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This project will reduce the risk of flooding of homes, yards and streets through an upgraded storm drain system that includes detention pond improvements, upgraded storm drain pipe and new storm drain inlets.

Construction Status

October 2024: Phase 1 began the week of September 30 with preparations for construction. These activities include installing tree protection and erosion controls as well as setting up two staging areas. Utility relocation - gas, water and wastewater - is underway with anticipated completion in January 2025. This utility relocation will allow us to construct the storm drains beginning in early 2025.

Construction Impacts

  • Work will be between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. on weekdays and potentially some weekends.
  • Portions of two streets will be closed during construction for staging areas. The staging areas will be fenced and are located at:
    • Softwood Drive, north of Creek Bend Drive, ending just south of driveways
    • Creekwood, south of Creek Bend Drive
  • Work will be completed in segments. We will inform you when to expect work in front of your property.
  • Portions of two streets may be closed during construction, but you will have access to your home. Allow an extra 15 minutes to enter and exit your driveway.
  • Cars will be towed to a nearby street if they are in active construction areas or blocking access to a staging area.
  • Safety is a key concern. We ask that you stay aware of safety fencing and signage and keep children and pets away from construction and equipment.
  • We are coordinating with the Neighborhood Partnering Program to ensure safe and accessible trails during construction.
  • There is always the potential for temporary, unexpected disruptions to services such as gas, water, electricity or cable. We will take care to avoid this.

Overview

The storm drain system in the Brassiewood Drive area was designed and constructed using outdated drainage criteria and is not able to handle large rain events. This causes homes and streets to flood during heavy rainfall. This project will reduce the risk of flooding by increasing the drainage capacity of the storm drain system.

Project Benefits

  1. Installation of a new storm drain system along Softwood Drive and Creek Bend Drive reducing the flood risk for residents living near the detention pond
  2. Implementation of additional safety measures during heavy rain events such as closure of Pleasant Valley Road and Nuckols Crossing 
  3. Improved stormwater flow and flood reduction by removing slot drain inlets from Nesting Way and replacing with larger curb inlets. 
     

Project Area

Map of proposed improvements

Timeline and Funding

The City of Austin completed an engineering feasibility study of the project area in September 2019. Based on this study we selected a solution that uses a multi-phased approach to implement the project to reduce risk of flooding in the project area. This approach will help provide flood risk reduction in a faster timeframe. 

  • Phase 1 of the project will consist of a new storm drain line that runs along Softwood Drive and Creek Bend Drive before reaching the outfall just east of the existing flood wall into Williamson Creek. This will capture a significant portion of the stormwater that currently flows into the detention pond at the end of Aviary Cove. Utility relocation - gas, water and wastewater - is underway with anticipated completion in January 2025, followed by construction of the storm drains. Construction cost is estimated at $2,253,322.  
  • Phase 2 of the project proposes to enlarge the detention pond outlet at Aviary Cove and construct a new storm drain along Pleasant Valley Road. The new outlet will capture more stormwater and lower the risk of the pond overtopping. This outlet will connect to a new storm drain system along Pleasant Valley Drive, which will convey the stormwater from the pond into Williamson Creek near the Pleasant Valley Bridge to the south. The project is in the design phase and construction is scheduled to start in fall 2025.  
  • Phase 3 of the project will include general improvements to the stormwater infrastructure throughout the neighborhood, including inlet improvements, channel improvements, and bridge culvert improvements. This project is in the Preliminary Engineering (PER) phase to study options to further reduce the risk of flooding in the neighborhood. We recently received the Preliminary Engineering Report and expect design to be complete by fall 2026. 
     

While we are looking for and implementing potential large-scale solutions, we are simultaneously working on short-term solutions based on input we received from the community to reduce the risk of flooding. On August 19, 2021, slot drain inlets were removed from Nesting Way and were replaced with larger curb inlets. This was done to improve the flow of water and reduce the likelihood of flooding due to debris clogging the inlets. We are also working with the Austin Fire Department to ensure that road closures are in effect during large rain events. 

Resources

Project Contacts

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