ESC Issues (1113 Azie Morton)

  Event 9 - 09 Jul 2018 event (erosion controls not maintained)
  Event 8 - 28 Jun 2018 event (erosion controls not maintained)
  Event 7 - 22 May 2018 event (erosion controls not maintained)
  Event 6 - 17 Sep 2016 event (erosion controls not maintained)
  Event 5 - 21 May 2016 event (erosion controls not maintained)
  Event 4 - 21 Dec 2015 event (erosion controls not maintained)
  Event 3 - 12 Nov 2015- 22 Nov 2015 event (TCEQ investigation)
  Event 2 - 30 Oct 2015 event (partial environmental and sedimentation controls)
  Event 1 - 30 Sep 2015 event (no environmental and sedimentation controls)
  Event 0 - Pre-Demolition (March 2015)

This site is located in the Barton Springs Zone. It is a 1.239 acre site that drains to Little Zilker Creek and thence to Barton Creek. Little Zilker Creek recharges Barton Springs. It is also located in the critical water quality zone and the erosion hazard zone of Little Zilker Creek. As of September 12, 2016, the builder had not complied with Section 25-8-184 of the Land Development Code nor had the City of Austin enforced compliance. It had been reported to the City multiple times. The events are arranged in reverse chronological order with the most recent event first below.


Critical Water Quality Zone

Erosion Hazard Zone


Event 9 - 09 Jul 2018 (erosion controls not being maintained)

The video below follows the muddy runoff along Azie Morton up to the 1113 Azie Morton site. Muddy runoff from the site is escaping through a gap in the silt fence. This gap was reported to the City on May 22, 2018 (with a video) , over a month before this. Traveling further up the street to the next driveway, sediment is seen escaping across the driveway and into the gutter. The runoff from this site flows just a few hundred feet to Little Zilker Creek which immediately recharges to Barton Springs when it crosses under Azie Morton. This site was reported to the City for the eighth time on July 9, 2018.




Event 8 - 28 Jun 2018 (erosion controls not being maintained)

The following photos were taken on June 28, 2018. No maintenance of the silt fences is occurring. Sediment has built up behind the silt fence way past the point (6 inches) where it is required to be removed (see Silt Fence Standard). The holes/gaps in the fence have been reported previously and still have not been repaired. The unvegetated yard is creating very large sediment loads. The back side of this property (which is supposed to have a silt fence) runs along Little Zilker Creek which recharges to Barton Springs. The silt fence is not visible from the street, but given the problems visible in the front, it should be inspected along its entire length. This site was reported to the City for the seventh time on June 29, 2018.


Photo 1 - No runoff controls across entrance. Rock does not stop upgradient sediment and runoff from flowing across it.

Photo 2 - More than 6 inches of silt behind silt fence. Previously reported gap still present. Silt build up allows runoff to flow though gap.

Photo 3 - More than 6 inches of silt behind silt fence.

Photo 4 - More than 6 inches of silt behind silt fence.

Photo 5 - Highly-sloped unvegetated yard generates significant sediment load.

Photo 6 - Sediment not captured and present in driveway.

Photo 7 - Sediment not captured and present in driveway.

Photo 8 - Hole/gap in bottom of silt fence allows sediment to escape.

Event 7 - 22 May 2018 (erosion controls not being maintained)

The silt fence is not functioning. Muddy water is flowing right through a gap or tear in the silt fence. From here it flows about 300 feet down the road where it drains into Little Zilker Creek which almost immediately crosses the recharge zone. This site was reported to the City for the sixth time on May 22, 2018.


Video 1

Event 6 - 17 Sep 2016 (erosion controls not being maintained)

This site is in the Barton Springs Zone and is immediately adjacent to Little Zilker Creek which flows across an area of recharge to Barton Springs and then to Barton Creek. As of this date, no temporary erosion and sedimentation control plan and a water quality plan certified by a registered professional engineer and approved by the Planning and Development Review Department has been performed as required by Land Development Code § 25-8-184. The rock entrance designed to prevent erosion has not been maintained and is now part of the problem. It has loose dirt and sediment all over. When it rains, this will all flow into Little Zilker Creek. This site was reported to the City for the fifth time on September 21, 2016.


