Austin Watershed Protection To Repair Erosion On Shoal Creek Trail Near 12th Street

Austin’s Watershed Protection Department will be repairing erosion along the Shoal Creek Trail near 12^th Street. The erosion is rapidly worsening and is undermining the trail where it runs alongside Shoal Creek Blvd., between 12^th Street and Lamar.

Erosion is rapidly worsening at this spot across the street from House Park Stadium. Watershed Protection crews will build a grassy shoulder beside the trail and stabilize about 100 feet of streambank with a limestone block wall. This work will protect the trail and make it safer.

The first sign of activity will be some light tree trimming and the removal of a stand of Arundo Donax or Giant Reed. Arundo Donax spreads quickly, creating dense stands that choke stream channels and replace native plants.

This week the trail will be detoured to the sidewalk by House Park Stadium, from Tuesday, Feb.5, through Friday, Feb. 8, weather permitting. In the following weeks, the trail will be open on most Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Users will continue be detoured Mondays through Thursdays. There are crosswalks at both sides of the detour.

The first step will be the removal of a stand of invasive Arundo Donax or Giant Reed. Arundo Donax spreads quickly, creating dense stands that choke stream channels and replace native plants. Afterwards, Watershed Protection crews will build a grassy shoulder beside the trail and stabilize about 100 feet of streambank with a limestone block wall.

The work is in the creekbed, which makes the schedule highly dependent upon the weather. The work will likely take a few months to complete. Afterwards, crews will move to another location with severe erosion on the Shoal Creek Trail near 6^th Street.

For most of the construction, the trail will be open on most Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

The rest of the week, users will be detoured to the sidewalk on the other side of Shoal Creek Blvd. between 12th Street and Lamar Blvd.  However, please note that for the initial week of construction, the trail will be detoured from Tuesday, Feb. 5, through Friday, Feb. 8. There are crosswalks at both sides of the detour.

The work is in the creekbed, which makes the schedule highly dependent upon the weather. Work will begin in February and will likely take a few months to complete. There is more information online at austintexas.gov/ShoalErosion.