for all of our lifetimes

Lifetimesfor all of our

A Vision for the Brazos & Bosque Rivers - Waco, Texas

Corridor Planning Partners

i

Special thanks to the steering committee for participanting in meetings and workshops, which laid the foundation for this report.

City of Waco Parks and Recreation Department National Park Service Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program

US Army Corps of Engineers

Committee Members (2008-2010)Virginia Dupuy City of Waco MayorRick Allen City of Waco Council Member Larry Groth City of Waco City ManagerWiley Stem City of Waco Assistant City ManagerBill Falco City of Waco Planning & DevelopmentRusty Black City of Waco Parks & RecreationSharon Fuller City of Waco Parks & RecreationPeggy McCart City of Waco Parks & RecreationBurck Tollett City of Waco Parks & RecreationJonathan Cook City of Waco Parks & RecreationLiz Taylor Waco Convention & Visitors BureauChris Evilia City of Waco MPOTom Conry City of Waco Water UtilitiesKathryn Nichols NPS Rivers Trails & ConservationTracy Atkins NPS Rivers Trails & Conservation Susan Haney US Army Corps of Engineers

Toni Rushing US Army Corps of EngineersTim Horn US Army Corps of EngineersRonnie Bruggman US Army Corps of EngineersSusan Bratton Environmental Sciences, Baylor Univ.Mike Parrish Department of History, Baylor Univ.Stephen Sloan Department of History, Baylor Univ.Reagan Ramsower Finance & Administration, Baylor Univ.Tom Charlton The Texas Collection, Baylor Univ.Brian Nicholson Baylor Director of Design & ConstructionBelinda Pillow MCC Small Business Development CenterLinda Pelon McLennan Community CollegeTrey Buzbee Brazos River AuthorityLaveda Brown Cen-Tex African American ChamberChris McGowan Waco Chamber of CommerceJoe Rodriguez Cen-Tex Hispanic Chamber of CommerceCharles Conner Cameron Park ResidentJakob Stewart Office of Congressman Chet Edwards

In 2008, the National Park Ser-vice selected the Brazos & Bosque River Corridor Project in Waco to receive technical and planning assistance from the Riv-ers, Trails and Conservation As-sistance (RTCA) program.

The goal: to create a plan for a healthy, attractive greenway cor-ridor along the 16 miles of riv-ers in the Waco city limits. The Brazos and Bosque River Corri-dor Plan included community in-volvement in corridor planning, developing ways to promote the river’s assets, and identify-ing partners to support priority river corridor improvements.

Additionally, the study’s purpose was to develop strategies to manage the corridor as an in-tegrated resource with facilities and amenities that complement rather than overwhelm the riv-ers’ natural and cultural features. Past corridor plans were also merged with new community preferences for a sustainable corridor.

After two years of workshops, planning meetings and surveys, this public report provides Waco with an outline that focuses on one of our greatest treasures: the Brazos and Bosque River Corridors.

‘‘ ‘‘Lifetimesfor all of our

A Vision for the Brazos & Bosque Rivers For more information about this project, contact the City of Waco Parks and Recreation Department at 254-750-5980.

To plan for high quality, balanced enhancements representing multiple, sustainable uses with resources that also nuture, preserve and improve accessibility, natural charm and wildlife of the Brazos and Bosque River Corridor.

a look at the Corridor

Section 1The Visioning Process (page 1)

Section 2The Ecology (page 21)

Section 3Water & Hydrology (page 31)

Section 4Heritage & Culture (page 37)

Section 5People & the River (page 43)

Section 6Complete Survey Results (page 53)

iv

the Contents

This book was created by the City of Waco Parks and Recreation Department. Content and photograph contributers include:

Jonathan Cook, Kathyrn Nichols, Tracy Adkins, Rusty Black, Peggy McCart, Bill Falco,

Susan Bratton, Tom Conry, Linda Pelon, Mark Randolph.

1

Section 1: the Vision

The Brazos and Bosque Rivers are the heart of Waco.The rivers are the past, present and future.

The city orginated as a stopping point sitting on the banks of the Brazos River. In 1869, the remarkable Suspension Bridge was built and provided a reliable river crossing in downtown. Baylor University settled along the Bra-zos River, while McLennan Community College sits on the bluffs overlooking the Bosque. Street directions are oriented to the rivers, our drinking water comes from the Bosque’s Lake Waco, and the river corridors provide much of the natural beauty and recreational opportuni-ties in the area.

Along with many other cities, Waco once used the rivers for activities of industry, but for decades, a concerted

effort has been made to remove the vestiges of abuse and revitalize the river corridor. The rivers are now one of the priorities of the community. Downtown Waco has once again embraced the rivers, the park and trail system along the rivers are nationally recognized, and residential and commerical growth are poised to increase.

It is Waco’s vision to continue to de-velop without losing the benefits of the water quality, quiet charm, and wildlife currently enjoyed along the corridor.

The National Park Service Rivers, Trails, and Conservation As-sistance grant provided the expertise, method and focus that allowed the City of Waco and its partners to discuss, plan and create the vision for the Brazos and Bosque River corridor.

2

the Plan

Organize Project & Develop

Partnerships

Gather Information

Community Input

Developthe Plan

Implement &MonitorProgress

3

3. COMMUNITY INPUT PROCESS• Smaller meetings with key stakeholders and enablers• Community survey • Incorporate survey results into workshop planning• Design workshop format• Host community workshops

4. DEVELOP THE PLAN• Evaluate workshop recommendations for feasibility• Refine workshop outcomes• Identify action steps and priorities• Identify implementation partners & possible funding sources for planning & design• Develop the plan• Present draft plan to community & stakeholders• Finalize plan• Get plans adopted by City of Waco and other parties

5. IMPLEMENT PLAN & MONITOR PROGRESS• Define implementation plan• Distribute and promote plan/project to target audiences• Develop fundraising strategy• Raise funds for detailed planning, site development, acquisition (if necessary), interpretive materials and programming• Complete project plan and construction• Organize opening celebration• Marketing and education• Operations and maintenance

1. ORGANIZE PROJECT & DEVELOP PARTNERSHIPS• Identify information needs & existing plans• Identify partners, steering committee, subcommittees & stakeholders• Define project scope, mission, goals & study boundaries • Agree on roles & responsibilities• Define planning process, ground rules, and decision-making process

2. GATHER INFORMATION• Review and compile existing plans• Describe existing conditions (Report)• Ecology of the River Corridor• Heritage and culture of the River Corridor• People and the River Corridor today• Interpretative resources• Marketing and education• Maps• Section reports• Written summaries • Photography and visual resources• Identify issues, opportunities and challenges• Assess and map resources

the Task

The Brazos-Bosque River Corridor offer many sites for recreational and educational ac-tivities. The riparian zone and the extensive stands of bottom-land and cliff top forest

provide both natural diversity and an aesthetic zone for many outdoor activities.‘‘

‘‘

- Baylor University, Department of Enviromental Services

4

the Survey

SURVEY BACKGROUND

The City of Waco Parks and Recreation Department sponsored a survey to gauge public opinion on various opportunities, issues and priorities related to the Brazos and Bosque River Corridor. The survey was developed in conjunction with the National Park Service, Rivers Trails and Conserva-tion Assistance Program. Public outreach included articles in the Waco Tribune-Herald and on local TV stations publicizing the survey. Links to the on-line survey were provided on the City of Waco website, the Waco Conventions and Visitors Bureau Website and as well as through various listserves and email lists provided by the Steering Committee Members. Baylor students under the direction of Dr. Susan Bratton also surveyed park users. Response to the survey was good with 740 people participating in the survey on-line and through paper copy.

Important Actions

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0R

atin

g

Cleanup river and riverbanksImprove beauty and civic prideProvide securityProtect ecologyImprove land access along the rivers

5

SURVEY RESULTS(See Section 6 for Detailed Results)

The survey was designed to help guide the planning ef-fort by providing information on what area residents’ pri-orities, concerns and desires are for the corridor. The first survey question addressed priorities and important actions. The top rated actions were: clean up river and banks, improve beauty and civic pride, provide security, protect ecology and improve access along the river.

Following that, respondents were asked what positive out-comes they wanted as a result from the planning effort. The highest responses included improving both water quality and appearance along the river as well as enhanc-ing public appreciation and care for the rivers. Improved quality of life, protection of the river corridor through consistent application of land development codes and

Desired Positive Outcomes

0

1

2

3

4

5

Rat

ing

Improved water quality in the riversImproved appearance along the river corridorEnhanced public appreciation and care for the riversImproved Quality of Life for Waco residentsConsistent protection through land development codes Recreation and active living opportunities

increased recreation and active living opportunities also rated highly. The results of these two questions show that area residents are concerned with ecology, aesthet-ics, recreation, and preservation for future generations as well as improved quality of life along the Brazos and Bosque River Corridor. This gives the planning effort broad guidance for developing a vision for the corridor.

Other questions were more detailed and direct, while some were broken out by zone to get more finely-tuned responses. The zones (upstream to downstream) were River Trail, Park-Residential, Urban and University-Cultur-al. All zones included both sides of the river. Questions regarding trail surface preference showed a strong pref-erence for hard surface trails in the Urban and Universi-ty-Cultural zones, while soft surface trails were strongly preferred in the River Trail and Park-Residential zones.

6

Landscaping Preferences

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

River Trail Park -Residential

Urban University -Cultural

Formal Informal/Native Natural

Bank Condition Preferences by Zone

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

River Trail Park -Residential

Urban University -Cultural

Reinforced bank with lawn, no riparian corridorMowed lawn and some riparian bufferNatural riparian corridor

VISUAL PREFERENCES

Visual preference questions were also included in the survey. Landscap-ing preferences fell into this category. The results showed a preference for natural landscaping in the River Trail zone and for native/informal landscap-ing in the Park-Residential zone. The Urban and University-Cultural zones generally showed a balance between native/informal and formal landscaping preferences.

Other visual preference survey questions related to the type of bank devel-opment. Results from this question showed a preference for a natural ripar-ian corridor in the River Trail zone, which is consistent with most of the area. A slight majority preferred a mowed lawn with some riparian buffer in the Park-Residential zone, while nearly 30% preferred a natural riparian corridor. Reinforced river banks with lawns were the preferences for the Urban and University-Cultural zones bank conditions. Although significant sections of these zones are developed with bank reinforcement, this would represent loss of some riparian buffer and should be carefully weighed.

7

ACTIVITIES & FACILITIES

Another group of questions in the survey related to activities that people currently participate in within the corridor and types of facilities respondents desired to be developed or improved within the corridor. There are a number of ways to analyze these responses. Looking at how many people participate in various activities gives a slightly different rating than looking at how frequently people participate in these activities in the corridor. Popularity by number of participants is graphed on the follwoing page. This shows walking, dining, parties/special events, picnicking and shopping to be the ac-tivities that the most people participate in. However, when we look at which activities had the highest combination of daily and weekly participation, the results are slightly different. Here we see walking, dining, dog walking, shopping, road biking and mountain biking as the most popular activities.

