Erosion Control Issues at Multiple Sites (Friday, July 31, 2020)

During dry weather, maintaining erosion controls may seem unnessaray. However, sudden sporadic thunderstorms do still occur. The following videos and photos from 16 sites show what happens when controls are not maintained and it rains. These videos and photos were taken during or shortly after a 1.76" rainfall event (as measured in the neighborhood) that lasted for about an hour and a half. Because they were taken from inside a vehicle while it was raining, the quality is somewhat impaired. Most of the sites are in the Zilker neighborhood but there are a few near Zilker neighborhood that are in the Barton Hills neighborhood. To see the 16 sites, you can scroll down the page or go to a specific site by clicking a link below:

  2200 La Casa (Zilker neighborhood; in the Barton Springs Zone)
  2104 La Casa (Zilker neighborhood)
  809 Azie Morton (Zilker neighborhood)
  1404 Oxford (Zilker neighborhood)
  2803 Oak Haven (Barton Hills neighborhood; in the Barton Springs Zone)
  2405 Elmglen (Barton Hills neighborhood; in the Barton Springs Zone)
  2311 Montclaire (Barton Hills neighborhood; in the Barton Springs Zone)
  2504 Cedarview (Barton Hills neighborhood; in the Barton Springs Zone)
  1706-1716 Nash (Zilker neighborhood)
  1811 Ashby (Zilker neighborhood; in the Barton Springs Zone)
  1300 Folts (Zilker neighborhood; in the Barton Springs Zone)
  1504 Garner (Zilker neighborhood)
  2109 Arpdale (Zilker neighborhood; in the Barton Springs Zone)
  2001 Peach Tree (Zilker neighborhood; in the Barton Springs Zone)
  1117 Bluebonnet (Zilker neighborhood; in the Barton Springs Zone)
  Butler Landfill along Stratford Drive (Zilker Park)


2200 La Casa (in the Barton Springs Zone)

The video below follows the muddy runoff leaving the site because there are no controls. The photos below the video show where the muddy runoff crosses Rae Dell and where it enters the stormwater sewer. The runoff from this site eventually flows to Barton Creek above Barton Springs Pool. This site has been reported to the City multiple times.




Photo 1 - Muddy runoff from 2200 La Casa crosses Rae Dell.

Photo 2 - Muddy runoff from 2200 La Casa enters stormwater sewer.

2104 La Casa

The video shows the muddy runoff leaving the site and is a clear example of what happens where there are no J-hooks at the end of a silt fence.




Photo 1 - At the end of the rainfall event. No J-hook on silt fence. In this case, the silt fence should have run all the way up the driveway to prevent sediment from leaving the site.

809 Azie Morton

The video starts on Azie Morton where the muddy runoff turns into the little league baseball field parking lot and flows to Barton Creek. The muddy flow is followed upstream to its source at 809 Azie Morton. About halfway, the muddy flow crosses Azie Morton from the southeastern side to the northwestern side.




1404 Oxford

There are no controls across the entrance allow muddy runoff to leave the site. The video follows the muddy runoff down the gutter.




2803 Oak Haven (in the Barton Springs Zone)

No controls across the entrance. Muddy runoff leaving the site. This site is in the Barton Hills neighborhood and runoff flows to Barton Creek above Barton Springs Pool.




Photo 1 - At the end of the rainfall event. No J-hook on silt fence. In this case, the silt fence should have run all the way up the driveway to prevent sediment from leaving the site.

2405 Elmglen (in the Barton Springs Zone)

Erosion controls not maintained. The video follows the muddy runoff down to the stormwater sewer. This site is in the Barton Hills neighborhood and runoff flows to Barton Creek above Barton Springs Pool.




2311 Montclaire (in the Barton Springs Zone)

Although there is a silt fence across the entrance, there is no J-hook allowing the muddy water to escape. There is a gap between the silt fence and the mulch sock so the muddy water easily makes its way around the left end of the mulch sock to the gutter. This site is in the Barton Hills neighborhood and runoff flows to Barton Creek above Barton Springs Pool.




Photo 1 - Runoff pooled behind mulch sock and ran off around left end. When it was raining harder, it also exited between the two mulch socks that do not overlap.

2504 Cedarview (in the Barton Springs Zone)

There are no controls across the entrance. The video follows the muddy runoff down the gutter to the stormwater sewer. This site is in the Barton Hills neighborhood and runoff flows to Barton Creek above Barton Springs Pool.




