Meadows Center To Help Develop Shoal Creek Watershed Action Plan

“We are thrilled to partner with the Shoal Creek Conservancy in developing a watershed protection plan that addresses the needs of the community as well as the environment,” said Emily Warren, associate director of The Meadows Center.

SAN MARCOS – The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University—along with the City of Austin Watershed Protection Department, and engineering firm Doucet and Associates—have entered into a multi-year partnership with the Shoal Creek Conservancy to develop the Shoal Creek Watershed Action Plan.

The cooperative project is funded in part by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) through a United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant and the Still Water Foundation.

“We are thrilled to partner with the Shoal Creek Conservancy in developing a watershed protection plan that addresses the needs of the community as well as the environment,” said Emily Warren, associate director of The Meadows Center. “Our goal is to create a locally-driven plan that integrates viewpoints from all stakeholders in the community and provides a path forward for a resilient, healthy and safe creek.”

Shoal Creek is a highly urbanized watershed that spans 13 square miles from downtown Austin to the Domain. The 11-mile creek begins at Highway 183 and winds through commercial areas, neighborhoods and downtown before reaching its terminus at Lady Bird Lake.

Shoal Creek suffers from many interconnected water-related challenges, including devastating flood events, poor water quality, erosion, loss of native habitat and diminished spring flow. The plan will identify solutions to these challenges that complement the city’s existing programs to improve creek health.

The community-engagement phase of the project will begin in early 2018. The conservancy and its partners will establish technical and stakeholder committees to define shared goals for Shoal Creek and a clear path for implementation.

The partners also will initiate a multi-year education and outreach campaign to raise awareness about actions individuals can take to improve water quality and support a healthier future for Shoal Creek.

Shoal Creek Conservancy is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving Shoal Creek for all Austin residents – present and future. For more information, visit www.shoalcreekconservancy.org.