Respondents were also asked to rate their priorities from 1 to 5 for additional facilities and improve-ments along the river corridor. Choices of 20 different types of facilities were listed in the survey, and respondents had the option to write-in suggestions as well. The highest priorities included trails, restoring riverbank vegetation, protecting natural river buffers, adding cafes and dining along the river and adding trails for biking

Additionally, there were hundreds of write-in comments, ranging from the need for dog-parks, soft surface trails, boating facilities and places for arts and activities to a desire to preserve and improve the ecology along the river corridor.

ISSUESThe survey also asked what were the most important issues along the corridor that should be the focus of improvement. The issues of most concern were related to the environment and aesthetics including: trash and pollution along the corridor, safety and crime, environmental degradation and riverbank erosion.

Many survey respondents also took time to write in additional responses to a variety of questions. These responses covered a wide range of topics and varied from wanting increased development along the corridor to wanting to ensure protection and restoration of natural habitats along the cor-ridor. From the 700-plus survey responses and the valuable input from the participants, it shows that Wacoans are passionate about the Brazos and Bosque River Corridor and are anxious to see this resource protected and improved.

Most Desired Facilities

3.53.63.73.83.9

44.14.2

Trails for hikingRestoring riverbank vegetationSet aside areas of natural river buffersCafes and dining along the riversTrails for biking

Top 9 Issues Impacting the Corridor

33.23.43.63.8

44.24.44.64.8

Trash/dumping along the riverPollution impacting water qualitySafety and crime concernsEnvironmental degradationRiverbank erosionLoss of wildlife habitatLack of vision for the future of the corridorDerelict StructuresDevelopment vs cultural/natural protection

8

The diverse Brazos & Bosque river corridor includes cliffs, lowlands, flood plains and rolling plains. The dramatic views and geographic

features provide unique opportunities.‘‘

‘‘ Popular Activities by Number of Participants

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Walking DiningParties and special events PicnickingShopping Organized outingsChildren's Play Visit Interpretative DisplaysEducation Competitive eventsRoad Biking KayakingDog Walking FishingMountain Biking Disc GolfBoating - motorized

Popular Activities by Frequency

0

50

100

150

200

250

Num

ber

Walking DiningDog Walking ShoppingRoad Biking Mountain BikingChildren's Play PicnickingOrganized outings KayakingCompetitive events Parties and special eventsBoating - motorized FishingTrail Running Education classesDisc Golf RowingGuided Tours Visit Interpretative Displays

Rated by frequency of participation

- Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce

9

the Workshops

On November 5-6, 2008, the City of Waco and the National Park Service co-hosted three Brazos and Bosque River Corridor Visioning Workshops, held at McLennan Community College Conference Center. The goal of the community visioning workshops was to document individual and shared visions for living sustainably in Waco through which the Brazos and Bosque Rivers flow and give life.

The workshops were developed with help from several of the River Corridor partners. The Na-tional Park Service recommended the Vision to Action format for the workshop. The format en-courages participants to draw and discuss their thoughts, find common themes by combining individuals’ ideas, and energize actions by individuals and community leaders. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, whose staff helped design the format, agreed to provide workshop funding from the Planning Assistance to States grant program. NPS and the City of Waco contributed both funding and in-kind assistance as match for the USACE grant.

Sixty-three individuals participated in the sessions and completed the following desired out-comes:

• Develop personal visions for living sustainably in the Waco community• Develop group consensus on visual characterization of 4 zones• Identify physical improvements, programming elements, and resource protection/restoration areas by zone

The second part of the workshop process, held on the evening of the second day, sought to de-velop recommendations for site-specific improvements to the river corridor. Participants from the first phase of the visioning workshops broke into four groups with each group focusing on one of the corridor zones. Through group discussion, participants drew on the zone maps and pasted images that indicated a desire for improvements. Improvements included activities and facilities to support them, such as boating, launch sites, hiking, parks, streambank protection, bridges, docks, and entertainment districts.

The following maps and artist renderings are the results of the workshops. 10

W hat I value most about Waco is being able to feel like I am away from it all by taking a short hike or paddle.‘‘

‘‘

- Survey Response

11

For many years, we have kayaked, inner-tubed, hiked and taken refreshing dips in the Brazos.‘‘

‘‘

- Survey Response

12

Some of my fondest childhood memories are family gatherings in Cameron Park, and then as a teenager spending all day on Saturday

biking and hiking with friends.

‘‘

‘‘ - Survey Response

13

The River is one of the main reasons my family and I relocated to Waco in 1991 and opened a business here.‘‘

‘‘

- Survey Response

14

I love bringing my books and computer, and just coming to study by the river.‘‘

‘‘

- Survey Response

15

the VisionsAbout the Artist RenderingsThe first phase of the workshop process sought citizen opinions regarding Waco and its rivers by asking participants to lit-erally draw pictures of their vision with markers and paper. Folks then had the chance to show their artwork and de-scribe to the group what features their vi-sion included. The next step was for each person’s art to be scanned and converted to postcard-sized images. Participants then created full-sized posters using their vision and adding to it other participants’ post-card drawings. They shared their posters and described the fuller visions for the river corridors that now included shared ideas from others. While partici-pants showed and described their ideas, a professional artist, hired for the work-shop, developed composite sketches that are shown in this document. The visions indicate community desires for green-space at the rivers’ edges; opportunities for trails and public park activities; water-based recreation; and attractive mixed use land development that faces the river with entertainment, restaurants, public areas, and cultural interpretation.

16

Section 2: the Ecology by Susan Bratton

21

The Brazos and the Bosque Rivers have, through the centuries, affected every aspect of the natural and cul-tural environment in what is now the Waco region. The rivers have carved the face of the cliffs in Cameron Park, and washed away the eroded limestone at their bases. Their powerful currents left thick beds of gravel where the flowing water slowed at ancient bends. A muddy flood trapped the Columbian mammoths, whose untimely burial has formed an internationally recognized paleontological site. The rivers have supported a diversity of fauna from river otters and beavers to bald eagles and wood ducks. The moist bottomland forests are a last outpost for many eastern forest species, which cannot survive the frequent fires and drought of the prairies. In Waco, elms, willows, oaks and pecans still stand tall along the rivers’ edges. Further west, they will be replaced by a simpler woody flora of scrubby tamarisk and mesquite.

The environmental resources of the Brazos and Bosque corridor have long attracted humans to the region around the confluence. The area, with its springs, and mix of for-est and grassland was the perfect site for an Indian village. Spanish explorers and traders on the Camino del Norte rested in the shade of the cottonwoods after traveling in the bright sun and tall grasses of the surrounding open prairies. The founders of the City of Waco established businesses near the ford across the Brazos and adver-tised the virtues of the artesian springs. Today spring-time hikers in Cameron Park enjoy the pinks and whites of wildflowers, and the bright yellow and chartreuse of the new leaves in the forest canopy. Picnickers taking a walk from Pecan Bottoms to Indian Springs can still encounter the tall, statuesque form of a great blue heron fishing at

the rivers’ edge. Baylor baseball fans, ensconced in an ear-ly evening game, look out on a the verdant remnants of a bottomland forest, where egrets pass casually by as they head home for the night, and night hawks swoop down to catch insects attracted by the stadium lights. The ecol-ogy of the Brazos-Bosque corridor improves the lives of Wacoans, and makes the City more attractive for visitors and tourists.

HABITATS are INTERCONNECTEDThe corridor supports three major habitat zones: the riv-ers themselves and their aquatic habitats; the river banks and floodplains, or the riparian habitats, which were his-torically flooded; and the cliffs and land above the reach of the floods or the terrestrial habitats. The riparian zone along the river is often forgotten as a critical site for management, but it is the segment of the corridor most intensively utilized for recreation. All these zones are interconnected. Much of the food for the species living in the river originates with energy fixed by the ter-restrial plants. Aquatic insects shred leaves washing into the streams, and convert the fallen foliage into an impor-tant foundation for aquatic food-chains. Turtles nest on the banks, bask on fallen logs, and forage in the water for snails and invertebrate larvae nourished by the fragments of elm and oak leaves. An important goal for corridor management is maintaining the natural linkages between the river and the surrounding landscape.

A second source of interconnection is the role of the river corridor as a natural dispersal and transportation route, and as a stopover for species migration. Trees along the banks, such as eastern cottonwoods depend on the rivers to disperse their seeds. Fish, such as white bass

22

able habitat for many fish species than banks with patches of cattails or other wetland specialists. The eel is slowly disappearing from inland Texas waters, following other species, such as the paddlefish (native to rivers from the Trinity east), which do not tolerate major impediments to their genetically programmed life’s journeys.

The food-webs in the rivers are based partially on ma-terials washed into the rivers, and partially on the pro-ductivity of the algae and other plants growing within the aquatic environment. One of the major management is-sues for the river corridor is elevated nutrient levels due to human activity. Fertilizers from farm fields, runoffs, lawns, and golf courses, as well as the addition of human and livestock wastes raise nitrogen and phosphorus levels This causes higher levels of blue-green and other algae, which make the water more turbid, and causes unsightly concentrations of algae in recreational areas. When the algae die, bacteria breaks down the cells, withdrawing ox-ygen from the water, which threatens the health of spe-cies with a high need for oxygen, such as predatory fish. Among the aquatic species supported by the Brazos and Bosque rivers are top carnivores, including long-nosed gar and large-mouth bass. The Brazos and Bosque sup-port healthy populations of other game or food fish spe-cies such as white or sand bass, crappie, catfish, and the non-native carp. Dams and human development along the river have restricted the area of emergent vegetation, although patches of cattails and pickerel weed are still present in inlets and along more gradually sloping banks.

RIPARIAN HABITATSMuch of the public encounter with the natural features of the corridor is in the riparian zone. Within Cameron Park and in other forested areas, the lower flood-plain

(sand bass), move up river to find spawning sites. Migrat-ing birds, some of them returning from the arctic or the tropics, shelter in the forests along the banks, and feed in the wetlands as they wing their way to the Texas coast. The rivers carry life-giving nutrients to Texas estuaries and help to nourish the shrimp, crabs and redfish of salt-water habitats. Unfortunately, the Brazos and the Bosque also carry the products of human abuse of the rivers’ wa-tersheds: Styrofoam and plastic trash, human and animal waste, traces of oil and anti-freeze, and sediment eroded from farm fields and construction sites.

The RIVERS: AQUATIC HABITATSDue to the presence of dams, the Brazos River through Waco forms Lake Brazos, a reservoir or impoundment. The dams above and below the corridor modify the depth and the flow of the river, and the patterns of sediment deposition. Dams reduce the potential for high and low water levels by storing water in lakes and then allowing for regulated release throughout the year. Through the early 20th century, the Brazos and Bosque Rivers flooded each spring, and high water frequently covered the lower terraces of the floodplains in what are now Pecan Bot-toms and Brazos Park East. In the summer, the river levels declined, exposing gravel bars and the river bottom ad-joining the banks.

