Project No.1 – Rickreall Creek stream ecology. We have adopted Section 2 of the trail!(ongoing)
Rickreall Roots & Shoots’ application to adopt the Phase 2 section of the Rickreall Creek Trail System has been approved by the City of Dallas Parks & Recreation Dept.! This section of the Trail is the downtown walking path that ends at the Main Street bridge. We plan to have an activity and restoration day once every month. Our activities will include inventorying wildlife, monitoring stream health, planting native vegetation, creating a beautiful habitat for animals, and maintaining the health of this trail section.
In preparation for stream adoption on December 14 I met up with Polk Soil & Water Conservation District, City of Dallas Parks and Recreation Department, Friends of the Dilbert Hunt Arboretum and the Rickreall Watershed Council who were planting 300 trees along the Phase 4 section of Rickreall Creek Trail.
This is a fun and dedicated group of individuals that will continue to make our community environment a beautiful and healthy place to live. These agencies have agreed to be ongoing partners with Rickreall Creek Roots & Shoots. Many thanks to them all.
The Rickreall Creek Trail System (RCTS) has been part of our Comprehensive Plan since 1970. When complete, there will be 4.2 miles of trail connecting the west end of Dallas to the east end of Dallas traveling along Rickreall Creek. It is funded primarily by grants and agreements with developers – tax dollars are not used to pay for construction. Because of this, implementation of every phase of the trail is tied directly to the grant application process and community development.
Mayor Fairchild thanked Mr. Jordan, Mr. Brandvold, and previous councils for having the foresight to acquire property for the trail system.
The RCTS is a combination of urban, multi-use, and nature trails that accommodates pedestrians, runners, families with strollers, bicyclists, and skaters. In most areas, it will be ADA-accessible and allow maintenance and emergency vehicle access.
The first phase of the trail was completed in the summer of 2004. This section is located near the Aquatic Center at Roger Jordan Community Park. The second phase of development between Levens Street and Main Street was completed in the fall of 2007. Parking for this section of trail is located at the parking lot at the intersection of Brandvold Drive and Walnut Avenue. Phase 3, the Hawthorne Section of RCTS was completed in the summer of 2011. With completion of the trail, it connects from the east end of Dallas to the west end of Dallas through the City Park and the Delbert Hunter Arboretum.
Rickreall Creek banks & riparian restoration
The Rickreall Creek Trail System provides opportunities to improve stream bank stability and riparian habitat. Construction of the trail in itself can provide a stabilizing effect by widening and contouring the bank to effectively conduct greater flows without damaging the stream banks. The trails also provide access to the riparian areas for riparian restoration, enhancement, and maintenance activities.
Several examples of stream bank stabilization and riparian area restorations can be seen in Dallas. Cooperation between the City, the Rickreall Watershed Council, and the Polk Soil and Water Conservation District resulted in implementing grant projects involving major bank stabilization and riparian restoration. One such project involved stabilizing a steep and rapidly eroding stream bank adjacent to the Delbert Hunter Arboretum. The project involved sloping the bank, removing invasive plants such as blackberry and scotch broom, and replanting with native grasses, shrubs, and trees.
Related articles
- Up the Creek, With a Paddle: Urban Stream Restoration (sustainablecitiescollective.com)
- Trail segment opens, linking 34-mile Columbia Gorge ride (blogs.seattletimes.com)
- Pullen Creek Streamwalk: Protecting Salmon Habitat in Skagway (alaskapublic.org)
- $500K Silver Bow Creek barrier will protect native cutthroat numbers (mtstandard.com)
Rickreall Creek Roots & Shoots 