No two days are alike for Angel Portales, Tarrant Regional Water District Floodway Manager. That’s one of his favorite aspects of the job.
Angel has been with TRWD since 2006. A friend led him there when he mentioned that the district was in need of employees with a Class A commercial driver’s license, the type of license required to drive a vehicle with a weight rating of over 26,001 lbs., such as tractor-trailers, tanker trucks and flatbeds. Angel had the qualifications, applied for the job and got it. His first job title was as a General Laborer, and over the years he has moved up to a General Maintenance Technician I, General Maintenance Technician II, a General Foreman on the Fort Worth Floodway, then Floodway Superintendent, and now his current position as Floodway Manager.
The versatility is what he likes most about being with TRWD.
“The job keeps you on your toes. There’s something new every day,” he says. “Some of what we do is quite unique. The district trains people on whatever jobs need to be done, so basically, one person can do about 20 different things. That’s what sets TRWD apart.”
On some days, Angel might start the morning with a meeting or checking emails, managing purchase orders and phone calls, or perhaps going on a site visit. The next day could be totally different.
Angel’s job is more office-based these days, but he still enjoys getting out in the field with his co-workers as much as possible.
He works in the Fort Worth Operations office and is involved in a number of important projects impacting the community. One is construction of the Central City Flood Control Project, addressing Fort Worth’s flood risks that have come from explosive population growth. The city has tripled in size since the current levee system was built in the 1960s. This major project – a collaboration between federal, state and local partners, including TRWD, the City of Fort Worth, Tarrant County, the Texas Department of Transportation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – is intended to manage flood control, but along the way, there will also be retail development and space for housing, a mini riverwalk, pedestrian bridges, and, of course, a major TRWD pump station. The bypass channel will relocate Angel’s office, as well as TRWD’s mechanic shop, the purchasing department and some other facilities.
In addition to the Fort Worth Floodway, Angel oversees TRWD’s Marine Creek Lake, including all the trails and levee systems, vegetation maintenance, low-water crossings, water fountains, shade structures, trees and more. Angel and his team also set up, operate and break down events throughout the floodway.Angel supervises a staff of about 20, who are versatile in what they do. Some run vegetation maintenance equipment, while others weld, build post/cable fences, operate forklifts or work with handheld vegetation maintenance equipment (such as weed eaters, chain saws and leaf blowers). He meets with his staff every Tuesday morning.
Off-the-clock pastimes
In his off time, Angel and his wife Shanda love to travel. They’ve raised two girls and a boy, ages 27, 25 and 20, and now as nearly empty-nesters, they’ve gone to some wonderful destinations, thanks to the perks Angel’s wife has as a 12-year American Airlines employee. They’ve been to Thailand, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Mexico, France, Italy, and they’ve traveled by train across different parts of Europe. The next trip will be to London, and his wife is also planning a future visit to Brazil.
“My wife plans the trips,” Angel says. “She just tells me the dates, climate, and I pack.”
When he’s not working or taking off on an adventure with his wife, Angel enjoys being with family. Their kids Madison, Austin and Camryn grew up with TRWD from very young ages. Over the years, they’ve joined their dad to help out with events like the TRWD Trash Bash, Mayfest, and Rockin’ the River music series, and when they were old enough, they applied for summer jobs with the district.
“They learned a lot, had fun, and the staff appreciated their work ethic. They made me proud,” Angel says. “It was a good life experience for them.”
Today, Madison and Camryn are in retail, and Austin works in construction. Austin also graduated from Tarleton State University, the same school where Angel graduated in the spring of 2024.
The mix of work and school
When Angel started taking classes at Tarrant County College years ago, his then supervisor, Darrell Beason, advised him to pace things out with his work and family responsibilities by taking one class at a time. Seventeen years later, Angel holds a certificate in management, associate of arts, associate of applied science in business administrative management from TCC, and a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Science, with a concentration in business, from Tarleton State University.
“It was a long road. Darrell, another past supervisor, Boyd Miller, and my current boss, Lexi McCalip, encouraged me to keep going,” Angel says. “TRWD is very supportive of employees continuing their education, and the district has a great tuition reimbursement benefit that kicks in once you apply, get approved and pass each class.”
Now that he’s graduated, Angel will have extra time for work around the house. He’s always busy on some home maintenance project. There’s also time for hanging out with his extended family – there’s always a birthday party, graduation, quinceañera or special event to attend, Angel says.
Caring for children, helping others
He likes helping others and is always volunteering to assist when someone moves, organizes spaces or needs help repairing things. He’s interviewing soon for a volunteer position with Cook Children’s Medical Center. After raising three kids of his own, and with so many children in his large family – including an 18-month-old niece that he absolutely adores – Angel wants to help out wherever he can.
“When I become a grandfather someday, I’m going to love that,” he says.
In the meantime, Angel says, he would be happy to help out wherever needed at the children’s hospital, doing anything possible to “just bring a smile to someone’s day.”