Most of the aquatic species native to the Brazos and the Bosque Rivers have adapted to the presence of the dams, although seasonal management of river depth will con-tinue to influence the quality of habitat for species such as large-mouth bass, white bass and American eel. Bass spawn in shallow areas along the bank, so changes in wa-ter levels can affect reproductive success. Very bare or steep banks with little emergent vegetation are less desir-

23

terraces are occupied by eastern cottonwoods, American elms, pecans, box elders and other tree species which not only tolerate flooding, but may be dependent on it to provide adequate water and transport of seeds. Typical species in the understory are Carolina buckthorn, and white buck-eye. The floodplains, due to the penetration of light along the river edge, have always supported a high density of vines including wild grapes, Virginia creeper, and irritating as it might be, poison ivy, which is a native species. The riparian zone provides spring wildflower displays, particularly from the shrubs and small trees such as the redbuds and Mexican buckeyes with their eye-catching pink blossoms, and a pleasant canopy of shade for warm season recreation, such as fishing and cycling. The riparian zone supports a diverse assortment of native wildlife and provides resting or nesting sites for many species dependent on the rivers for sustenance. Raccoons, for example, are omni-vores that both climb trees to harvest grapes and bird eggs, and visit the waters’ edge to search for frogs.

Riparian habitats are critical to fauna, such as wading birds and aquatic turtles, which depend on the presence of the trees along the bank for cover or resting sites. One of the pleasures of an evening stroll along the Brazos is observing a flock of great egrets sweeping low above the water to glide gently to rest in a dead tree, where their white forms standing in shimmering contrast to the green and brown of the surrounding forest. Red-eared turtles need logs for basking, and tend to congregate where there is natural large woody debris exposed above the rivers’ surface. Trees and roots extending over the river serve as protective cover and shade for predatory fish species where the herons and cormorants cannot easily see them. The banks of the Brazos and Bosque hide a diversity of other vertebrates, including shy snakes and colorful song birds. Maintaining areas of forested bank and of natural rivers’ edge is critical to maintaining the biodiversity of the corridor.

The riparian zone also serves as a critical filter, and helps to protect water quality. The deep rooted trees take up excess nutrients from ground water, and also absorb nutrients from surface run-off. Scientific studies have shown that even a thin band of forest can remove half or more of the nitrogen and phosphorus that might otherwise enter the river and stimulate algal blooms. The soils and vegetation of the floodplains can also remove some of the toxic substances, such as lead and oil, that could wash into the river from roads, building sites, and lawns.

UPLAND HABITATSPrior to settlement, the landscape above the riparian zone was covered with forest and more open grasslands. The slopes and promontories of Cameron Park are still dominated by Texas red oak, bluff oak, cedar elm and sugar hackberry. Some species, such as escarpment live oak, have prob-

24

ably not fully recovered from the logging and grazing of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Oaks and other broad-leaved trees are, however, reoccupying former pastures. The needle-leaved eastern red cedar crowns the higher drier sites above the cliffs and at the tops of the ridges. The flatter areas with deeper soils in eastern and northern portions of the corridor, were historically savannah -- swaths of prairie broken by small trees that are widely spaced so that the canopy remains open and fauna has largely disappeared due to human use for agriculture and the absence of wildfires. These sites once supported dense displays of prairie wildflowers and thick clumps of grasses both areas of intact blackland prairie remain within the corridor. Protection of species adapted to open landscapes is still important to retaining biodiversity. Scissor-tailed flycatchers are common on the Baylor campus, and in Waco parks where the males with their distinctive long tails sit on wires along the roads. The graceful scissor-tailed flycatcher, while not endangered, is in decline due to changes in agricultural management and urban sprawl.

VEGETATIONWhen the Waco Indians established a village along the banks of the Brazos, one of the major attractions of the site was convergence of forest and grassland vegetation. The woods provided wood for fires and tools. The wetlands produced reed thatch for huts. The prairies nourished the bison herds and offered seasonal hunting. The Waco Indians planted gardens and utilized the native vegetation for wild foods, such as acorns and grapes. The Wacos cultivated a few hundred acres at the most. When European heritage settlers arrived they brought livestock and metal plows. They also brought the concept of raising animals and crops for sale outside the region. The 19th century was a period of clearing prairies to raise cotton and corn, and of using what is now Cameron Park for pastures. During the era of the cattle drives, herds stopped in Waco to water at the springs, and munch on whatever grasses they could find. As the town prospered, the residents needed lumber to build homes so they cut down oaks and cottonwoods, and took red cedars from the cliffs to make the pilings for bridges. William Cameron, for whom Cameron Park is named, owned several Texas saw mills.

Riparian or bottomland forest: The forest which grows along the river has a complex structure, due to the availability of both adequate water and light. The species vary with the distance from the river, their position on the step-like flood plain terraces. Species which are very tolerant of flooding, such as black willows, eastern cottonwoods, and sycamores, grow right on the rivers’ banks. Species, better able to survive in a dense canopy, such as oak close in behind them.

Canopy trees: black willow, eastern cottonwood, sycamore, bur oak, Shumard’s oak, pecan, American elm, cedar elm, box elder, and hackberry

Understory trees and shrubs: roughleaved dogwood, Carolina buckthorn, redbud, Mexican buckeye, wafer ash, white buckeye, beauty berry

Just the beauty of

the parks and the

river enchances one’s

sense of healing.

Walking along the

river is peaceful and

restoring to the soul.

‘‘- Survey Response

25

‘‘

Herbs and vines: Virginia creeper, poison ivy, mustang grapes, greenbriar, rough bedstraw, baby blue eyes

Upland forests: Some of the species common on the floodplains continue up the valleys and slopes woods above the river, while others, such as willows and cottonwoods drop out. More drought tolerant trees, such as oaks and red cedars crown the ridges.

Canopy trees: cedar elm, hackberry, mulberry, escarpment live oak, bluff oak (Durand’s oak), eastern red cedar, Shumard’s oak, Texas ash, Osage orange (bois d’arch or bodark)

Understory trees: redbud, hawthorn, cherries, persimmon, elder berryHerbs and vines: poison ivy, Virginia creeper, grapes, greenbrier, white trout lily, Missouri violet, spiderwort

RIPARIAN WETLANDSWetlands are dominated by emergent herbaceous species, and by grasses and their relatives. Common plants include cattails, horse tails, sedges, rushes, and pickerel weed. The presence of the dams and construction along the banks has limited wetland presence in the corridor.

Prairie and savannah – Texas bluebonnets, Indian paintbrush, snow-on-the-mountain, wine-cups, little bluestem, big bluestem, switchgrass, Texas wintergrass, side-oats grama, post oak, escarpment live oak, eastern red cedar Non-native vegetation – Aside from bringing domestic animals, the ranchers, famers and towns’ people who occupied the river corridor purposefully introduced cultivated plants to the region, and accidentally transport-ed weedy species. Some of these plants have remained within the boundaries of lawns and gardens, while others are “invasive” and are spreading widely along the river corridor. Some of these new or “exotic” species are able to establish themselves in forests or wetlands , and thus modify the habitats for wildlife and compete with the plant species originally present. The most noticeable intrusion is the addition of evergreen woody understory plants to Cameron Park, where the newly arrived shrubs shade out the spring wildflowers. Invasion by exotic plants is probably the single gravest threat to the native vegetation still present in the corridor. Exotic species – privet, Japanese honeysuckle, nandina, photina, China berry, chaste tree, giant cane (arundo), bamboo

WILDLIFEThe Brazos and Bosque River Corridor attracts and protects a diversity of wildlife species, many of them resi-dent, even within the urbanized portions. The corridor also serves as a resting and foraging site for species on

The river is a

paradise, and

I would love to see

more organized ef-

forts to take care of

the environment

along the riverbanks.

‘‘ ‘‘- Survey Response

26

migration, particularly in the spring and fall. Some coastal species, such as black necked stilts, are occasional visitors attracted by the availability of food resources, under periodic conditions, such as lower water levels. While Cameron Park has protected some of the forest along the river, human activity has removed much of the taller woody vegetation from the riparian zone. The forest along the river is now frag-mented, thus it no longer provides continuous cover for wildlife species dependent on sheltering vegetation to prevent detection by predators or to maintain cooler temperatures. The destruction of the prairies has completely eliminated habitat for species such as bison, pronghorn and ground squirrels. The dams fragment the aquatic habitats by inhibiting migration of species up and down stream. The dams also effect river depth and flow, and thus influence sedimentation processes. Accumulation of sediment and lack of scouring may eliminate habitat for some bottom dwelling invertebrates such as mussels.

WATER POLLUTION, ALGAL BLOOMS & WILDLIFEThe water quality on the Brazos and Bosque River Corridor has important implications for wildlife. Elevated levels of nutrients and the associated production of aquatic algae reduce the availability of crucial oxygen. Deposition of layers of soft silt from erosion run off are helping to eliminate native mussels in the river, and also degrade fish spawning and foraging areas. In 2007, a bloom of golden algae caused a fish kill on Lake Brazos. The golden algae, originally a coastal species, has spread into inland Texas reservoirs. Scientists are not certain what causes the golden algae to release the toxin that damages fish populations. Elevated nutrient levels, however, may also encourage popula-tion expansion of the algae.

The presence of trash in the river also presents a threat to wildlife, particularly birds and mam-mals, which may become entangled in plastics such as fishing line or shopping bags, and which may accidentally eat fragments of Styrofoam or other slowly degradable plastics. The trash floating on the corridor also washes further down river, and can even reach the Gulf coast where it becomes a hazard to oceanic wildlife, such as sea turtles, which suffer from guts impacted with garbage, and may strangle from plastic six-pack rings wrapped around their neck. Plans to reduce pollution and volunteer efforts in river clean up are critical to retaining healthy wildlife populations in the rivers and their adjoining riparian zones.

In upland areas, improper use of pesticides and improper disposal of waste, such as used motor oil and coolant, continues to pollute the rivers. Although the problem is less serious than it was his-torically, when industrial effluents and run-off from arsenic tainted cotton fields freely flowed into the Brazos. Today, fish from the Brazos and Bosque still contain detectable levels of contaminants such as PCBs. Although not at high enough levels to issue a human health warning, the long term 27

goal for corridor management is to eliminate all sources of water pollution that might pose a risk to human or wildlife health. Pollutants such as PCBs or poly-chlori-nated-biphenyls, pesticides, and metals, reside for many years in the sediments on the river bottoms and in the wetlands, so cleaning up the rivers requires both patience and careful planning.

EXOTIC SPECIES & WILDLIFEThe presence of exotic animal species along the river corridor is causing difficulties for native species popu-lations, as are elevated numbers of some native animal species. Escaped or abandoned (feral) dogs and cats prey on native birds and mammals. A small population of feral cats can have a major impact on song birds. Domestic ducks and geese breed with wild ducks producing hybrids, and reducing the wild populations. High populations of brown-headed cowbirds, encouraged by fragmentation of the forests, parasitize the nests of other birds, reducing populations of warblers, and other colorful species.

CONSERVATION & PRESERVATIONThe river corridor was historically home to several spe-cies which have been seriously depleted by overhunting or by habitat loss. Bison, black bears, ocelots and greater prairie chickens were once present in the region and are now extirpated (locally extinct). Trappers reduced both beaver and river otters. The beaver are recovering, while the river otter is still absent from the corridor in Waco. Alligators may have ranged as far north as Waco, how-ever, they have not migrated back up river from the coast. The rivers once supported diverse populations of native freshwater mussels. The construction of the dams and elevated sediment levels caused by agriculture and con-struction have modified conditions on the river bottoms so greatly that mussels have difficulty becoming estab-

lished. Recovery of the mussel populations is one of the greatest challenges for corridor conservation.

