Nearly a year after approving a memorandum of understanding with the Tarrant Regional Water District to install a water wheel on the Trinity River that would collect and remove trash, the city has decided to close out the initiative.

The details

According to a city report, the main reasons to suspend the project are:
  • Not enough fundraising to support the effort
  • Increases in costs of labor and materials
The report states efforts to raise all necessary funding to support the water wheel project began in December 2021. Based on the bid responses, the construction and purchase costs of a water wheel totaled $1.9 million.

The report states as of Aug. 31, there is a remaining outstanding project funding gap of approximately $500,000.

Diving in deeper




According to a city news release, water wheels collect and remove trash and debris from the river’s surface using hydropower or solar power, containment booms and a conveyor belt system.

Water wheels have been used to much success in other parts of the world, including Baltimore Harbor in Baltimore and Panama City, Panama, the news release states. Fort Worth’s water wheel would have been installed in the Clear Fork section of the Trinity River, near Panther Island Pavilion.

The water wheel is engineered to keep collecting trash as the water level changes, according to city documents. It has also been engineered to:
  • Capture up to 50,000 pounds daily of litter and debris, known as floatables
  • Contain floatables at a single point to prevent debris from continuing downstream
  • Improve the aesthetics and usability of waterways
  • Improve aquatic ecosystems for fish and wildlife
The city report states in the event that additional funding opportunities, such as grants and large donations, become available, city officials may revisit the project.