Tag Archives: Watershed Protection Department
Planning Commission recommends airport master development plan update
The Planning Commission voted Tuesday to recommend an update to the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport’s Master Development Plan Ordinance. The airport’s Master Development Plan Ordinance must be updated every 10 years. It allows the city to look at the site comprehensively,…
Planning • By Nina Hernandez • Aug 24, 2023
Austin's Blackland Prairie reforestation project underway
The work to restore Austin’s heavily degraded Blackland Prairie floodplain has begun with the help of local urban forestry nonprofit TreeFolks. The Environmental Commission heard an update on the results of the city’s Blackland Prairie ecoregion study at its regular…
Environment • By Nina Hernandez • Aug 10, 2023
Austin Water and Watershed Protection Department seeking small rate hikes
Neither Austin Water nor the Watershed Protection Department have asked for an increase in their rates in many years, but both are doing so in the upcoming budget. Austin Water has not asked for an increase in its rates since…
Budget • By Jo Clifton • Aug 4, 2023
A lot of that green sludge in Lady Bird Lake is actually a sign of a healthy waterway
If you’ve been near Austin’s Lady Bird Lake lately, you might have noticed a little less water is visible. Parts of the lake, especially along the shores and inlets, are covered in mats of green vegetation. It can look goopy,…
Environment • By Mose Buchele, KUT • Jul 26, 2023
City advised not to assist flood victims from April 20 storm
The head of the Watershed Protection Department has advised the city against offering direct assistance to homeowners flooded during an April 20 storm, due to concerns that action could set a precedent for future natural disasters. In a memo dated…
Environment • By Chad Swiatecki • Jun 15, 2023
'There is no cure': Austin urges people to keep dogs away from possibly toxic blue-green algae
Blue-green algae is back in Lady Bird Lake and Lake Austin, according to Austin’s Watershed Protection Department. The department says test results will be posted next month revealing whether the algae is toxic. In the meantime, the city recommends avoiding…
Environment • By Corey Smith, KUT • May 30, 2023
Subscribe to our newsletter
Watershed Protection wants code change to allow funding for floodplain restoration projects
The Environmental Commission approved a resolution last week recommending a change to the city’s Watershed Protection Ordinance. The change is intended to clarify that the Riparian Zone Mitigation Fund may be used for floodplain restoration projects. Ana Gonzalez, manager of…
Environment • By Nina Hernandez • Apr 26, 2023
Restoration of wetland impacted by airport jet-fuel storage facility construction site leak nearing completion
Work to remediate a non-toxic mud spill on protected wetland near Austin-Bergstrom International Airport will conclude at the end of this month. The spill occurred in September as crews bored a tunnel underneath the airport runway. The Environmental Commission reviewed…
Environment • By Nina Hernandez • Apr 25, 2023
Memo eyes possible polystyrene ban to curb trash in creeks, streams
The Watershed Protection Department wants city leaders to consider instituting a ban on polystyrene fast-food containers as one of a series of possible steps to reduce the amount of trash in local waterways. An April 10 memo gives City Council…
Water • By Chad Swiatecki • Apr 12, 2023
Study eyes fire response steps to protect local waterways
Austin Fire Department’s efforts to control and extinguish structure fires have negligible negative impacts on local waterways, according to a recent study of firefighting incidents over an eight-month period. The assessment conducted by the Watershed Protection Department looked at the…
Environment • By Chad Swiatecki • Apr 6, 2023
Hundreds of fish found dead in Shoal Creek after waterline break
Update: Austin’s Watershed Protection Department told KUT in an email Friday that staff have found about 300 dead fish now. “Last night’s storm pushed debris in the creek, along with the fish, toward an inlet where staff were able to…
Environment • By Haya Panjwani, KUT • Mar 17, 2023
Floodplain variance case fails at Environmental Commission over process concerns
Two proposed drainage variances for a property in the West Bouldin Creek Watershed failed to win a recommendation from the Environmental Commission last week after a prolonged process disagreement between city staff and the applicant. Commissioners voted to recommend City…
