AUSTIN, Texas — On April 20, Jordan Price’s evening started with family time in the backyard and ended frantically trying – and failing – to keep water out of his home.
“It was shocking to me because we’ve had much heavier rain and it has never come in, never come in the house,” Price said.
Price lives on Mearns Meadows Boulevard along Little Walnut Creek in Central Austin. In this neighborhood, many homes are in a floodplain – but not all of them.
When Austin experienced a couple inches of rainfall last Thursday, Price and his neighbors didn’t think anything of it until water began flooding their homes.
In less than two hours, Little Walnut Creek, which sits in Price’s backyard, had overflown. A storm culvert in the creek clogged with dead trees and debris led to extreme flooding. Rain and creek water flooded backyards, Mearns Meadow Boulevard, front yards and homes.
“Floors are piled out in their driveways, their yards … kitchen cabinets, beds, couches – everything,” Price said. “And from talking with them, too – lots of sentimental stuff you can’t go replace.”
Neighbors and Councilmember Jose “Chito” Vela – who represents the area – told the KVUE Defenders that the flooding may have happened for several reasons.
The City of Austin’s Public Works Department started a Little Walnut Creek Flood Risk Reduction project in the summer of 2021. The goal of the project is to install an underground storm culvert that runs underneath Mearns Meadow Boulevard. The City's website states the project would remove some homes from the floodplain.
Mearns Meadow Boulevard had some work underneath the street done already, but in November 2022, the City put the project on hold. The City’s website shows the project was put on hold as the City looks for a new contractor – but the City told the Defenders that the project may resume in three months.
Price said the unfinished project limits where water can flow when there’s heavy rainfall or when the creek overflows. He and others who live on the street also say the City is slow to clear culverts in Little Walnut Creek, making water rise quicker.
Residents say they often call 311 to send a team to clear debris that blocks culverts, but it can take days or weeks for cleanup to happen.
“When there is debris in the creek, it is the City’s responsibility to clean that up,” Vela said.
During a public meeting with Vela, he and other City workers admitted to slow response times. Vela noted this is due in part to the February ice storm that caused down trees and powerlines and debris across Central Texas.
On Friday, Vela confirmed to the Defenders that he added an emergency item to the next council meeting’s agenda to help his constituents living along Little Walnut Creek. The emergency item surrounds potential financial and clean-up assistance for those displaced after the flood.
Still, there is no timeline on how quickly the drainage problem – and debris in the creek – can be solved.
“When something happens, that is the City’s responsibility,” Vela said. “We need to own up to it, we need to fix it, we need to make sure that it doesn’t happen again.”