Lewisville outlines redesign and relocation plan after kayak launch damaged by high flows

City staff told the Lewisville City Council that high Elm Fork releases and large debris damaged the floating kayak launch at Hebron Parkway and made the upstream approach unsafe for novice paddlers, prompting a plan to remove and replace the floating ramp and relocate the dock to Boat Ramp 1.

"It's a beautiful launch, but it really does have a lot of concrete out there," Parks staff said, describing the 2020 Hebron installation and noting the dock remains fully ADA accessible. Staff showed photos of silt, large trees and stumps lodged against ramps after a June 13, 2025 high-release event that kept the launch closed until early July 2025 while crews removed mud and debris. "This is how long it took us to get in there and actually clean the gunk," a presenter said.

Staff said the existing floating orientation and heavy concrete sections make the launch vulnerable when the Corps increases outflows and when debris collects. Under current safety thresholds, the city limits access when Elm Fork flows exceed about 3,000 cubic feet per second (CFS) and closes access more broadly at roughly 5,000 CFS. The presentation cited ongoing coordination with the Trinity River Coalition and prior reviews by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Fish & Wildlife.

The recommended near-term solution is to remove the floating dock and replace it with a sloped, in-ground launch (concrete or geotech) at the Hebron location to reduce future maintenance and shorten closure durations. Staff estimated the repair and conversion would cost a little over $200,000 (potentially less under a geotech approach) and said the change could shorten typical closure periods from 50–79 days down to about 20–30 days following high-water events.

To preserve recreational access during construction and future Boat Ramp 2 work, staff proposed moving the Hebron floating dock to Boat Ramp 1 and refurbishing it as a courtesy dock; that work was estimated at about $100,000. Staff said the relocated dock would keep an ADA-accessible kayak launch available to the public while other improvements proceed.

Longer-term steps described by staff include completing the Lila launch design (90% complete, with a bid targeted by mid-March), securing a mix of CIP and operations funding, and obtaining required U.S. Army Corps regulatory approvals, which may require full architectural drawings if geotech approaches are not accepted under the city's maintenance agreement.

Council members asked about useful life and replacement costs for the 2020 Hebron installation; staff said the structure could last 20–30 years and that the specific replacement cost would be provided later. The presentation closed with staff noting ongoing easement work on the Hebron Parkway screening wall and trail project and an expected seven-month construction window once the easement and notice to proceed are resolved.

The council did not take immediate action but staff identified funding sources (CIP and operating funds) and described the permitting and review tasks that must be completed before construction.