Clearing Up the Clear Fork: Implementing a Unique Design Solution to Eliminate a Long-Standing Maintenance Challenge

City of Fort Worth’s Clear Fork Lift Station and Force Main project will eliminate regular sanitary sewer overflows in the City’s Clear Fork basin by skimming wastewater from two existing 48-in. interceptors and pumping up to 22 MGD of peak wet-weather flows downstream avoiding existing gravity system choke points. The force main consists of approximately 14,000 linear ft of 36-in. HDPE and traverses multiple interstate highways, rail crossings, the Clear Fork Trinity River, and the City’s premier Trinity Park via multiple installation methods (open cut, hand tunneling, and horizontal directional drill). The primary focus of this paper will be the unique and challenging system hydraulics inherent in designing a system to pump downhill. The discussion will include design considerations related to pump selection, head/flow conditions, and air/vacuum valve challenges. The paper will also include narrative of the project’s history and design alternatives. Construction was substantially complete in the Spring of 2024.