The City of Garland is currently knee-deep in assessing the Spring Creek Forest Preserve, an area revered for its ecological significance. In a statement obtained by the city’s website, we've learned that there's a concerted effort to tread lightly while gauging the health of the preserve following approval by the Garland City Council for a contract with Kimley-Horn & Associates, Inc. back in October 2025. The ongoing Phase 1 aims to prioritize the protection of the Preserve and take stock of its current condition to inform any future actions.
With conservation at the forefront, the city’s plan includes several key measures such as erosion protection, an assessment of tree, plant, and wildlife impacts, and a meticulous tree inventory to ensure safe access while taking ground and drone surveys to chart creek conditions and the disturbed areas. Sewer lines aren't being neglected in this process—inspections are done judiciously using cameras and sensors, with the crew finalizing a formal agreement for access that handles sewer inspection activities.
In December 2025, city staff, consultants, and stakeholders completed a site walk along Spring Creek, ensuring access to sewer infrastructure without disrupting the environment too much, as reported by an official statement. What's notable is the breadth of collaboration, bringing to the table the Garland Water Utilities and Parks departments, plus folks from Kimley-Horn, ACE Pipe Cleaning, Dallas County, and the Preservation Society for Spring Creek. All of which is to say, they're not cutting corners when it comes to environmentally sound methods in this ecological hub.
Continuing their low-impact approach, fieldwork led by Kimley-Horn on foot along cleared paths utilized handheld GPS units for their environmental and drainage assessments, wrapping up without leaving a trace. Their sub-consultant, SCI, took charge of surveys and drone imagery, and when needed, they only did minor trimming of low vegetation to get precise measurements. Such minor details matter, mainly because it respects the integrity of the area while scientific data is collected meticulously. Not a heavy vehicle was used – they limited their footprint to the necessary survey work on foot.
Inspections by ACE Pipe Cleaning have started, albeit confined to private development property within already existing easements, according to the city's announcement. For those living in Garland, it's normal to see crews working near Spring Creek during daylight hours, but the good news is that parks and trails should remain accessible. As the City presses on with sewer inspection efforts in early 2026, they're eyeing the data carefully to pave the way for sound future infrastructure planning. And for what it's worth, residents can breathe easy knowing wastewater service interruptions are not on the horizon.