A major goal of corridor conservation is slowing the pro-cess of species loss, and maintaining the corridor as a safe stop-over site for migratory animals. The Brazos once hosted great flocks of sandhill cranes as they winged their way from the upper mid-west to the Texas coast. Shore birds, waterfowl, predatory birds and song birds still rest or feed on the corridor as they take a break from a long distance flight. Peregrine falcons, once nearly driven to extinction by pesticide contamination, may occasionally be seen sitting on power lines around Waco. High pri-orities are maintaining rookeries and roosting trees for wading birds, such as the great egrets, great blue herons and night herons. Keeping stands of forest along the riv-er maintains critical habitat for these species. A second goal is restoration of wetlands and shallow water areas critical to shorebirds. A third goal is retaining as much unfragmented forest cover as possible. This is critical to song birds, woodpeckers, and many interesting mammals, such as bobcats and grey foxes. A fourth goal is maintain-ing bank conditions suitable for species which forage or nest at the rivers’ edge, including aquatic turtles, such as red-eared sliders, raccoons and beaver, and birds, such as belted kingfishers and green herons.

WILDLIFE SPECIESThe following is not a complete species list for the cor-ridor. These are some of the most interesting or most frequently observed species occurring along the Brazos and Bosque in Waco or in nearby areas.

Uncommon species (may be extirpated in urban zones) – northern river otter, bald eagle, sand hill crane, per-egrine falcon, American mink, mountain lion or cougar, Texas horned lizard

28

Kayaking along

the upper

Brazos and Bosque

rivers is always an

envigorating, natural

experience.


‘‘Predatory or insectivorous mammals – bobcat, grey fox, coyote, raccoon, ringtail, stripped skunk, nine-banded armadillo, free-tailed bat, eastern red bat, opossum, least shrew, eastern mole

Herbivorous and small mammals – white-tailed deer, beaver, muskrat, eastern cottontail, hispid cotton rat, east-ern grey squirrel, harvest mouse, white-footed mouse, deer mouse

Wading birds – great blue heron, great egret, snowy egret, green heron, black-crowned night heron

Water and shorebirds - belted kingfisher, pie-billed grebe, black-bellied whistling duck, Canada goose, mallard, ruddy duck, wood duck, neotropic cormorant, anhinga, black-necked stilt, killdeer, white pelican, hooded mer-ganser

Predatory birds – osprey, red-tailed hawk, broad-winged hawk, Swainson’s hawk, merlin, American kestrel, Mis-sissippi kite, eastern screech owl, great horned owl, barn owl, black vulture, turkey vulture, greater roadrunner

Forest and grassland birds –nighthawk, Chuck-will’s widow, wild turkey, northern bobwhite, mourning dove, yellow-billed cuckoo, ruby-throated hummingbird, black-chinned hummingbird, scissor-tailed flycatcher, great crested flycatcher, blue jay, cliff swallow, barn swallow, purple martin, chimney swift, Carolina chickadee, tufted titmouse, Carolina wren, blue-grey gnatcatcher, white-eyed vireo, red-bellied woodpecker, downy woodpecker, wood thrush, American robin, eastern bluebird, black and white warbler, northern mockingbird, northern cardi-nal, indigo bunting, painted bunting, redwing blackbird, rusty blackbird, Brewer’s blackbird, eastern meadowlark, vesper sparrow, fox sparrow, chestnut-colored longspur, grasshopper sparrow,

Reptiles and amphibians – red-eared slider, snapping turtle, river cooter, soft shell turtle, Texas rat snake, broad-banded copperhead, bull snake, yellow-bellied racer, blotched water snake, diamond-backed water snake, Texas coral snake, green anole, prairie (or fence) lizard, ground skink, Stecker’s chorus frog, bullfrog, leopard frog, smallmouth salamander

Fishes – long-nosed gar, large-mouth bass, white-bass, black crappie, white crappie, channel catfish, flathead catfish, yellow bullhead, blue catfish, smallmouth buffalo, gizzard shad, threadfin shad, log roller, redear sunfish, longear sunfish, bluegill, green sunfish, warmouth, western mosquito fish, fathead minnow, bullhead minnow, sliverband shiner, red shiner, golden shiner, logperch, dusky darter

Non-native* and invasive species – Mediterranean gecko*, domestic duck*, domestic goose*, Muscovy duck*, cattle egret*, house sparrow*, domestic cat*, domestic dog*, feral hog*, nutria*, red fox,* rock dove (pigeon)*, carp*, stripped bass*, brown-headed cowbird, great-tailed grackle

29

REFERENCES

John E. Werler and James R. Dixon, 2000, Texas Snakes: A Field Guide, Austin: University of Texas Press.

Roger Conant and Joseph Collins, 1998, A Field Guide to Reptiles & Amphibians: Eastern and Central North America, Boston: Hougton Mifflin.

David J. Schmidly, 1994, The Mammals of Texas, Revised Edition, Austin: University of Texas Press.

Robert A. Vines, 1984, Trees of Central Texas, Austin: University of Texas Press.

Benny J. Simpson, 1988, A Field Guide to Texas Trees, Austin: Texas Monthly Press.

Fred Alsop, III, 2002, Birds of Texas, New York: DK Publishing.

Roland Wauer and Mark Elwonger, 1998, Birding Texas, Guilford, CT: Falcon Guides.

John H. Rappole and Gene W. Beckman, 1994, A Field Guide to the Birds of Texas, College Station: Texas A&M Press.

Carmin Stahl and Ria McElvaney, 2003, Trees of Texas: An Easy Guide to Leaf Identification, College Station: Texas A&M Press.

George M. Diggs, Jr., Barney L. Lipscomb, and Robert J. O’Kennon, 1999, Shinner & Mahler’s Illustrated Flora of Central Texas, Fort Worth: Botanical Institute of Texas.

Roger Tory Peterson, 1988, Birds of Texas, Boston: Hougton Mufflin.

Chad Thomas, Timothy H. Bonner, and Bobby G. Whiteside, 2007, Freshwater Fishes of Texas, College Station: Texas A&M Press.

Russell Tinsley, 1988, Fishing Texas: An Angler’s Guide, Fredericksburg: Shearer Publishing.

Robin W. Doughty and Barbara M. Parmenter, 1989, Endangered Species: Disappearing Animals and Plants in the Lone Star State, Austin: Texas Monthly Press.

Linda Campbell, 1995, Endangered and Threatened Animals of Texas, Austin: University of Texas Press. (Avail-able on pdf from Texas parks and Wildlife)

Richard C. Bartlett and Leroy Williamson, 1995, Saving the Best of Texas: A Partnership Approach to Conser-vation, Austin: University of Texas Press.

I particularly enjoyed

driving along the

river. It was the one

thing Waco had that

Austin had lost.

‘‘ ‘‘- Survey Response

30

Section 3: Water Quality by Tom Conry

31

In the arid Southwestern United States, hydrology is a fundamental determinant of water quality. Concern about quality is minimal if there is no quantity. Mark Twain is credited with saying, “Whiskey’s for drinkin’, water’s for fightin’” a very colorful and accurate description of the flash flooding experienced in central Texas.

Lake Brazos includes the Bosque River downstream of the Lake Waco dam (built in 1929; reconstructed in1965), and part of the Brazos River downstream from the Lake Whitney dam (built in 1951). This classified segment, seg-ment 1256, is a flow-regulated water body, due to those upstream dams. Although lakes tend to “smooth” ex-tremes in flow and water quality, the immensity of the contributing watersheds to Lakes Whitney and Waco af-fect the water quality within Lake Brazos more than the immediate watershed (riparian and tributary).

Lake Whitney has a 17,623 square mile contributing watershed*.

Lake Waco has a 1,652 square mile watershed*.*Brazos River Authority data

The U.S. Geological Survey reports a contributing water-shed of 19,993 square miles for the station at the Wash-ington Street Bridge over Lake Brazos (station number 08096500), only 718 square miles of additional drainage, including those streams entering the Brazos River be-tween Lake Whitney and Lake Brazos. Aquilla Creek is more than 260 square miles of that 718 square mile dif-ference.

Additionally, with the exception of the Bosque River, all stream channel inflows to Lake Brazos within the City of Waco are intermittent, flowing with rainfall runoff only. Springs, such as Indian Springs adjacent to the Brazos are exceptions. These spring-influenced flows are very local-ized.

Interestingly, the highest recorded flow of the Brazos Riv-er in Waco, Texas was twice the daily recorded velocity, being 246,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) on September 27, 1936. However, the highest daily flow was 121,000 cfs in 1941, and that is 78,203,357,000 gallons (78,203 billion gallons) in one day. Greater flows have been observed, but not measured.

WET1941 – 121000 cfs

is the highest recorded flow 1957 – 65,500 cfs is the highest post

(Lake Whitney flow)

DRY1988 – 0.12, 0.42, 0.81 cfs1991 – 0.48, 0.69, 0.96 cfs

32

At the other end of the spectrum, the lowest daily flow recorded was 0.12 cfs. The ”normal” (median 50th percentile of daily flows) is 818 cfs.

The Brazos River is the majority of flow into the Brazos and Bosque Rivers Corridor. Thus, the Brazos River primarily affects water quality. The Brazos is not used for drinking water until the City of Marlin (downstream in Falls County) due to the potentially high salinity of the water. Table 2 provides water quality ranges for selected parameters from the most recent five-years of data.

Table 1 - USGS Daily Flow Measurements at the Washington St. Bridge

Daily Maximum Flow Daily Minimum Flow 50th percentile daily flows by yearMedian of Maxes 27050 Median 20 Max of Maxes 121000 Max 213 Median 818Min of Maxes 2740 Min 0.12 USGS data 1898-2007

I recall the floods

before the dam

and lake were devel-

oped. I was in a boat

with my father going

along Elm Street.


‘‘Table 2 - Selected Water Quality Parameters for Lake Brazos

Parameter Minimum Median MaximumSulfates 1.54 69.57 154.93 Chlorides 0.82 174.81 1391.00Dissolved Phosphorus 0.00 0.00 0.02Total Nitrogen* 0.4 0.95 1.36Nitrate (as Nitrogen) 0.00 0.06 0.47Fluoride 0.03 0.25 0.32Bromide 0.00 0.32 0.86Units are reported as Parts Per Million, or milligrams per Liter*Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen is an acid digested sample containing all available Nitrogen

33

Chlorides exhibit the greatest variability, due to the salinity of some floods in the Bra-zos River. Nutrients (Nitrogen and Phosphorus) are low in Lake Brazos, a condition confirmed by normally low Chlorophyll-a pigment levels from algae in the water. Fig-ure 1 shows the occasional spikes in Chlorophyll-a, most often the result of a rainfall inflow upstream. Lake Brazos experienced a golden-algae fish kill in 2007, an impact from a golden-algae bloom in Lake Whitney, about 30 river miles upstream.

Total Organic Carbon is a measurement of potentially available Carbon compounds in the water. While TOC can help define the amount of algae in water, it is used more as a measure of the cleanliness of water. TOC in source waters comes from natural organic material, like decaying leaves, and from manmade compounds like detergents, fertilizers, and pesticides. Seasonal variations in TOC can be expected, but if overall trends begin to increase, problems within the watershed may be identified. TOC lev-els are generally within the 3-6 milligrams per Liter range, with some levels in excess of 7 mg/L. Although the levels in 2007 are slightly higher on average than preceeding years, the inflow to the corridor was much higher than the previous two years.

