20260415-003, Rain to River Strategic Plan Final Draft Part 3 — original pdf

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OUR VALUES | STEWARDS These represent the core values that we, as Watershed Protection staff, aspire to as stewards of Austin’s watersheds. They were formally adopted by leadership in 2025 after extensive conversations with staff across the department about what matters most in how we do our work. As stewards, we care for our watersheds and safeguard our infrastructure to support the communities that rely on them. We recognize the environment’s fundamental connection to protecting health and safety. We address urgent needs while planning for a sustainable and resilient future. We use public funds responsibly and transparently to implement solutions. We are committed to equity, prioritizing efforts to achieve fair outcomes for all. Through shared stewardship, we collaborate with city and community partners, leveraging our collective wisdom and strengths. Staff at the Central Texas Juneteenth Parade SERVICE Show up TEAMWORK Paddle together EQUITY Lifts all boats WISDOM Reflect and listen ACCOUNTABILITY Anchor trust RESILIENCE Ride the waves DEDICATION Dive in SUSTAINABILITY Shape tomorrow Service is at the core of our work, ensuring we provide high quality support and effective solutions to the community. • We hold ourselves to the highest standards of customer service by listening, engaging, and responding in a timely manner. • We provide accurate and consistent service to our internal customers to ensure our staff works safely and effectively while serving the community. We promote teamwork and collaboration, knowing we can rely on each other and that we are stronger when we work together. • We invest time and effort in cultivating effective teams, characterized by mutual support and respect for each other as whole people. • We value collaboration beyond our department, understanding that working across agencies and with community members is essential to achieving our missions. We are committed to equity by acknowledging that different people and environments need different resources to thrive. • We foster a workplace where everyone is valued, empowered, and has the chance to succeed and grow. • We prioritize our work towards achieving equal outcomes for all. We strive for excellence in our work by leveraging the wisdom of our staff, community, and watersheds. • We learn from the knowledge and experiences of our community, ensuring their voices shape our work and guide our decisions. • We foster a culture of creativity, continuous learning, and data- informed decision making. We hold ourselves accountable to each other, our community, and the environment to ensure trust in our actions. • We build trust through transparent and timely communication and actions. • We explain how and why decisions are made, clearly stating our capabilities and limitations. We embrace adaptability to navigate change, ensuring strategic decision-making. • We strategically allocate our resources to advance our core mission in a rapidly changing world. • We work effectively to adapt to the evolving needs of our community, staff, and environment. We are a department full of dedicated and passionate staff committed to the needs of the community and watersheds we serve. • We practice care and compassion with each other, our community, and watersheds. • We go above and beyond, taking pride in everything we do. We invest in a sustainable future for our creeks, infrastructure, community, and department. • We protect our natural and built environment to secure healthy waterways and a safe community well into the future. • We foster a healthy workplace for staff to grow and thrive. 29 30 Rain to River: A Strategic Plan to Protect Austin’s Creeks & Communities | FINAL DRAFTUNDERSTAND | FINAL DRAFTWHO WE ARE & WHAT WE DO Flood Risk Reduction We address the city’s watershed challenges through a combination of projects, programs, and regulations. Each approach is designed to reduce flooding, mitigate erosion, and protect water quality while ensuring our communities and natural environment are resilient to growth and climate change. • Construction projects build, improve, or repair the public infrastructure that handles rainwater throughout the city. Projects typically are used to help address existing problems. Examples of construction projects include improving storm drains to reduce flooding in the street, repairing eroding stream banks, or building rain gardens to capture and treat contaminated runoff. • Programs are ongoing activities that help meet a specific purpose. Programs tend to target a need that is difficult to address through projects or regulations. Examples of programs include flood safety education, responding to spills of hazardous materials, inspecting and maintaining our infrastructure, and investigating drainage issues reported by residents. • Regulations are rules that guide land development and other activities to help prevent the creation of new problems. Examples of watershed regulations include requirements that limit building houses in the floodplain or require developers to construct water quality controls that filter pollutants from impervious areas, such as parking lots. Regulations save Austinites millions of dollars in repair and restoration costs while reducing damage to our waterways and neighborhoods. In addition, flood regulations prevent more lives