Recently, there was a cleanup effort at Oak Cliff Brewery (located at Tyler Station in Oak Cliff) to remove debris, tree limbs, and other nefarious buildup from the little creek that the brewery abuts. There were dozens of beer lovers volunteering to clear the tiny waterway so that a “biergarten” could be setup and other patrons could enjoy their beer without the smell of 1970’s soaked shag carpet. When the sun started to set, this waterway was back to being beautiful. Two thoughts popped into my head: “did you say free beer for all volunteers?” and “What the heck is the name of this tiny stream we just helped cleanup?”
If you search online, or Google Maps, Elmwood Branch seems to be the answer. But, what the heck is a branch in waterway terminology? Well, it is one of the smallest types of feeders, that gradually become a creek or a stream, and finally a river. So, in this case, Elmwood Branch feeds into Cedar Creek which in turn feeds into the Trinity River!
In order to save you the two hours I spent hunting for a good glossary of waterway terms, below is the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Glossary of River Terminology. I am certain there is a better site with more useful definitions for the amateur inland waterway explorer. Feel free to leave a better site in the comments, and I will update this post!
Link to the Oak Cliff Brewery cleanup event: https://m.facebook.com/178161478888287/posts/3116647595039646/