Aside from salinity elevations due to watershed influences upstream from Lake Whit-ney, no water quality problems have been identified in Lake Brazos. There are oc-casional positive tests for bacteria presence, and there are some high nutrient levels. The water quality data are available for about 30 years, depending on the analyses of interest.

The study area falls within the area of the floodplain along the Brazos River, where the water goes over the banks and inundates the land when a flood event occurs. Especially when it is a so-called 100-year floodplain, where an uncommonly big flood event has the likelihood of a 1-in-100 chance of flooding to a defined area of the ri-parian area (USGS). The table (pg. 42) shows the historical high flows of the Brazos in Waco, indicating that it is possible to have the unusual high flows at irregular intervals, especially during spring to early summer.

TOC - Lake Brazos

0123456789

24-S

ep-0

3

24-S

ep-0

3

11-N

ov-0

3

11-N

ov-0

3

31-M

ar-0

4

29-J

un-0

4

29-J

un-0

5

20-S

ep-0

5

20-S

ep-0

5

22-D

ec-0

5

31-M

ay-0

6

31-M

ay-0

6

23-A

ug-0

6

14-N

ov-0

6

14-N

ov-0

6

21-F

eb-0

7

23-M

ay-0

7

23-M

ay-0

7

27-S

ep-0

7

27-S

ep-0

7

18-D

ec-0

7

Mill

igra

ms

per L

iter

Chlorophyll-a at Lake Brazos

0

10

2030

40

50

60

24-S

ep-0

3

24-S

ep-0

3

11-N

ov-0

3

31-M

ar-0

4

29-J

un-0

4

29-J

un-0

5

29-J

un-0

5

20-S

ep-0

5

22-D

ec-0

5

31-M

ay-0

6

23-A

ug-0

6

23-A

ug-0

6

14-N

ov-0

6

21-F

eb-0

7

23-M

ay-0

7

27-S

ep-0

7

27-S

ep-0

7

18-D

ec-0

7

mic

rogr

ams

per L

iter

Figure 1. Water Chlorophyll-a Levels

Figure 2. Total Organic Carbon Levels in Lake Brazos

34

Brazos River in Waco, Texas (flood stage at 27 ft)

DATE ITEM COMMENT OR DESCRIPTIONUSGS dataFlood stage is 27 ftMajor flood stage is 37 ft

06/30/1899 USGSdata Showspeakflowof117,000cfs

36.70ftHistoricalCrestUSGSshows36.3ftand132,000cfs

12/3/1913 FromNationalWeatherServicesite

39.70ftHistoricalCrest#2

12/4&5/1913 GalvestonCountyDailyNews&SanAntonioLight

Rivercrestedonafternoonof12/03.WacoCreekbrokefromitsbanks.Oneofrailroadbridgeshaswater“dashing”overrails.

2/9/1918 SanAntonioLight FloodinginWaco,brokeleveeinEastWaco,andriverreached depth of 37.536.40ftHistoricalCrestUSGSshows36.4ftand125,000cfs

11/9&10/1918 GalvestonDailyNews River reach 37 ftandleveebrokeinEastWaco

4/26/1922 SanAntonionewspaperaccounts TorrentialrainsandfloodinginWaco–WacoCreekfloodingsouthpartoftownandBaylor.

5/10/1922 FromNationalWeatherServicesite;USGS

35.90ftHistoricalCrest

34.90ftHistoricalCrestUSGSshows35.9ftand122,000cfs

Widespread flooding in Texas from hurricane 40.90 ft Historical Crest #1USGS Peak Flow data – 40.9 ft and 246,000 cfs. Field measurements show on 9/27: 40.03 ft (231,000 cfs); 40.9 ft (246,000 cfs).

9/28/1936 USGS Field measurements show: 37.34 ft (149,000 cfs) and 36.26 ft (129,000 cfs)

09/29-30/1936 GalvestonDailyNews&SanAntonioExpress

Flooding Brazos River reached stage of 41 feet,highestonrecord.TorrentialrainsinBosqueandBrazoswatersheds.WacoCreekbackedup.BUoutofdanger,butwaterseveralfeetdeepacrossstreet.


35.70ftHistoricalCrest

36.60ftHistoricalCrestUSGSshowsPeakFlow36.6ftand137,000cfsandfieldmeasurementsof36.06ft(141,000cfs)and36.53ft(135,000cfs)

36.70ftHistoricalCrest#3USGSshows36.7ftand144,000cfs

12/10/1951 US Army Corps of Engineers Deliberate impoundment began in Lake Whitney

32.33ft(dischargeat101,000cfs)FieldMeasurement31.71ft(110,000cfs)

2/26/1965 US Army Corps of Engineers Deliberate impoundment in Waco Lake began


4/20/1957 FromUSGSsite





05/28/1885 Flood – shows gauge height of 34.63 ft


Sources: Annette Jones, City Attorney at City of Waco 36

Section 4: Heritage & Culture by Peggy McCart & Linda Pelon

37

The Brazos and Bosque rivers have had a significant impact on the history and development of Waco. Water resources were the principal magnet to the area. The Brazos River, Bosque River, and the fresh water springs have attracted people and animals to this area for thousands of years.

Millions of years ago, the earth was fractured by the Balcones Fault. Running through what is now central Texas, the es-carpment was cut by the Brazos River causing a lowing of landscape and a natural place for habitation. Mastodons and Columbian mammoths traveled to the area as revealed by the skeletons of 68,000 year-old Columbian mammoths that have been excavated at the Waco Mammoth Site.

The first residents date back to approximately 8,000 B.C. at the end of the Ice Age, their remains and relics being found at Horn Rock Shelter along the Brazos River in McLennan County. The Brazos River was an 840 mile-long Ice Age river that was a route for aborigines from the northern tundra. These Paleo-Indians traveled in small groups and used hand-slung spears, crude clubs, and lances with flint points. Small bands would gather each year in various locations like Horn Rock Shelter to barter and trade.

38

One of many legends fixes the naming of the river in the 1760s, when an extreme drought made it impossible for the Spanish miners on the San Saba to work. They had heard that the drought was even worse toward the south. They headed toward the Waco Indian village where, according to re-ports, there was a never-failing stream. Many of the men and beasts died en route, and the precious bullion was buried, but the few who finally reached the stream named it Los Brazos de Dios.

Several Native American tribes have populated the area. The location had natural springs, abundant wildlife for hunting, trees and grasses for constructing shelters and fertile land for growing crops. The Wacos settled in this area around 1772, cleared the land, built their houses, and planted their crops. Eventually some two to three hundred people established themselves in sixty to seventy permanent thatch-covered Dwellings.

The tribe hunted migrating buffalos, turkeys, bear, and deer. Their cultivated area was over four hundred acres in size and included corn, squash, beans, watermelons and peaches. The Wacos were game hunters and did not eat fish from the Brazos, which they called the Great Tohomoho. However, the Wacos believed that the natural spring water had magical power.

In order to preserve their village, the Wacos had to defend their territory against raids by the Tonkawas and the powerful Cherokees. The superior Cherokees banished the Wacos only to be threatened themselves by the more powerful Americans who understood the value of the location of the Waco Indian Village.

In 1837, Texas Ranger Company A was sent to build a fort at Waco Indian Village under the com-mand of Captain Thomas A. Barron to protect the white frontier after a Comanche raid at Ft. Parker near Groesbeck. However, it was decided the outpost was too far from any white settle-ment to offer any protection.

Among the group of 42 men was Lieutenant George Bernard Erath, later considered the father of Waco Village. When they arrived, the Wacos had recently abandoned their village. The village was in the possession of buffalos, corn stalks were still in the fields and peach trees were abundant. Erath felt the village was a good location for a town.

In 1848, two years after Texas statehood, General Thomas J. Chambers sold his Mexican grant of land, which surrounded the old Waco Village site, to a group of businessmen from Galveston. In

39

early 1849, surveyor George B. Erath laid out the first streets of Waco. Lots were sold for $5 each, with “farm-ing lots” selling for $2 to $3 each.

Among the first buyers was a Texas Ranger, Shapley P. Ross. Captain Ross opened a ferry across the river in 1849 and built the first house in Waco with help from Armstead Ross, who by all accounts, was the first African-American to arrive in Waco. The City of Waco was incorporated on August 29, 1856.

In the pre-Civil war days it was customary to maintain ferries where important roads crossed the large rivers. One ferry was operated by Capt. Shapley P Ross and was located where East Main Street struck the Brazos.

Another ferry operation was later started a half mile north by Joseph Speight. The Waco ferry system was not only important from the standpoint that it tied both sec-tions of the county together, but it also acted as a fo-cal point for pioneers heading westward and this meant population and financial growth for the town and the county.

In 1858, Waco became the terminal stop on a regular run of the stage line from Houston. Since Waco was over 100 miles from the nearest railroad, this stage line was the only communication link with the more populated areas to the south.

Despite its remoteness from the Civil War hostilities, McLennan County supplied 2,200 volunteers to the Con-federacy, out of a county-wide population of about 8,000. Six of McLennan County’s volunteers became generals.

Although Waco was in a severe and desperate condition at the war’s end, it recovered rapidly. Wacoans began to focus their attention on a future that had been dramati-cally altered by the devastation and economic upheaval of the Civil War. Settlers were moving west, businesses began to flourish and cattle drives became a common sight.

In 1854, the first trail herd of 500 steers left Waco for Independence Missouri. Ranchers and cattlemen soon began driving cattle north. As the Chisholm Trail became more and more popular, cowboys and their herds crossed the Brazos River in Waco.

At Waco, the Brazos River cuts through the rocky sur-face of the Austin Chalk Escarpment, making the river bottom firm enough for early crossings by wagons and cattle herds. This hard rock crossing was located at what is now Indian Spring Park, just south of the Suspension Bridge. Arrival of the railroads signaled the end of the cattle drives through Waco.

In 1870, the 475-foot Suspension Bridge was opened as the first pedestrian/wagon bridge across the Brazos. A year later, the Waco and Northwestern Railroad reached Waco. It was followed by the Cotton Belt, and later by the Missouri, Kansas, and Texas Railroads making Waco a hub of commerce for the state of Texas.

In the mid- to late-1800s, the fertile soil of the Brazos valley drew plantation owners from the deep South. As the turn of the century approached, Waco was one of the world’s leading producers of cotton. Waco claimed to be the largest inland cotton market in the world and

40

47

published as supporting evidence receipts of 60,000 bales annually by wagon and 150,000 bales by rail. Cotton was transported by rail to markets and to seaports for ship-ment around the world.

Civic leaders decided a bridge across the Brazos was needed. It took 2.7 million bricks from Wacoan J.W. Mann and $135,000 to build the 475-foot span, which was finished in January of 1870. It was the first bridge built across the Brazos River. Upon completion, the Suspen-sion Bridge brought the Texas section of the Chisholm Trail straight through Waco.

A year later, the railroad was extended into Waco, and the city became a flourishing trade center. Following the bridge’s completion, a toll was charged for each person and each head of cattle. On September 1, 1889 the toll charge was eliminated.

