This project aims to reduce the frequency and magnitude of flooding from the Paces Mill drainage channel. It will help homes along Paces Mill Lane in the Yarrabee Bend South neighborhood in southeast Austin.
Project Update
After considering the feedback from community members and consulting internally with Watershed Protection Department leadership, we have decided to move forward with pursuing the structural channel improvement alternative.
The next step in the project is preparing the construction plans and specifications, developing more detailed cost estimates and securing the needed permits to construct the proposed alternative. In order to complete these next steps in the design phase, we plan to engage an engineering consulting team to facilitate the timely completion of the construction documents needed to build the flood risk reduction infrastructure. The design phase will likely take between 2 and 3 years to complete.
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Project Background
Homes in the neighborhood have flooded on at least two occasions, October 30, 2015, and May 26, 2016. Currently, there are 15 homes which are expected to be flooding in a 100-year flooding event.
Project Location
The project is northwest of the intersection of Thaxton Road and Salt Springs Drive. The project will focus on the drainage channel behind the homes on Paces Mill Lane.
Project Summary
In early 2023 we completed a preliminary engineering report (PER) which investigated 13 alternatives to reduce the impacts of flooding for the neighborhood. The alternatives were investigated for effectiveness in reducing flood risk, impacts to the environment, and the short term and long-term impacts to the neighborhood. Of the alternatives investigated, both structural channel improvements and a voluntary buyout program were identified as viable alternatives to improve flood safety in the neighborhood.
In May of 2023 we hosted a public meeting in the neighborhood to discuss the viable alternatives to reduce flood risk in the neighborhood. After sharing the alternatives, we asked community members to participate in a survey to tell us what they thought about what was discussed and their opinions about the different alternative solutions we presented.
After considering the feedback from community members and consulting internally with Watershed Protection Department leadership, the decision was made to move forward with pursuing the structural channel improvement alternative.
Picture 1: Northern portion of the Paces Mill drainage channel.
Picture 2: Southern portion of the Paces Mill drainage channel.
Status and Timeline
Our capital improvement process includes the following phases:
- Preliminary Engineering – when a solution is identified and costs are estimated.
- Design – when the details are worked out and construction plans drawn up.
- Permitting and Bidding – when all permits are acquired and a contractor is hired.
- Construction – when the project is built.
We completed the Preliminary Engineering phase in 2022. We are now moving into the design phase, which will likely take between 2 and 3 years to complete.
Project Contacts
If you have any questions or would like to be added to the contact list for this project, please contact Fredrick Reza, Project Manager, at 512-974-7204 or email Fredrick.
You may also email Armando Montes, Project Sponsor.