AUSTIN, Texas — Last April, North Austin homeowner Dustin Grant filed reports and concerns about limbs and trees falling into the creek beside his home following the February 2023 freeze.
"They weren't necessarily responded to promptly, and it resulted in a flood," Grant said. "So now, after that, really just trying to push the City a little bit into making sure that the maintenance is kept up with."
Austin kickstarted a nearly $20 million project to reduce flooding for houses and roads near Little Walnut Creek. The project included a pipe to carry floodwaters and upgrades to wastewater pipes.
City leaders said the project will benefit homes because some of them will no longer be in the floodplain. Meanwhile, homes still in the floodplain will be much less likely to experience flooding.
But with the rainfall Austin has been seeing, preparation is always top of mind for Grant.
"Checking the weather, checking the property, checking with my neighbors, making sure they're OK," Grant said.
For any Central Texans living in neighborhoods with creeks running behind them, officials say there are ways to protect yourself from flooding.
"It's getting in there and removing those dead trees and those limbs that have fallen ... And if you can't do that physically, there's services that will come out and do that for you," Pflugerville Fire Chief Nick Perkins said. "It goes a long way to ... Reducing several hazards that you could find yourself if you live up against kind of like a wildland area or creek or something like that."
Still, Grant makes a plea to city leadership.
"If anybody from the City is looking or watching, continue to be attentive, get workers out here. Clear the debris and keep us flood-free," Grant said.
City leaders gave KVUE the following update about the Little Walnut Creek Flood Risk Reduction project:
"Construction is ongoing for the Little Walnut Creek Flood Risk Reduction project. For the past few months, work has been focused on the detention pond in Quail Creek Neighborhood Park and on installing culverts under Mearns Meadow between Rutland Dr. and Parkfield Dr.
We inspected Little Walnut Creek in the Mearns Meadow area [Monday] morning and saw a few locations with some debris. Work orders have already been issued to remove it. Please note that last year we cleared debris from 44 miles of creeks, channels, and ditches, 10 times more than previous years, in response to the 2023 winter storm.
In addition, a permanent camera has been installed to provide real-time channel conditions on Little Walnut Creek at the Quail Creek and Mearns Meadow Crossing.
We are expecting more rain over the next two days. Please check ATXfloods.com for the status of low water crossings and do not try to cross a flooded roadway. Please call 3-1-1 with any drainage concerns or to report flooding."