Roy G. Guerrero Park Channel Stabilization

Background

This channel was partially constructed in the late 1970s, before the park belonged to the City of Austin. It was built before the City of Austin adopted floodplain and environmental regulations. The channel was constructed to divert floodwaters from the natural channel of Country Club Creek to the Colorado River and allow development on Riverside Drive. The channel construction was never completed, so the water created its own path to the river, forming gullies in the park.

Project Plan

The planned stabilization project, including multiple large concrete structures that "step" the water down to the river, will protect the channel from further erosion by slowing the powerful force of water as it plunges downstream. In-between each "step" structure, the channel will be restored to a more natural state with native plants to improve wildlife habitat and park aesthetics. The design phase for this complex stabilization project is underway and is projected to be completed by the end of 2019.

To slow down erosion until the larger stabilization project is complete, Watershed Protection engineers and construction crews have been working on two smaller stabilization projects. The first project, to protect nearby ballfields 10 and 11 from erosion, was completed in May 2017. The second project, to stop or slow erosion from moving further upstream, was completed in February 2018. These two projects were designed to "hold the line," but will not be successful without the larger planned stabilization project. The third and fourth interim projects to protect the adjacent trail and parking area near ball field 4 began construction in 2020.

Location

Country Club Creek in the Roy G. Guerrero Park near the Krieg Fields Softball Complex, 515 South Pleasant Valley Road, Austin, Texas 78741

Timeline

It takes several years to design and build this type of large project.

• Late 2015 - Major floods washed out the pedestrian bridge, and the erosion became more severe.
• 2016 - Engineering design began on the large project.
• 2017 - The first interim project to protect the ball fields 10 and 11 was completed.
• 2018 - The second interim project to slow erosion was completed.
• 2020 – The third and fourth interim projects to protect the adjacent trail and parking area near ball field 4 are under construction.
• 2021 - Construction of the large project is anticipated to begin.

Additional Information

• Memo to Mayor and Council March 2018
• Memo to Parks Board Nov 2017