Wendy Lopez and Associates, Inc. (WLA) was asked to provide a conservation and ecological restoration overview for the City of Dallas as part of an Elm Fork Floodplain Management Study. This study encompasses a unique portion of the main stem of the Elm Fork of the Trinity River, Dallas County, Dallas, Texas. The project area includes approximately 8.5 square miles, half of which lie within a 100-year floodplain. Approximately 15% of the project area is mature bottomland hardwood forest and serves as an inner city haven for wildlife. Historically, the project area is located in the Blackland Prairie physiographic region, includes 5 to 10 percent jurisdictional waters and wetlands, and contains wildlife habitat typical of bottomland hardwood forest and riparian communities. At least six identified federal and state listed threatened and endangered species have utilized Dallas County as a migratory corridor. Over the last 100 years, the project area has experienced industrial development, including several inactive landfills. Due to the practice of filling the floodplain for development and the resulting seasonal flooding, the City of Dallas has decided to evaluate several flood management alternatives. Critical objectives for this study involved defining areas for valley storage, recreational development, and identifying ecological restoration opportunities. The study deliverables included a local drainage master plan for three tributaries of the Elm Fork and a report outlining overall watershed management concepts and restoration opportunities for the project ecosystem. The WLA assessment included natural and cultural resource impacts, hazardous, toxic, and radioactive waste (HTRW) issues, and general water quality concerns. In order to assess local concerns, coordination with an Elm Fork advisory committee and numerous public meetings with property owners and stakeholders were completed. Additional advisement for the project was sought through federal, state, and city agency coordination. A Section 404 review and a comprehensive natural resources inventory of existing conditions within the main stem and the three tributaries were completed. Existing wetlands, vegetation cover, land use patterns, water and cultural resources, and related wildlife habitat utilization were documented. Assembled information included aerial photographs (historical and existing), soil classifications, and site hydrology. In addition, a modified Phase I environmental assessment (ESA) was performed to assess the risk of hazardous, toxic and radioactive waste (HTRW) impact. Several site visits revealed industrial uses and inactive registered and unregistered landfills occupied most of the project area, while residential areas were minimal. The preferred alternative, selected by an advisory committee, included channel improvements to existing waterways, a new diversion channel, new recreational areas, and habitat restoration opportunities. Recommendations for future work include developing a natural resource and forest management plan, outlining detailed environmental preservation and restoration opportunities and incorporating them into a phased approach and framework plan.