from being placed at risk as our population continues to rapidly grow. Goal Safeguard lives and reduce the impact of flooding to the Austin community. Why It Matters Flash flooding poses a continuous threat to Central Texans. These dangers are mostly present along flooded creeks, especially where bridges and low water crossings have been inundated with floodwaters. In locations where storm drain systems do not exist or are undersized, rising waters—known as local flooding—can cause severe property damage even for those who do not live in or near floodplains. What We Do The severity and impact of flooding is evaluated using computer models as well as customer reports and field investigations. We protect our community from the impacts of flooding by completing projects like storm drain improvements, low water crossing upgrades, and voluntary buyouts that help residents move to a safer home outside of the floodplain. We inspect, repair, and maintain our existing drainage infrastructure. We prevent an increase in the number of flood-prone homes, businesses, and roads by enforcing drainage regulations. We also promote flood safety and preparedness through community education and outreach, monitoring of storm events, assisting emergency responders, and barricading flooded roads. Staff preparing barricades for low water crossings 32 Biologist surveying salamanders at Barton Springs Pool 31 Rain to River: A Strategic Plan to Protect Austin’s Creeks & Communities | FINAL DRAFTUNDERSTAND | FINAL DRAFTErosion Mitigation Goal Create a safe and stable stream system that protects the community from erosion and encourages the use and enjoyment of Austin’s creeks and lakes. Why It Matters As watersheds develop and more land is covered by impervious surfaces—like pavement and rooftops—stormwater runs off quickly instead of soaking into the ground. This fast-moving water erodes creek banks, carves deeper channels, and widens creeks over time, threatening nearby homes and infrastructure. Erosion also washes extra sediment into creeks, making the water cloudy and harming aquatic life. What We Do Our staff respond to community reports of erosion and conduct assessments of potential threats to buildings, roads, and other resources. We mitigate the impacts of erosion by constructing stream restoration projects and stabilizing eroding banks to safeguard property and infrastructure as well as improve waterway health. We also implement erosion hazard zones and other protective regulations to ensure that new buildings and infrastructure are protected from future erosion threats. Water Quality Protection Goal Protect and improve the health of Austin’s creeks, rivers, lakes, and springs to provide clean and flowing water for all. Why It Matters As the city grows and natural lands are developed, the increase in pavement, rooftops, traffic, and fertilized lawns can dramatically change our local waterways. Stormwater runoff carries pollutants such as bacteria, nutrients, heavy metals, and sediment into our creeks and lakes, posing risks to ecosystems and public health. Additional sources of contamination include leaking wastewater infrastructure, hazardous spills, and illegal discharges. These pollutants can trigger harmful algae blooms and even kill fish and other wildlife. What We Do We protect and improve the health of our waterways by constructing pollution removal projects, supporting practices to increase stormwater infiltration, restoring plants and trees along creeks, promoting education and outreach activities, implementing water quality regulations, remediating hazardous spills, protecting the habitat of endangered salamanders, and permanently preserving open space. Our staff monitors and analyzes the health of our waterways to assess things like water chemistry, aquatic life, vegetation along the banks, and whether the water is safe for recreation. 33 Repairing an eroding channel on Tannehill Branch Creek Environmental scientist sampling water quality 34 Rain to River: A Strategic Plan to Protect Austin’s Creeks & Communities | FINAL DRAFTUNDERSTAND | FINAL DRAFTMaintaining Our Infrastructure Goal Protect and enhance the condition and function of the City’s drainage infrastructure, including creeks, drainage channels, storm drain pipes, tunnels, and stormwater ponds. Why It Matters The community can enjoy our creeks and lakes that are better protected from flooding, erosion, and water pollution when our drainage infrastructure is in good condition and working properly. For example, if debris is not cleared from clogged bridges after storms, subsequent rain events could easily overtop the bridge, flood the immediate area, and erode adjacent stream banks. Each component of the drainage system must be operating as designed for the entire system to be effective. What We Do We keep our infrastructure working properly by inspecting, cleaning, repairing, replacing, and improving drainage pipes and associated infrastructure to help reduce flooding. We investigate drainage reports from 3-1-1 to determine the source and severity of the problem and route it to the appropriate work group for solution implementation. We remove debris and obstructions from culverts, bridges, and channels to promote the flow of water during heavy rainfall while allowing our creeks to remain as natural as possible. We inspect, maintain, and repair stormwater ponds to protect water quality and help reduce flooding. We also operate and maintain the Waller Creek Tunnel to protect resources in downtown Austin from flooding. 