways. Since then, the event has grown from a couple of hundred cleanup volunteers to a few thousand, and has expanded to include cleanup events at District lakes.
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The Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (now known as the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality) issues a permit allowing water to be diverted from the Trinity River into a 7-acre wetland pilot project to test the feasibility of using wetlands for large scale water reuse.
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After state approval, the Tarrant Regional Water Control and Improvement District No. 1 changes its name to Tarrant Regional Water District.
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The District’s first Water Conservation and Emergency Demand Management Plan is adopted.
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The Benbrook Pipeline becomes operational. The 18-mile pipeline connects East Texas reservoirs to Lake Benbrook, which the District uses as a terminal storage reservoir to reduce pumping costs. Prior to completion in August 1988, the pipeline was pressed into service to meet a spike in demands caused by a severe drought.
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Central City Flood Control Project begins to take shape. Based on numerous studies, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers determines that Fort Worth has outgrown its levee system.
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After investigating potential options for improving the Fort Worth Floodway, USACE determines that building a bypass channel north of downtown Fort Worth would provide the greatest benefits with the least negative impacts.
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The District begins its first educational water conservation marketing campaign to encourage residents to use water efficiently. The initial efforts borrow the tagline, “Save Water. Nothing can replace it,” originally developed by Dallas Water Utilities.
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TRWD hosts the first North Texas Regional Water Conservation Symposium. More than 120 people from customer cities hear from experts across the country discussing effective water conservation strategies.
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Eagle Mountain Connection is completed and begins pumping water from East Texas Reservoirs into Eagle Mountain Lake. The 18-plus-mile pipeline allows the District to supplement water in Eagle Mountain, adding reliability to the West Fork reservoirs, especially during dry conditions.
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Eagle Mountain Park, located in Northwest Tarrant County, opens to the public. The 400-acre parcel, once coveted by developers, was purchased by TRWD in 2006. The scenic park has more than five miles of hiking trails, giving visitors a snapshot of an undisturbed Texas landscape.
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TRWD and Dallas Water Utilities (DWU) launch a joint regional water conservation education and media campaign, creating messaging and ads for radio, television, and print.
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TRWD enters an agreement with DWU to build the Integrated Pipeline (IPL). The IPL will add 150 miles of pipeline to the District’s system and will give both agencies the ability to transport up to 350 mgd from East Texas reservoirs.
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Stage 1 of TRWD’s Drought Contingency Plan is initiated for the first time. The drought plan is triggered after total storage capacity in District reservoirs drops below 75%.
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The George W. Shannon Wetlands Water Recycling Facility becomes a reality. This wetland water supply project is the first of its kind in the nation. It naturally filters water from the Trinity River before adding it back into Richland-Chambers Reservoir.
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Construction of the Integrated Pipeline begins. The joint project between TRWD and the City of Dallas will add reliability and connect to Lake Palestine in East Texas. Building it together will save over a billion dollars in capital and energy costs.
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Twin Points Park opens for summer fun. Located just 15 minutes from downtown Fort Worth on the southern end of Eagle Mountain Lake, the park features a sprawling beach and a three-lane boat ramp.
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Airfield Falls Conservation Park and Trailhead takes flight. Located next to the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, the park features an airfield theme and offers visitors access to Tarrant County’s largest natural waterfall.
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Painting the River. A mural art gallery blossoms on the Trinity Trails. Dozens of artists turn the drab look of grey concrete floodgates into works of art. The further you roam, the more art you get to see.
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Dan Buhman is named as TRWD’s newest General Manager, making him the agency’s seventh general manager in its 100-year history.
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TRWD Board of Directors elects Leah King as its new president. She is the first African American to lead the five-member board.
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The joint portion of the Integrated Pipeline becomes operational. The District begins pumping water from Cedar Creek and Richland-Chambers reservoirs into Tarrant County. Funding for this section of the IPL is split between the City of Dallas and TRWD.
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Plans begin for a new wetland water supply project near Cedar Creek Lake. The 3,033-acre wetlands facility is expected to produce an average of 156 mgd, enough water to supply an additional one million residents.
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TRWD is awarded its sixth Transparency Star for open government and compliance, becoming the first agency in the state to receive all six Transparency Stars. The program recognizes public organizations making important strides toward financial transparency and governmental accountability.
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The Cedar Creek Wetlands Project is renamed Marty Leonard Cedar Creek Wetlands to honor long-time board member and environmental advocate, Marty Leonard.
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TRWD’s updated Recreational Master Plan is approved by board of directors. The plan relies on community input to define TRWD’s role in recreation and events. Key focus areas include safety and security, expanding trail connectivity, water-based recreation, developing new facilities and preservation of natural habitats.
Take a deeper dive into the first 100 years by reading our Centennial Book. This book highlights the milestones and people who have shaped our history.
READ THE CENTENNIAL BOOK
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