Photo 1 - No controls across entrance. Some of the muddy runoff is coming from the site next door at 2506 Cedarview which is also missing erosion controls.

1706-1716 Nash

Photos 1-4 show muddy runoff leaving the site (largely from several uncontrolled entrances) and running down Nash to Kinney. Photos 5 and 6 show two of those uncontrolled entrances shortly after the rain had stopped. This site has been reported to the City multiple times but erosion controls have not been installed.


Photo 1 - No controls across entrance. Muddy runoff leaving the site.

Photo 2 - Muddy runoff from the site flowing down the gutter further down Nash.

Photo 3 - Muddy runoff from the site continuing down the gutter on Nash.

Photo 4 - Muddy runoff from the site flowing down the gutter and turning the corner at Nash and Kinney.

Photo 5 - About an hour and a half after Photos 1-4.

Photo 6 - About an hour and a half after Photos 1-4.

1811 Ashby (in the Barton Springs Zone)

These photos were taken toward the end of the rainfall event. The Land Development Code ("ยง 25-8-181 - Temporary erosion and sedimentation controls: (1) are required for all development until permanent revegetation has been established.") is being violated as shown in Photo 1 below. The driveway situation shown in Photo 2 below is a common problem at sites. While a driveway is being prepared for a pour, it often sits in this state for days or even weeks without any erosion controls. Some contientious contractors cover the dirt and sand with plastic to prevent erosion if it rains but not this one.


Photo 1 - No controls. Sediment on the sidewalk shows where uncontrolled runoff has left the site and entered the gutter.

Photo 2 - Runoff fills up in driveway excavation and overflows, taking mud and sand with it.

Photo 3 - Muddy runoff from the site continuing down the gutter on Ashby.

1300 Folts (in the Barton Springs Zone)

These photos were taken toward the end of the rainfall event. On the left side of the property, the silt fence does not extend but a few feet. The slope is such that sediment and debris from the site is not contained by the silt fence and flows around it, over the top of the stormwater sewer, and into the gutter as shown in Photo 1. Note the lumber that has been washed into the street in all three photos. This site has been reported to the City multiple times.


Photo 1 - The storm sewer inlet is completely clogged and submerged.

Photo 2 - Sediment from the unvegetated areas of the ribbon driveway has been washed away and into the street and gutter.

Photo 3

1504 Garner


Photo 1 - The silt fence does not extend far enough up the driveway to prevent sediment from leaving the site.

Photo 2 - Mulch sock that might have prevented sediment from leaving site is laying off to the right.

2109 Arpdale (in the Barton Springs Zone)


Photo 1 - No controls across driveway to prevent sediment from leaving the site. Most of the dirt that completely covered the concrete three days earlier has been washed down the street.

Photo 2 - From 3 days earlier.

2001 Peach Tree (in the Barton Springs Zone)

This site at the corner of Peach Tree and Bluebonnet is in the Barton Springs Zone (Other Watershed Contributing Zone).


Photo 1 - No controls across driveway (on Bluebonnet) to prevent sediment from leaving the site.

Photo 2 - Closeup.

Photo 3 - Difficult to discern, but muddy runoff is entering the stormwater sewer.

1117 Bluebonnet (in the Barton Springs Zone)

This site is in the Barton Springs Zone (Other Watershed Contributing Zone). It has a mulch sock at the bottom of the driveway which is capturing some of the sediment. However, because of the steep slope, when the rainfall is intense, this single mulch sock will not contain the sediment. Additional controls are necessary. The silt fences need J-hooks that run up parallel with the driveway and another mulch sock about halfway up to divert most of the water to behind the silt fences. Without additional measures, this site will continue to release sediment during heavy rain events.




Photo 1 - It is difficult to prevent sediment from leaving a site with only a single mulch sock at the bottom of a steep slope like this.

Butler Landfill along Stratford Drive in Zilker Park

This is just east of the Mopac bridge over the closed Butler Landfill in Zilker Park along Stratford Drive. The City is allowing the cover over the old landfill to erode. PARD has promised to revegetate the area but still has not done so, and the problem is growing. Not only is this allowing sediment to flow to the Colorado River, it threatens to compromise the integrity of the closed landfill.


Photo 1

Photo 2

Photo 3

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