35 Crews removing debris from a bridge on Little Walnut Creek OUR CHALLENGES Austin’s watersheds face interconnected challenges that threaten environmental health and community resilience. Climate change is driving more intense storms and heat, while historic inequities have left some neighborhoods more exposed to flooding and pollution than others. Rapid urbanization and population growth add pressure on our environment and infrastructure. These factors shape where risks are greatest and highlight the need for solutions that repair past harms and prepare for future threats. Climate Change In addition to increasing heat, climate projections show that our region will also see more extreme weather events. Austin is already feeling these impacts through heat waves, record droughts, winter storms, and catastrophic floods, and they are expected to get worse as the climate continues to change. While the future holds uncertainties, the trend toward more frequent and intense storms signals growing risks to public health, safety, and critical infrastructure. We also know that climate change does not affect everyone equally. Low- income communities and communities of color disproportionately bear the brunt of these impacts. They face higher risks of property damage and injury from extreme weather events and often have fewer resources to recover. This is why we cannot talk about the impact of climate change without addressing equity and centering the community in our response. Catastrophic flooding in Dove Springs during the 2013 Halloween Flood 36 Rain to River: A Strategic Plan to Protect Austin’s Creeks & Communities | FINAL DRAFTUNDERSTAND | FINAL DRAFTHistory of Inequities Austin’s watershed inequities stem from a long history of policies that pushed Black, Hispanic, and low-income residents into areas with greater flood risk and fewer protections. The 1928 Master Plan forced Black Austinites into East Austin, often in low-lying, floodprone neighborhoods. Redlining in the 1930s—a discriminatory practice that denied loans and investment in certain areas—further limited infrastructure improvements. Midcentury zoning then labeled much of East Austin as “industrial,” concentrating hazards near homes and deepening environmental burdens. Even as Austin strengthened watershed protections over the decades, many communities continued to face the consequences of earlier decisions. Much of the city was built before modern regulations existed, leaving neighborhoods with aging infrastructure more vulnerable to flooding, pollution, and system failures. Today, the legacy of past inequities still shapes who faces the greatest risks and where the city must focus its efforts to repair harm and build a safer, healthier future. For a more detailed history, visit www.raintoriveratx.com to read A History of Community Inequities in Austin’s Watersheds, developed by MEASURE in 2022. Population Growth & Affordability The Austin metropolitan area is one of the fastest growing areas in the country. With increased demand for housing, Austin’s housing costs have soared and led to displacement of longtime residents and an increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness. As residents are pushed out of central neighborhoods, their access to daily needs and opportunities diminishes. These trends have been particularly prominent in Austin’s “eastern crescent” neighborhoods, where a large proportion of Austin’s communities of color have lived due to historic segregation. At the same time, this increased demand for housing is also fueling rapid development of previously undeveloped areas and threatening our natural systems. Urban sprawl and development in previously rural areas degrades the creeks that feed treasured recreation spots like Barton Springs and McKinney Falls, damages the region’s wildlife habitats, and leads to increased greenhouse gas emissions as more people must drive long distances into Austin. 38 Severe erosion threatens homes along Fort Branch Creek Urbanization & Development When rain falls on buildings, parking lots, and roads, it picks up pollutants and carries them into our creeks. This impervious cover also prevents rain from infiltrating or soaking into the ground. More impervious cover means more water is funneled to creeks during storms and that water is moving much faster, contributing to erosion and flooding. Creeks in urban areas tend to have high flows during storms that drive erosion, flooding, and water pollution, followed by low flows that don’t support recreation or aquatic life during dry periods. Our regulations help prevent the creation of new problems, but a lot of the development in our city was constructed before the adoption of any regulations. Homes and businesses were built within floodplains and along the banks of eroding creeks. Drainage pipes were built too small and quickly became overwhelmed during storms, leading to flooding in streets and neighborhoods. Natural creeks were straightened and lined with concrete to make room for more buildings and roads. Untreated stormwater runoff was directed into waterways, carrying contaminants like lead, bacteria, and pesticides. Community members protesting pollution at the East Austin tank farm 37 Rain to River: A Strategic Plan to Protect Austin’s Creeks & Communities | FINAL DRAFTUNDERSTAND | FINAL DRAFTImplementation Constraints