Photo 1


Event 5 - 21 May 2016 (erosion controls not being maintained)

This site is in the Barton Springs Zone and is immediately adjacent to Little Zilker Creek which flows across an area of recharge to Barton Springs and then to Barton Creek. The erosion and sedimentation controls have not been maintained as evidenced by several stretches of silt fence that are flattened and no longer effective. No temporary erosion and sedimentation control plan and a water quality plan certified by a registered professional engineer and approved by the Planning and Development Review Department has been performed as required by Land Development Code § 25-8-184. This site was reported to the City for the fourth time on May 22.


Photo 1 (hole/gap in the silt fence)


Photo 2 (flattened silt fence)


Photo 3 (flattened silt fence)


Photo 4 (flattened silt fence)


Photo 5 (erosion of banks along Little Zilker Creek running through the site)


Event 4 - 21 Dec 2015 (erosion controls not being maintained)

There is severe bank erosion adjacent to Little Zilker Creek which flows across an area of recharge to Barton Springs and then to Barton Creek. The erosion and sedimentation controls have been placed above the eroding area. No temporary erosion and sedimentation control plan and a water quality plan certified by a registered professional engineer and approved by the Planning and Development Review Department has been performed as required by Land Development Code § 25-8-184. Such a plan is needed to address the eroding bank. The erosion will only be exacerbated by the increased impervious cover on the site. The silt fence that has been place around the perimeter has a gap under it at the low point. Most of the runoff is channeled to this point where it enters Little Zilker Creek. This site was reported to the City for the third time on January 11, 2016.


Photo 1 (severe bank erosion)

Photo 2 (gap under silt fence)

Event 3 - 12 Nov 2015 - 22 Nov 2015 (TCEQ Investigation)

On 12 Nov 2015, a complaint was made to the TCEQ that this site did not have the TPDES General Permit for Construction Activity that is required for construction sites greater than 1 acre. Ten days later the TCEQ sent an investigator to the site. The investigator concluded that the site was not in violation because no active construction activity was occurring at the time of the investigation. Click here to see the investigation report. It is disheartening that the construction activity (demolition and clearing) that obviously took place was determined to be acceptable because the TCEQ did not see it taking place in person. The vegetation that the TCEQ claimed was stabilizing the lot was simply sparsely located weeds.


Event 2 - 30 Oct 2015 (environmental and sedimentation controls partially installed)

Erosion and sedimentation controls were installed about a week after a complaint was made to the City of Austin. Erosion and sedimentation controls worked where they were installed but the controls did not extend across the driveway entrances. Note the evidence that the runoff likely was flowing around the upper end of the silt fence in Photo 2. As can be seen from the photos, the environmental consequences would have been fairly severe had the complaint not been made to the City and if the rain had occured before at least part of the controls were installed. One can see depositon of sediment up the drive in Photo 3. Below this point, the velocity was high enough to sweep it down the drive, into the gutters, down to Little Zilker Creek, and then to Barton Creek. No temporary erosion and sedimentation control plan and a water quality plan certified by a registered professional engineer and approved by the Planning and Development Review Department has been performed as required by Land Development Code § 25-8-184. This site was reported to the City for the second time on November 2, 2015.

The site still had no TPDES Construction Permit that should have been required before demolition and clearing took place.

Photo 1 (erosion controls worked where they existed)

Photo 2 (erosion controls worked where they existed)

Photo 3 (no erosion controls at driveway entrance)

Photo 4 (no erosion controls at driveway entrance)

Photo 5 (no erosion controls at driveway entrance)

Photo 6 (no erosion controls at driveway entrance)

Event 1 - 30 Sep 2015 (no environmental and sedimentation controls)

This is a view of the site after it was cleared showing no erosion controls in place. The site had been cleared and in this state for about a week or more. The site had no TPDES Construction Permit that should have been required before demolition and clearing took place. The failure of this site to have erosion controls was reported to the City on September 30, 2015.


Photo 1 (no erosion controls after demolition)

Photo 2 (no erosion controls after demolition)

Photo 3 (no erosion controls after demolition)

Event 0 - Pre-Demolition (March 2015)

This is a Street View from Google Maps prior to demolition and clearing of the site.


Photo 1 (1113 Robert E Lee before demolition and clearing)

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