In1886, Baylor University moved to Waco from Indepen-dence, Texas and merged with Waco University. Founded in 1845 under the Republic of Texas, Baylor is the old-est continually operated university in Texas. Texas Chris-tian University (TCU) also called Waco home for more than 10 years, leaving for Ft. Worth in 1910 when fire destroyed its main building.

Paul Quinn College, Texas’ oldest liberal arts college for African-Americans, was originally founded in Austin in 1872 as the Connectional College. The college was moved to Waco in 1881 and was located at 8th and Mary Streets in downtown Waco before it relocated to Elm Street. The college relocated to Dallas in the early 1990s.

Another historic African-American college located in Waco was the Central Texas College, opened as the Cen-

tral Texas Academy in about 1891. The school changed to a college in 1927. It closed between 1930 and 1932.

Downtown Waco thrived on the banks of the Brazos through the turn of the century with a variety of busi-nesses, industries, schools, and churches. Waco was no longer a frontier village of cattle drives and cotton bales. Citizens advertised it as a city of wealth, refinement, cul-ture and geyser city health resort.

Majestic natatoriums and sanatoriums were built to uti-lize the 104 degree artesian water discovered under the city. Service men and women stationed at the army and air force installations helped businesses to thrive.

Downtown Waco survived the Great Depression only to succumb to the 1953 tornado that demolished a great portion of the downtown area and killed 114 people. Following the tornado, businesses began relocating to the suburbs in the new wave of shopping centers

The Brazos and Bosque Rivers are the centerpiece of present-day Waco and are surrounded by scenic city parks. Cameron Park and Indian Spring Park are located on the west bank and Brazos Park East and Martin Luther King, Jr. Park are on the east bank.

A beautifully landscaped riverwalk connects many of Waco’s cultural, historical and recreational sites includ-ing Baylor University, the Mayborn Museum, the Texas Sports Hall of Fame, the Texas Ranger Museum, Suspen-sion Bridge, Cameron Park, Brazos Park East, East Terrace

41

and Martin Luther King Jr. Park.

REFERENCES

“Study Guide to Crossroads.” A Television Production of the Baylor University Institute for Oral History. Waco, Texas. 1991.

James M. Greenwade and Glen B Miller (1992), Soil Survey of McLennan County, Texas. Washington, D.C.: United States Department of Agriculture.

Colonel Harold B. Simpson, 1963, Gaines’ Mill to Appomattox, Waco & McLennan County in Hood’s Texas Brigade, Waco, Texas: Texian Press.

Patricia Ward Wallace, 1999, Waco, A Sesquicentennial History, Virginia Beach, Virginia: The Donning Company Publishers.

Patricia Ward Wallace, 1986, Our Land Our Lives, A Pictorial History of McLennan County, Texas, Virginia Beach, Virginia: The Donning Company Publishers.

Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. “WACO, TX.” http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/viewWW/hdw1.html [Accessed Tue Aug 8 8:58:08 2000].

Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. “MCLENNAN COUNTY, TX.” http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/MM/hcm8.html [Accessed July 11 2001].

Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. ”BRAZOS RIVER”http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/BB/rnb7.html (accessed March 16, 2010).

“Waco Texas History.” Waco Web, 1995.http://www.acm.org/waco/HISTORY.HTML [Accessed Aug 15 2000]

“Historic Waco.” Gateway to Texas History.

42

Section 5: People & the River by Bill Falco

43

DEMOGRAPHICSThe City of Waco is located in the approximate center of McLennan County. For planning purposes, the boundaries of the Waco Metropolitan Area are considered to be the same as those of McLennan County. The metropolitan area encom-passes 1,060 square miles and in 2000 had a population of 213,517.

The Metropolitan Area experienced a 12.9% increase in population between 1990 and 2000. As a comparison, the national population increased by 13.2% and the State of Texas experienced a 22.8% increase in population for the same period.

Perhaps more significant to the areas future than the overall growth rate for the county is the rate of growth for the City of Waco as compared to that for unincorporated areas of the county. According to the US Census Bureau, the percent in-crease in population for the City of Waco between 1990 and 2000 was 9.8 %; whereas, the percent increase for unincorpo-rated areas of the county for the same period of time was 28%. According to the Texas Data Center this concerning trend has continued as indicated by Waco’s share of the county population declining from 53.3% in 2000 to 53.1% in 2004.

These numbers reflect a trend of concern over the rapid growth of unincorporated areas in McLennan County. These primarily rural areas have few development restrictions and low taxes. Additionally, these areas are also developed at very

44

low densities of one to two housing units per acre. This level of density spread over the entire county is not sustainable in the long run. Waco must develop a strategy to attract more of the county’s population growth into its corporate boundaries. The careful development of the Brazos and Bosque River Corridor within Waco could be an important component of that strategy by serving as a catalyst for the redevelopment of the city’s core.

Two major planning efforts are underway to address this issue: The Brazos-Bosque River Cor-ridor Study being conducted by the City of Waco and the National Park Service and a Downtown Master Plan and Economic Development Strategy that is being initiated by the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce and the City of Waco. Both studies emphasize the importance of chang-ing the current pattern of population growth in the Waco Metropolitan Area through sustainable, quality growth.

The African American and Hispanic population in the Waco Metropolitan Area accounts for ap-proximately 30% of the population; whereas, the minority population account for approximately 50% of Waco’s total population. At 16.8%, the percentage of persons living in poverty in McLennan County reflects the State of Texas poverty rate of 15.4%. However, the percent living in poverty for the City of Waco is an alarming 24.5%. Continued efforts on the part of the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce to attract good paying jobs coupled with the launching of the first Educa-tion Summit aimed at improving the quality of the existing work force are working together to reduce the poverty rate.

LAND USEAn analysis of existing land use in the Bosque and Brazos River Corridors reveals that 75% of the land can be classified as undeveloped, excluding surface water acreage. Even removing the 772.5 acres that account for parks, recreation and open space from the undeveloped category, approxi-mately 60% of the land remains categorized as undeveloped. This high percentage of undeveloped land within close proximity to the banks of the rivers presents an opportunity to plan future development in such a way as to minimize the impact on agricultural and forested areas. By con-centrating new development on land classified as vacant, emphasizing the restoration and adaptive reuse of existing structures and increasing the density of development in the city’s core, we can minimize the impact on the more natural areas of the corridor.

Most of the land within the study area to the north of the confluence of the two rivers is agricul-tural and parks and open space with the exception of the residential development located on the north bank of the Brazos between Keys Creek and White Rock Creek. This residential develop-

45

ment is one of the few areas in the corridor that lie outside of Waco’s corporate limits. Concerns that surround the development of the area are restricted public access, lack of a public sanitary sewer system, and the lack of building codes and zoning.

The development of privately held property across the Bosque River from Cameron Park could significantly impact the view from both Cameron Park and Cameron Park East. Previous Com-prehensive Plans have recommended the securing of a scenic easement along the banks of this property to protect this important view.

From the confluence of the Bosque and Brazos Rivers to the Franklin Avenue Bridge, most of the land along the banks of the river is dedicated park land and open space. Parks include Cameron Park, Brazos Park East, Bledsoe Miller Park, Martin Luther King Blvd., and Indian Spring Park. The vast amount of park land and open space in this area will help to insure that the natural beauty of this segment of the river is protected.

The east bank of the Brazos River in the area between East Waco Drive and Franklin Avenue has seen improvements in the form of the extension of the Brazos Riverwalk and substantial enhance-ments of the Bledsoe Miller Recreation Center. Development opportunities are beginning to be explored along Bridge Street and Elm Avenue as a means of creating a strong link between this area of downtown and the Brazos River.

There has not been a great deal of development activity in recent years along the banks of the Brazos between Franklin Avenue and Interstate 35, even though the first segment was of the Bra-zos Riverwalk was completed along the west bank in the 1980’s. Recently, however, large parcels of property are beginning to be assembled on the west bank for future development.

The east bank of the Brazos River between Interstate 35 and LaSalle Avenue is characterized by vacant land. The realization of plans to construct Loop 574 to connect Highway 6 to Interstate 35 would do much to stimulate development in this area.

Finally, the east bank of the Brazos River between LaSalle Avenue and Loop 340 continues to remain primarily industrial. The extension of Loop 574 through the north end of the area would have a significant impact on development. The west bank of the river has generally remained un-developed. Recent years have seen a significant increase in the construction of housing for Baylor students along University Parks Drive; however, the area closest to the river will likely remain open space due to its location within the 100 year flood plain.

4846

The primary land use tool within the Bosque and Brazos River corridors is zoning. Almost all of the study area lies within the boundaries of the Brazos River Corridor Overlay Zoning District. The stated purpose of this dis-trict is to ensure the development of the river corridor as a center for quality recreation, convention, tourism, housing and office facilities. The development standards and design guidelines for the district are intended to pre-serve the distinctive character and natural beauty of the Bosque and Brazos River Corridors.

TRANSPORTATIONCross Access. The historical role of the Brazos River at Waco has been one of being a barrier to access. The ford across the Brazos at Waco was one of the few safe loca-tions for cattle drivers to cross on their way to markets in Kansas and later Fort Worth. When the river was in flood stage, however, even this ford was unsafe, stopping all cross traffic for months at a time. It was not until city leaders in Waco constructed a suspension bridge in the 1870’s that a safe crossing was guaranteed and in so do-ing, ensured the future economic success of the city.

Crossing the Brazos River today contains none of the challenges facing 19th century pioneers. A total of 12 bridges span the Brazos River at Waco, with another 3 bridges spanning the Bosque River between its conflu-ence with the Brazos and the Lake Waco Dam. Of these, 12 bridges provide automobile access, 1 bridge provides access for the Union Pacific Railroad, and 4 bridges pro-vide separate facilities for pedestrians, including the origi-nal suspension bridge. In addition to bridges, a bicycle/pedestrian trail crosses the Lake Waco Dam providing access across the western portion of the corridor.

River Access. Access to the river within the corridor

varies from highly accessible in and near Downtown Waco to no public access for the northern portion of the corridor. The Brazos Riverwalk provides direct access to the river between the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Cameron Park on the West Bank of the Brazos and from Herring Avenue to Franklin Avenue on the east bank. Construction of an extension of the riverwalk through the Baylor University campus is currently underway. In addition to the riverwalk, numerous unimproved surface trails exist within Cameron Park that connect to the riv-erwalk.

Future Plans. Future plans for transportation improve-ments in the corridor include the eventual extension of the riverwalk from the low water dam to Lake Waco on the Bosque River and to the Riverbend Recreation Complex on the Brazos River. Other long range proj-ects include the expansion of interstate 35 from 6 to 8 lanes, which will include the construction of a new signa-ture bridge and the extension of the frontage roads with separated bicycle and pedestrian access across the Bra-zos River. Another major long term project includes the construction of Loop 574 on the east bank of the Brazos River to provide access to Interstate 35 from Highway 6 to the south. This project is expected to stimulate the redevelopment of vacant and industrial land on the east side of the Brazos River across from Baylor University.