There are several constraints that influence where and how we do our work. One major challenge is that our watersheds stretch across multiple cities and counties in the region. This means our creeks and lakes are impacted by areas upstream of Austin. Another limiting factor is available funding. Watershed Protection is primarily funded by a drainage charge, which is assessed on the monthly utility bills of Austin residents and businesses. State law governs how this charge can be used, which can impact the scope and effectiveness of our solutions. Finally, trying to fix watershed problems in the middle of a dense city can be difficult. There is often very limited space to construct new infrastructure and a workable solution may not be possible. For example, the project may need to work around or relocate other underground utilities, resulting in additional cost. In addition, upgrading the storm drains in a neighborhood means that the water is being sent downstream faster. We may need to acquire easements or construct flood detention ponds to ensure that the project does not cause downstream flooding. Crews stabilizing a tributary of Williamson Creek EXPANDING OUR IMPACT The challenges facing Austin’s watersheds and communities—such as extreme weather, urban growth, and affordability pressures—are interconnected and require action at many scales. Our department plays a vital role in addressing these issues, and we do so through three complementary areas of work: Lead, Partner, and Connect. These areas reflect the different ways we create impact, from delivering core services to collaborating across the city to linking our work with broader community priorities. Our ability to make progress grows as we strengthen relationships and demonstrate results. The opposite can also happen when funding constraints or state law limit what we can take on. LEAD PARTNER CONNECT LEAD We lead the work that directly aligns with our mission of reducing flood and erosion risk, protecting water quality, and maintaining critical infrastructure. This includes designing and building projects, adopting regulations that prevent future watershed problems, and launching programs to meet community needs. It also includes building trust by improving our communication and customer service as well as centering equity in how we serve the community. This is the foundation of our department and anchors the broader impact we can have across Austin. PARTNER We partner with other departments, community organizations, and residents to take on complex challenges that benefit from collective effort and resources. Through collaboration, we strengthen community resilience and advance shared priorities. Partnership also includes educating and empowering residents about everyday actions that protect our waterways and help keep people safe. By working together, we create meaningful progress that supports healthier watersheds and communities. CONNECT We connect our work to the broader issues that shape Austin’s future, including climate change, affordability, and quality of life. While these areas extend beyond any single department, we can contribute in meaningful ways. For example, we can prepare our infrastructure to withstand extreme weather and promote green workforce development. By staying connected to the needs and goals of the people we serve, we ensure our work helps residents adapt and thrive. 39 40 Rain to River: A Strategic Plan to Protect Austin’s Creeks & Communities | FINAL DRAFTUNDERSTAND | FINAL DRAFTHOW WE PARTNER At Austin Watershed Protection, we don’t work in isolation. Each of our three core mission areas—flood risk reduction, erosion mitigation, and water quality protection—is supported through close collaboration with other departments, governmental agencies, and community-based nonprofit organizations. These partnerships are essential for expanding our impact as the city grows and faces new challenges. Ribbon cutting for the East Williamson Creek Greenbelt and Drainage Improvements 41 • Planning and Development: We integrate watershed considerations into long-term land use and growth strategies for a sustainable city. We work together to ensure development projects meet environmental, drainage, and floodplain standards to protect creeks and neighborhoods. • Infrastructure and Utilities: We collaborate on opportunities for joint infrastructure projects to advance multiple needs, leverage shared resources, and minimize construction- related disruption. Examples include upgrading low water crossings, moving wastewater lines out of creeks, improving storm drains, and building green stormwater infrastructure. • Natural Systems and Resilience: We align watershed strategies with citywide climate and resilience goals. We partner on open space acquisition and land management, including restoring trees and vegetation along creeks to provide shade and improve ecological health. • State and Federal Government: We work with governmental agencies such as the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the Texas Water Development Board, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to maintain water quality and permitting compliance, coordinate floodplain management and disaster recovery efforts, and pursue grant funding that advances our mission. • Nonprofit Organizations: Our work is strengthened by partnerships with a range of Austin nonprofits focused on water quality, ecological restoration, community