City of Austin Celebrates Little Walnut Creek Flood Risk Reduction Milestone

Austin, TX — The City of Austin is recognizing the completion of a major milestone in the Little Walnut Creek Flood Risk Reduction project. New stormwater infrastructure improvements reduce the risk of flooding for homes and roads in the north Austin neighborhood near Cook Elementary School. The City invites residents and community members to celebrate the project’s progress at a ceremony at the creekside weir on Quail Valley Boulevard.

As part of the project, the City has completed construction of new creekside weirs on Quail Valley Boulevard and Mountain Quail Road. The structures divert floodwater from Little Walnut Creek into a new 10-by-13-foot box culvert beneath Mearns Meadow Boulevard. The culvert carries the diverted water to a detention pond at Quail Creek Neighborhood Park.

These improvements are designed to reduce the risk of flooding for homes and roadways in the area but cannot eliminate the potential impacts of flooding completely. There are still homes expected to remain within the 100-year floodplain.

“The City recognizes the impact construction has had on the surrounding neighborhood and appreciates residents’ continued patience throughout this project,” said Austin Watershed Protection Director Jorge Morales. “These improvements represent an important investment in reducing flood risk and supporting the long-term resilience of the community.”

The Little Walnut Creek Flood Risk Reduction project was developed to reduce flooding impacts to homes and roadways near Little Walnut Creek, between Metric Boulevard and Rutland Drive. The project has a construction cost of approximately $28.8 million, partially funded by city bonds that voters approved in 2018.

Construction began in 2021 and was temporarily placed on hold in 2022. Work resumed in 2023 with a new contractor. That contractor achieved substantial completion of the project this year. The City remains committed to completing the remaining work at the Quail Creek Park pond and delivering long-term flood risk reduction benefits to the community.