Passenger Rail. Currently no passenger rail service exists within the Waco Urbanized Area. Two proposals are under consideration which would provide passen-ger rail service across the Brazos River into Waco. The first service would represent a continuation of the Trinity Railway Express (TRE) from Fort Worth via the former Interurban Rail Line eventually terminating at the Waco Transit Intermodal Center. The second service would be

47

high-speed rail service between Waco and the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. The Texas T-Bone would travel at speeds up to 300 mph. The current proposal would connect the T-Bone into Waco Regional Airport, but the City of Waco’s preferred alignment would be to connect into Downtown Waco at the Intermodal Transit Center.

LINKAGESIn order to maximize use of the river corridors and expand the corridors’ influence on surround-ing areas, it is critical that substantial linkages be formed between the Bosque and Brazos Rivers and nearby residential neighborhoods, commercial centers, and major civic and educational institu-tions. Only through the synergy created by linking these key components can the full potential of the river corridors be realized.

Potential points of linkage include the Lake Waco Dam Trail that provides a scenic place for walking, jogging, and cycling as well as a point of access to the river corridor for the surrounding neighbor-hood. A link to McLennan Community College and the Art Center Waco would allow the public to better access the sports and entertainment venues available on the campus, while making the many recreational and cultural facilities located along the corridors more accessible to students.

A dock at the water’s edge and ADA accessible pedestrian walk currently provide access from the river to the Cameron Park Zoo; however, this link is poorly marked and may require upgrading to maximize its use. Just down stream on the Brazos from Cameron Park is the 4th and 5th Street Neighborhood, which the City is attempting to develop as a mixed income residential community. A link to the river would greatly enhance the appeal of this area to potential residents.

One of the best opportunities for establishing a link to the Brazos River exists where Barron’s Branch empties into the river. The restoration of Barron’s Branch to a natural creek would serve as a link for pedestrians and water craft to existing hotel and residential developments and, more importantly, would create excellent opportunities for new mixed use development along the creek. The best remaining opportunity to link the west side of downtown to the Brazos River is where Mary Avenue intersects the riverwalk. A strong pedestrian connection at this location will syner-gize the continued development of a pedestrian-friendly, mixed use environment on the west side of downtown and will act as a catalyst for the development of the area on the west bank known as the Brazos Commons.

The point at which Marlin Branch empties into the Brazos on the river’s east bank provides a natu-ral water connection for the adjoining land area to the river. This connection could help stimulate

48

development of the vacant land at the waters edge and provide access to the residential neighborhood located just beyond the study area.

Waco Creek presents an excellent opportunity to connect the campus of Baylor University to the Brazos River. This connection would provide the Baylor community direct access to the river from within the campus as well as provide visitors a unique point of access to the campus. A large sewer main currently serves as a barrier to this natural point of access; however, the burial of this line below the creek would eliminate this obstruction.

PARKS AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIESAs it winds its way through the center of Waco, the Brazos River creates the perfect location for a variety of recreational activities. For this reason, one of the primary goals of past plans has been to develop the river as a center for recreation and tourism for Central Texas. A great deal of progress has been made toward the ac-complishment of this goal as evidenced by the wide variety of recreational activities that exist within the Bosque and Brazos River Corridors.

Beginning on the north end of the Bosque River on top of the Lake Waco dam is the Lake Waco Dam Trail that extends for 2.8 miles across the dam, providing breath taking views of the lake and the surrounding countryside behind the dam. Located just down stream on the Bosque from the dam are the 19 field Waco Soccer Associa-tion Complex for adults and the 23 field Heart of Texas Soccer Association Complex for boys and girls from ages 5 to 19.

Further down stream on the east bank of the Bosque is the Riverbend Recreation Complex that includes the Riverbend Ballfield Complex, the Waco Water Park, and the Waco Regional Tennis Center. Directly across the river from the Tennis Center is McLennan Community College’s Baseball Complex.

Cameron Park, one of Waco’s greatest treasures, lies just down river from the campus of McLennan Community College. The park is named after William Cameron, whose family donated the park to the City of Waco in 1910 in his memory. Containing more than 400 acres of varied terrain and dense foliage, few public places can match the parks beauty, size, history and recreational opportunities. A series of tall limestone bluffs fronting on the Brazos and Bosque Rivers provide breathtaking views of the river valleys below.

Cameron Park celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2010. Cameron Park recreational facilities include its re-nowned system of hiking, mountain biking and equestrian trails that twist and turn through layers of pristine natural beauty; disc golf courses that regularly host Professional Disc Golf Association events throughout the year; a wide variety of picnic areas for all sized groups; two wonderful playgrounds; and Miss Nellie’s Pretty Place

Riverbend Park

includes the

Waco Water Park, the

Waco Regional Ten-

nis & Fitness Park and

the Riverbend Park

ballfields. The impact

on recreattion and

the local economy

is undeniable.

‘‘- City of Waco

‘‘

49

Cameron Park’s

20-mile trails sys-

tem, which is now Na-

tional Recreation Trail,

features handcrafted

bridges, views of the

Brazos and Bosque Riv-

ers from 100-foot cliffs,

and cedar groves.

‘‘ ‘‘- American Trails

that provides a wonderful walking trail through Texas wildflowers every spring.

Directly across the Brazos River from Cameron Park is Brazos Park East, which overlooks the convergence of the Brazos and Bosque Rivers and features dramatic views of Cameron Park’s lush vegetation and towering limestone cliffs. Cameron Park East hosts state horseshoe tournaments and boat races as well as a variety of special events.

Continuing down the east bank of the Brazos River is Bledsoe-Miller Park that boasts a full-service recreation center, playground, pavilion, and access to the Brazos Riverwalk. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park is located adjacent to Bledsoe-Miller and serves as the entrance to historic Bridge Street and Elm Avenue.

Directly across the river from Martin Luther King, Jr. Park is Indian Spring Park. Dominated by the historic Waco Suspension Bridge, the park’s name pays homage to the city’s Native American heritage. The park site served as a campground for the Waco Indians from whom the city of Waco took its name. Today, a natural amphitheater, large shade trees, and the riverwalk connection make the park a favorite place for the staging of community events.

Boating and Fishing on the Bosque and Brazos Rivers are popular year round outdoor activities for Wacoans. Public boat ramps to the rivers are located at Brazos Park East and McLennan Community College. Great fish-ing spots can be found all along the riverbanks.

Stretching south along the banks of the Brazos River from Interstate 35 to LaSalle Avenue is the impressive campus of Baylor University. If collegiate sports are your passion, Baylor offers a full venue at the water’s edge within the Jim and Julie Turner Riverfront Athletic Park that includes the Baylor Ballparks, the Mays Soccer Sta-dium, the Baylor Tennis Center and the Ferrell Center, home to Baylor basketball. Adjacent to Ferrell Center is the Baylor Boathouse that is home base to Baylor’s crew teams. In the spring, the Baylor crew teams along with those of other universities from around the Midwest can be seen practicing up and down the banks of the Brazos River.

RIVER CORRIDOR ATTRACTIONSJust as the Brazos and Bosque River Corridors seem to have acted as a magnet for parks and recreational facili-ties, they have amassed a variety of attractions as well.

Located on a bend of the Brazos River, the Waco Mammoth Site provides a tableau of prehistoric life 68,000 years in the making. This site is reputed to be the largest collection of Columbian mammoths to have died in a single incident. The Art Center Waco sits high on a wooded bluff overlooking the Bosque and Brazos River

50

valleys. Housed in what was the William Cameron Summer House, the center offers changing exhibitions and a permanent sculpture walk. McLennan Community College’s Bosque River Stage provides a full schedule of concerts featuring a variety of musical venues with the Bosque River as a backdrop.

Nestled in Cameron Park and adjacent to the Brazos River, Cameron Park Zoo encompasses 52 acres of lush native vegetation. The walkways of Cameron Park Zoo meander through natural habitat displays featuring animals from around the world. The signature Brazos River Exhibit takes the visitor on an adventure up the Brazos River through six natural regions beginning at the Gulf Coast and ending in the Highland Plains Caprock region.

East Terrace, an Italianate Villa built in 1874, takes you on a trip back in time to a more gracious era. This lovely house museum is one of four maintained by Historic Waco Foundation for which they provide guided tours by trained docents. Just down the Brazos from East Terrace is the historic Waco Suspension Bridge.

Built in 1870, it was the first bridge across the 840 mile long Brazos River. The suspension bridge was on the famed Chisolm Trail and carried thousands of longhorn cattle along the trail from South Texas to market in Kansas. To commemorate this period in Waco’s history, monumental scaled bronze statues of trail drivers on horseback herding longhorn cattle are being installed adjacent to the bridge.

Standing on the banks of the Brazos and adjacent to Interstate 35 is the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum. Within its walls you can relive the colorful history of one of the most elite law en-forcement agencies in the world. Immediately adjacent to the Texas Ranger Museum is the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.

The Sports Hall of Fame provides visitors in an interactive tour of the history of Texas athletics and serves as the official depository for all Southwest Conference artifacts and records. Finally, located adjacent to the Texas Sports Hall of Fame is the Mayborn Museum Complex. The Mayborn offers 16 hands-on discovery rooms with themes that range from vertebrates to transportation. Natural history exhibits are located both indoors and outdoors and include walk-in dioramas and exploration stations.

Located across University Parks Drive from the Mayborn Museum Complex is the Baylor Univer-

51

sity fine arts complex that includes the Martin Art Museum, Baylor Theatre, and the Jones Performance Hall. The Martin Art Museum features outstanding art exhibitions and a permanent collection of over 1,000 pieces. Baylor Theatre produces five main stage plays and two to three summer graduate plays each year in addition to the Horton Foote American Playwright Festival. The 1,000 seat Jones Hall hosts a variety of concerts by Baylor faculty, students and visiting artists.

EDUCATIONAL FACILITIESEducational facilities located within the Brazos and Bosque River Corridors include the following:

McLennan Community College is located on a 200-acre campus on the west bank of the Bosque River just north of Cameron Park and has an average en-rollment of 8000 students. Nestled among rolling hills and large trees, MCC has been recognized for its natural beauty and outstanding architecture.

The College’s Bosque River Stage is an ideal loca-tion for scheduling programs on all aspects of the river corridors. In addition, the campus boat ramp provides direct access to the river, which makes con-ducting field trips on and along the water’s edge a natural.

Located between the Bosque and Brazos Rivers, the Waco Mammoth Site is the world’s largest concen-tration of prehistoric elephants dying from the same event. A collaborative effort involving the National Park Service, the City of Waco, Baylor University and

the Waco Mammoth Foundation has created a won-derful park site and museum that helps to preserve the site and make it available to the general public for viewing as well as for scholarly research. The educa-tional potential of this facility is unlimited.

The Waco Independent School District’s A. J. Moore Academy is located between Cameron Park and downtown. A. J. Moore is a Professional Develop-ment School for grades nine through 12 and accepts students from throughout the district. One of the programs offered by the school is the Academy of Environmental Technology. The location of the cam-pus fronting on the Brazos River makes the river an ideal laboratory for the Academy’s students and cre-ates a great learning environment.

The 753-acre campus of Baylor University stretch-es from Interstate 35 to the low water dam. With over 14,000 students working toward degrees in 150 programs, Baylor offers an outstanding array of edu-cational opportunities. Baylor students, faculty, and staff annually volunteer more than 150,000 hours for local community service including environmental causes such as the annual Brazos River Clean Up.