health, disaster preparedness, and environmental education. These partnerships ensure that our strategies reflect the needs and experiences of the communities we serve. • Emergency Management: We work together to prepare for major storms, predict and monitor rainfall and stream flows, issue timely public alerts, and coordinate emergency operations with first responders. • Protecting Vulnerable Populations: We collaborate to ensure our work promotes environmental justice, supports better outcomes for our staff, and reflects community priorities. We coordinate efforts to protect vulnerable populations such as the unhoused community during flood events and connect them to resources. • Education and Communications: We partner on education and outreach initiatives such as Turn Around Don’t Drown and Earth Camp to engage with residents and build community awareness. • Surrounding Jurisdictions: We coordinate with neighboring cities and counties as well as intergovernmental agencies like the Lower Colorado River Authority to monitor and manage our shared watersheds, plan at a regional scale, and align watershed regulations. Students test water quality with Austin Youth River Watch Amelia Devivo 42 UNDERSTAND | FINAL DRAFT03 ENVISION This section lays out a shared roadmap for Austin’s watershed future. The community vision reflects what residents and stakeholders want for the future, while the department vision defines how we will operate and deliver on that future. Both visions were informed by the ten community priorities that grew from years of listening to residents, organizations, and stakeholders. Together, these perspectives shape a future where watershed protection is a social contract, linking flood safety, water quality, climate resilience, access to nature, and public health with accountability and shared stewardship. This section shows how the vision and priorities align to guide how we plan, invest, engage, and deliver solutions—setting the stage for the commitments and strategies in the Enact section. COMMUNITY VISION DEPARTMENT VISION COMMUNITY PRIORITIES 45 46 47 A peaceful stretch of Walnut Creek 44 ENVISION | FINAL DRAFTA Vision for the CommunityThis plan includes both a community vision and a department vision because they serve different but complementary purposes. The community vision reflects what residents want for the future, while the department vision explains how we will deliver on that future. The community vision grew from years of engaging with residents and anchors the direction of the plan. For more information about community engagement and the process for developing the Rain to River Strategic Plan, see the Introduction Section. The department vision was created by staff to articulate our shared purpose and guide how we work together to achieve the community vision. The longer description provides additional context about what it means and how it connects to our work. Volunteers planting saplings at a Ready, Set, Plant! event 45 COMMUNITY VISION We envision an Austin where our creeks, rivers, and natural spaces are healthy, vibrant, and accessible to everyone. This future rests on trust that the City and its communities can plan together, act together, and be accountable together. In this vision, watershed protection is not a technical exercise but a social contract. Planning is proactive, solutions are co- created, and the voices of historically marginalized populations are central to every decision. Waterways and green spaces are not divided by zip code or history but united as shared public goods, spaces of connection, learning, and care. The future imagined by the community is one where community knowledge guides environmental governance, where every flood mitigation project also strengthens social resilience, and where the City’s investment in natural systems is inseparable from its investment in people. DEPARTMENT VISION We aspire to an equitable, resilient Austin for current and future generations, where our natural and built environments work in harmony to ensure our community feels safe when it rains and our waterways are healthy. At Austin Watershed Protection, we imagine a future where every resident is safe from flooding, where creeks flow freely and cleanly through our communities, and where green spaces offer shade and connection. In this future, the health of our waterways reflects the health of our city, because when we take care of our natural systems, we take care of each other. We are committed to reducing the impacts of flooding, mitigating erosion, and improving water quality across Austin. From the creeks and lakes to the storm drains and culverts beneath our streets, our work protects people, infrastructure, and ecosystems. We know that as climate change brings more intense storms and rising temperatures, this work is more important than ever. We also know we can’t do it alone. Our vision depends on strong partnerships with residents, non-profit organizations, developers, emergency responders, and city staff. Together, we share responsibility for shaping a city that is ready for the future. Together, we are not just preparing for the next storm. We are building a legacy of equity and resilience, rooted in science, grounded in community, and shaped by a shared belief that everyone deserves to live in a city that is safe, healthy, and thriving—for generations to come. Campers snorkeling in Barton Creek 46 ENVISION | FINAL DRAFT