Trinity River (Texas) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Trinity River |
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Trinity River, Dallas, Texas (postcard, c. 1901–1907)
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| Other name(s) | Río de La Santísima Trinidad Río de La Trinidad |
| Country | United States |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | North Texas, near the Red River |
| River mouth | Trinity Bay, at Chambers County, Texas 0 ft (0 m) |
| Length | 710 miles (1,140 km) |
| Basin features | |
| Basin size | 15,589 sq mi (40,380 km2) |
The Trinity River is a very long river in Texas, stretching about 423 miles (680 kilometers). It's special because its entire path is within the state of Texas. The river starts in northern Texas, close to the Red River. Its beginning points are separated by tall hills on the Red River's southern side.
A French explorer named Robert Cavelier de La Salle first saw the river in 1687. He called it Riviere des canoës, which means "River of Canoes." Later, in 1690, a Spanish explorer named Alonso de León gave it the name "La Santísima Trinidad." This means "the Most Holy Trinity" and was a common way for Spanish explorers to name places after religious ideas.
Contents
Where the Trinity River Flows
The Trinity River has four main parts, like branches of a tree. These are called the West Fork, the Clear Fork, the Elm Fork, and the East Fork.
West Fork of the Trinity River
The West Fork starts in Archer County, Texas. It flows southeast through two large man-made lakes: Lake Bridgeport and Eagle Mountain Lake. Then it goes eastward through Lake Worth and the city of Fort Worth.
Clear Fork of the Trinity River
The Clear Fork begins near Weatherford, Texas. It flows southeast through Lake Weatherford and Benbrook Lake. Then it turns northeast and joins the West Fork near downtown Fort Worth. From there, it continues as part of the West Fork.
Elm Fork of the Trinity River
The Elm Fork flows south from near Gainesville, Texas. It passes through Lake Ray Roberts and east of Denton, Texas. Finally, it flows through Lewisville Lake.
The West Fork and the Elm Fork meet up as they enter the city of Dallas.
East Fork of the Trinity River
The East Fork, sometimes called the Bois d'Arc River on old maps, starts near McKinney, Texas. It flows through Lavon Lake and then Lake Ray Hubbard. This fork joins the main Trinity River just southeast of Dallas.
From Dallas, the Trinity River flows southeast. It passes through rich farmlands and the pine forests of eastern Texas. This area became more populated when Texas was its own country. The Trinity River crosses Texas State Highway 31 near where the town of Buffalo was first built. About 65 miles (105 km) north of where the river meets Galveston Bay, a large dam was built in 1968. This dam created Lake Livingston.
The river eventually flows into Trinity Bay. This bay is part of Galveston Bay, which is an inlet of the Gulf of Mexico. The river's end point is near the town of Anahuac, southeast of Houston.
River Branches and Creeks
Here are some of the smaller rivers and creeks that flow into the Trinity River:
- Clear Fork of the Trinity River
- East Fork of the Trinity River (Bois d'Arc River)
- Elm Fork of the Trinity River
- West Fork of the Trinity River
- Bachman Branch
- Cedar Creek
- Mountain Creek
- Fossil Creek (Texas)
- Johnson Creek
- Red Oak Creek
- Richland Creek
- White Rock Creek
- Rowlett Creek
- Big Creek
- Fourmile Creek
- Five Mile Creek
- Ten Mile Creek
- Sycamore Creek
River Projects and Improvements
In the 1890s, there were plans to make the Trinity River deep enough for ships to travel its whole length. This would have needed a lot of digging. Even though the plans were stopped, some bridges were built very high to allow ships to pass underneath. Locks, which are like water elevators for boats, were actually built downstream from Dallas in the early 1900s. The original idea was to build 36 locks and dams from Trinity Bay to Dallas. However, construction stopped after World War I. Only a few of these locks were ever built.
Today, there are no plans to fix these old locks. However, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is working on the Dallas Floodway Extension Project nearby. This project helps lower the risk of floods and improves the natural areas and recreation spots for people in Dallas.
Big Plans for the River
The Trinity River Corridor Project aims to change the flood zone in downtown Dallas into a huge city park. This park will feature three special bridges designed by a famous architect named Santiago Calatrava.
A similar project is happening in Fort Worth. It plans to develop an area north of downtown along the Trinity River. This project wants to create a large area with homes, shops, and offices. The goal is to help Fort Worth's city center grow and prevent buildings from spreading too far out. This plan could help Fort Worth's main business area double in size over the next 40 years.
Floods and Protecting the City
The Trinity River has flooded many times in history, including big floods in 1844, 1866, 1871, and 1890. But a huge flood in the spring of 1908 made people realize they needed to control the river. On May 26, 1908, the Trinity River became very deep, about 52.6 feet (16.03 meters), and very wide, about 1.5 miles (2.4 km). Five people died, 4,000 people lost their homes, and the damage cost about $2.5 million.
Now the wreckage of a shed or outhouse would move by, followed by a drowned swine or other livestock. The construction forces of the Texas & Pacific worked feverishly to safeguard the long trestle carrying their tracks across the stream. Suddenly, this whole structure turned on its side down-stream, broke loose from the rest of the track at one end and swung out into the middle of the current and began breaking up, first into large sections and then into smaller pieces, rushing madly along to some uncertain destination. [Approximately half a dozen of the workmen fell into the torrent at this point; exaggerated reports of their drowning swept the city.]
—C.L. Moss
Dallas had no power for three days. All telephone and telegraph services were down, and trains stopped running. The only way to get to Oak Cliff was by boat. West Dallas was hit the hardest. Thousands of livestock drowned, and some got stuck in the tops of trees. The smell of their decay filled the city as the water went down.
After this terrible flood, people in Dallas wanted to find a way to control the river and build a strong bridge between Oak Cliff and Dallas. They had tried before, after the 1890 flood, but that wooden bridge was easily washed away in 1908. George Dealey, who published the Dallas Morning News, suggested building a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) long concrete bridge. This idea was based on a bridge over the Missouri River in Kansas City.
People voted to approve $650,000 for the project. In 1912, the Oak Cliff Viaduct, now called the Houston Street Viaduct, opened. About 58,000 people came to celebrate. At that time, it was the longest concrete structure in the world!
After the 1908 flood, tall walls called levees were first built in 1932. They were made even taller in 1960, reaching 30 feet (9.1 meters), and have stayed that height. Current plans to make these levees even better are part of the Dallas Floodway Extension project and the Trinity River Project. These plans involve making two existing levees longer and raising two others near downtown Dallas.
Downtown Dallas also had a bad flood in 1990. Smaller floods on the Trinity River happen often, like in the spring of 2015.
Images for kids
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Trinity River, Dallas, Texas (postcard, c. 1901–1907)
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Map of the Trinity River and associated watershed
See also
In Spanish: Río Trinity para niños