More specifically, Baylor’s Environmental Science De-partment sponsors research and educational oppor-tunities that include the studying of water pollution problems, conducting an inventory of plant species found in Cameron Park, studying of methodologies for improving care for the animals at the Cameron Park Zoo, and participating in local environmental restoration and clean up projects.

52

Section 6: Survey Results

53

SURVEY BACKGROUND

The City of Waco Parks and Recreation Department sponsored a survey to gauge public opinion on various opportunities, issues and priorities related to the Brazos and Bosque River Corridor. The survey was developed in conjunction with the National Park Service, Rivers Trails and Conservation Assistance Program.

Public outreach included articles in the Waco Tribune-Herald and on local TV stations publicizing the survey. Links to the on-line survey were provided on the City of Waco website, the Waco Conventions and Visitors Bureau Website and as well as through various listserves and email lists provided by the Steering Committee Members. Baylor students under the direction of Dr. Susan Bratton also surveyed park users. Response to the survey was good with 740 people participating in the survey on-line and through paper copy.

54

How important is each of the following actions in improving the Brazos and Bosque River Corridor?

Answer Options(1 = least important, 5 = most important): 1 2 3 4 5 Responses Avg. Rating

Cleanup river and riverbanks 4 4 34 124 564 730 4.7Improve beauty and civic pride of Waco 4 13 76 205 433 731 4.4Provide security for users and nearby property 8 23 118 177 398 724 4.3Protect ecology – conservation, restoration and habitat protection 15 33 115 197 372 732 4.2Improve land access along the rivers, i.e. trails and continuous access 23 50 128 264 260 725 3.9Stimulate recreation, education, tourism businesses that depend on the river 26 54 150 232 267 729 3.9Protect cultural resources, including Native American history 32 71 157 189 281 730 3.8Increase recreation opportunities 29 46 149 287 210 721 3.8Increase parkland along the rivers 40 72 190 202 216 720 3.7Increase tourism and visitors 46 52 174 232 221 725 3.7Improve interpretation and educational opportunities along the river corridor 29 89 220 213 178 729 3.6Encourage economic development in areas near the river corridor 92 87 165 190 197 731 3.4Improve access onto the rivers, i.e. launch sites and boat rentals 105 142 188 173 123 731 3.1

Answered Other 72 Answered question 734 Skipped question 6

55

In your opinion, what are the most important positive outcomes that could be created by the master plan and its implementation? Answer Options (1 = least important, 5 = most important): 1 2 3 4 5 Responses Avg Rating

Improved appearance along the river corridor 6 12 73 246 386 723 4.4Improved water quality in the rivers 7 12 87 195 421 722 4.4Enhanced public appreciation and care for the rivers 2 27 107 231 358 725 4.3Improved Quality of Life for Waco residents 10 20 126 231 336 723 4.2Consistent protection of the river corridor through codes 11 33 127 226 326 723 4.1Recreation and active living opportunities 22 37 124 252 288 723 4.0Economic Growth – new jobs and new businesses 47 83 167 207 221 725 3.7Maximizing benefits of connection to cultural venues 43 90 217 225 143 718 3.5Improved property values/ tax base to support community services 68 103 245 188 117 721 3.3Improved desirability of living near the river corridor 81 101 230 172 133 717 3.2

Answered Other 35 Answered question 726 Skipped question 13

56

Hard surface trails, such as concrete, provide a stable surface for all users and may encourage people with more limited mobility to use the trail. Concrete trails have the most impact on the surrounding area during construction but are easy to maintain. Where along the Corridor would you like to see hard surface trails?

Select all that apply. Answer Options Response Percent Response Count A. River Trail (Bosque upstream of Cameron Park) 8.3% 59 B. Park - Residential (Cameron Park and Cameron Park East) 26.2% 186 C. Urban (Downtown on both sides of the river) 76.9% 545 D. University - Cultural (Baylor and Museum areas, both sides of the river) 65.6% 465 All areas 12.3% 87 Prefer no hard surface trails 9.3% 66 Answered Question 709Skipped Question 31

Soft surface trails provide a more intimate connection with nature. When well designed, they can be sustainable and are able to be maintained by trail volunteers. Please select which areas of the River Cor-ridor you would like to see natural surface trails.

Select all that apply.Answer Options Response Percent Response Count A. River Trail (Bosque upstream of Cameron Park) 77.7% 545 B. Park - Residential (Cameron Park and Cameron Park East) 59.5% 417 C. Urban (Downtown on both sides of the river) 3.7% 26 D. University - Cultural (Baylor and Museum areas, both sides of the river) 11.7% 82 All areas 12.1% 85 Prefer no natural surface trails 5.1% 36 Answered Question 701Skipped Question 39

57

Please indicate your preference for landscaping along the various zones. You may select more than one option per zone.

Answer Options Formal Informal/Native Natural Response Count A. River Trail 14 167 568 B. Park - Residential 79 430 253 C. Urban 337 355 69 D. University - Cultural 311 359 89 Other 20Answered Question 714Skipped Question 26

Please indicate your preference for various types of development immediately adjacent to the river. Answer Options Natural riparian corridor Mowed lawn/some riparian buffer Reinforced bank w/ lawn, no riparian corridor Responses

River Trail 77% 19% 3% 721Park - Residential 29% 56% 15% 729Urban 12% 37% 50% 723University - Cultural 18% 41% 41% 726 Other 12Answered Question 729Skipped Question 11

58

Please share with us how often you participate in the following activities in or near the river corridor Answer Options Almost Daily or Daily At least Weekly Monthly Occasionally Not at All ResponesWalking 9% 21% 16% 37% 16% 690Dog Walking 3% 7% 6% 14% 67% 672Road Biking 2% 6% 5% 18% 65% 669Mountain Biking 3% 5% 5% 15% 69% 672Orienteering or Geocaching 1% 0% 3% 9% 82% 657Fishing 1% 2% 6% 20% 68% 670Disc Golf 1% 2% 4% 15% 75% 668Children’s Play 3% 5% 13% 24% 53% 681Kayaking 0% 4% 9% 18% 65% 670Rowing 0% 1% 3% 10% 82% 668Boating - motorized 1% 2% 4% 14% 75% 661Picnicking 1% 6% 17% 45% 28% 667Dining 2% 14% 23% 36% 23% 679Shopping 1% 9% 19% 32% 37% 672Guided Tours 1% 1% 2% 13% 79% 659Visit Interpretative Displays 0% 1% 5% 32% 58% 661Competitive events 2% 2% 4% 24% 63% 662Parties and special events 1% 3% 11% 57% 25% 672Organized outings 1% 4% 6% 41% 43% 666Outdoor Education 1% 2% 5% 26% 62% 666 Other 73Answered Question 692Skipped Question 48

59

From your perspective, what are the most important facilities and activities along the river corridor that could be created by the master plan and its implementation?

Answer Options (1 = least important, 5 = most important):

1 2 3 4 5 Responses Avg RatingTrails for hiking 17 33 110 229 302 691 4.1Restoring riverbank vegetation 16 51 127 214 278 686 4.0Set aside areas of natural river buffers 20 52 128 216 264 680 4.0 Cafes and dining along the rivers 44 64 138 195 250 691 3.8Trails for biking 36 57 165 227 204 689 3.7Children’s play areas 34 54 182 277 141 688 3.6Community gathering areas 25 48 206 281 130 690 3.6River paddling support facilities 34 94 200 227 131 686 3.5Landscaping and gardens with educational components 21 108 222 234 102 687 3.4Plazas and pavilions 39 90 227 236 92 684 3.4Facilities to explore cultural and natural history 45 85 206 223 123 682 3.4Trails and facilities for horseback riding 104 129 196 162 93 684 3.0Programming and events to explore cultural and natural history 47 139 213 196 90 685 3.2Educational facilities 44 117 246 199 81 687 3.2Rental facility for parties or events 64 138 222 194 66 684 3.1Fountains or water features 69 127 216 195 78 685 3.1Water taxis 120 112 195 157 90 674 3.0Fishing piers 95 161 228 141 62 687 2.9Orienteering course in the park 92 172 241 135 40 680 2.8

Other 58 Answered Question 695 Skipped Question 45

60

For each of the following issues, please rate how important you feel each is to improving the river corridor.

Answer Options 1 2 3 4 5 Responses Avg Rating(1 = least important, 5 = most important):

Trash and dumping along the river 4 6 28 81 558 677 4.7Pollution impacting water quality 5 15 58 118 477 673 4.6Concerns about safety and crime 9 43 90 155 378 675 4.3Environmental degradation along the river corridors 11 30 103 170 355 669 4.2Loss of wildlife habitat 15 42 100 168 340 665 4.2 Erosion of riverbank 13 30 116 196 319 674 4.2Lack of vision for the future of the corridor 22 34 120 198 292 666 4.1Conflicts between natural/cultural protection vs. development 15 54 180 190 235 674 3.9Derelict structures along the river 21 50 144 192 266 673 3.9Lack of access and connectivity along the river corridor 22 59 207 195 187 670 3.7Limited pedestrian amenities 24 69 191 221 168 673 3.7Need for more recreation opportunities 23 58 179 226 182 668 3.7Need tp inform people about opportunities along the rivers 33 69 172 230 169 673 3.6Competition for public vs. private space on the river 40 78 225 178 142 663 3.5Costs of operations and maintenance of new facilities 29 74 233 210 126 672 3.5User conflicts in corridor 34 91 247 175 110 657 3.4Lack of parking to access river corridor 48 99 221 180 117 665 3.3Lack of interpretation of history and natural resources 69 119 215 143 118 664 3.2Impact of land and river changes on property values 71 132 241 137 85 666 3.0Increased property values displacing current residents 91 121 238 138 81 669 3.0New business competition with existing local businesses 100 132 233 124 78 667 2.9

Other (please specify) 30 answered question 680 skipped question 60

61

Age of Survey Respondents

Answer Options Response Percent Response Count Under 16 0.2% 1 16-25 9.6% 62 26-35 15.8% 102 36-45 21.6% 139 46-55 25.6% 165 56-65 21.9% 141 Over 65 5.4% 35

Answered Question 645Skipped Question 95

Race of Survey Raspondents Answer Options Response Percent Response Count Caucasian 86.3% 584 African-American 3.4% 23 Asian-Pacific Islander 1.6% 11 Hispanic 3.2% 22 Other 2.2% 15 Other 22Answered Question 677Skipped Question 64

Race/Ethnicity of Respondents

87%

3%3%2%

2%

3%

Caucasian

African-American

Asian-PacificIslanderHispanic

Other

No response

Age of Respondents

0.2%

9.6%

15.8%

21.6%

25.6%

21.9%

5.4%

14.7% Under 1616-2526-3536-4546-5556-65Over 65No response

62

Lifetimesfor all of ourA Vision for the Brazos & Bosque Rivers

For information, contact the City of Waco Parks & Recreation Office201 W. Waco Drive / Waco, Texas / 76702

254-750-5980 / www.waco-texas.com

for all of our lifetimes

Documents

waco city limits

brazos bosque rivers

baylor univ

sustainable corridor

bosque river corridors

rivers assets

planning assistance

bosque river corridor