Erosion Control Issues at 809 Azie Morton, Austin, Texas

  Event 16 - 31 Dec 2020
  Event 15 - 19 Dec 2020
  Event 14 - 11 Dec 2020
  Event 13 - 09 Sep 2020
  Event 12 - 03 Sep 2020
  Event 11 - 02 Sep 2020
  Event 10 - 22 Aug 2020
  Event 9 - 04 Aug 2020
  Event 8 - 31 Jul 2020
  Event 7 - 12 May 2020
  Event 6 - 03 Apr 2020
  Event 5 - 07 Aug 2019
  Event 4 - 04 Aug 2019
  Event 3 - 26 Jul 2019
  Event 2 - 24 Jul 2019
  Event 1 - 08 Jul 2019

This site is located at the corner of Azie Morton Road and Lund Street. It is located on a very steep slope so typical erosion controls are not adequate, and in significant rainfall events, the erosion controls as currently installed are fail to function. The tridiagonal dikes are often haphazardly placed and have gaps at the ends or underneath them allowing runoff to easily pass under or around them. Even when they are flat on the concrete apron, they allow muddy runoff to flow under them. These tridiagonal dikes are simply unable to control runoff from a site this steep. Runoff from this site flows down Azie Morton on the southeastern side and then crosses over the road to the northwestern side. It then flows to the entrance of the little league base baseball field, crosses the parking lot, and empties into Barton Creek below Barton Springs Pool near the Sunken Gardens. In virtually every rainfall event, there is muddy runoff leaving this site and flowing down to Barton Creek. This site has been reported to the City on mulitple occasions, and additional controls are needed to prevent runoff from this site. However, the City has repeatedly failed to address the issue.

Event 16 - 31 Dec 2020


Photo 1 - Sediment that has passed under the tridiagonal dike is visible on apron and in gutter..

Photo 2 - Gap between mulch sock and triadiagonal dike allows sediment and runoff to leave the site.

Photo 3 - No erosion controls below this steep area allows sediment to leave the site.

Photo 4 - Muddy runoff crossing over Azie Morton.

Event 15 - 19 Dec 2020


Photo 1 - No controls at all across the entrance. Even the triadiagonal dikes are missing.

Photo 2 - No erosion controls below this steep area allows sediment to leave the site.

Photo 3 - Muddy runoff crossing over Azie Morton.

Event 14 - 11 Dec 2020


Photo 1 - Triadiagonal dikes off to the side during the rainfall event allowing sediment to leave the site.

Event 13 - 09 Sep 2020


Photo 1 - Early in the rainfall event. The triadiagonal dikes is sitting on top of the mulch sock and will not retain runoff or stop erosion.

Photo 2 - Channelized water flowing right under the tridiagonal dike allowing muddy runoff and sediment to escape.

Photo 3 - Runoff also flowing under triadiagonal dikes on the right side.

Photo 4 - Muddy runoff from site crossing Azie Morton..

Photo 5 - Muddy runoff crossing Azie Morton (from left to right) and continuing down the road.

Photo 6 - Muddy runoff from site entering little league baseball field parking lot from whence it flows to Barton Creek.

Event 12 - 03 Sep 2020


Photo 1 - Large gap in triadiagonal dikes allows muddy runoff and sediment to leave the site.

Photo 2 - Muddy runoff from site entering little league baseball field parking lot from whence it flows to Barton Creek.

Event 11 - 02 Sep 2020


Photo 1 - Large gap in triadiagonal dikes allows muddy runoff and sediment to leave the site.

Event 10 - 22 Aug 2020


Photo 1 - No controls across driveway entrance.

Event 9 - 04 Aug 2020


Photo 1 - Gaps at ends and in the middle of triadiagonal dikes visible and will not prevent sediment from leaving the site when the site slope is so significant.

Photo 2 - Crushed and unmaintained silt fence.

Event 8 - 31 Jul 2020

The video and photo 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. 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. At the site, although some controls are in place, muddy runoff is pouring through and under the triangular dikes to the street (blocked from view in the video by a vehicle).




Photo 1 - Triadiagonal dikes are not sufficient to prevent sediment from leaving the site when the site slope is so significant.

Event 7 - 12 May 2020

The video starts on Azie Morton at the turn into the little league baseball field and follows the muddy flow upstream to its source at 809 Azie Morton. About halfway, the muddy flow crosses Azie Morton from the southeastern side to the northwestern side. At the site, muddy water is flowing between the triangular dike and mulch sock.




Event 6 - 03 Apr 2020

The video starts on Azie Morton a little past the turn into the little league baseball field and follows the muddy flow upstream to its source at 809 Azie Morton. About halfway, the muddy flow crosses Azie Morton from the southeastern side to the northwestern side. At the site, muddy water is flowing through a rip in the triangular dike.




Event 5 - 07 Aug 2019

The silt fence is in worse shape than previous event.


Photo 1 - silt fence is mangled and will allow sediment to escape if it rains

Photo 2 - steepness of terrain requires multiple erosion controls according to criteria

Photo 3 - dirt piles on the left have no erosion controls on the backside

Photo 4 - backside of dirt piles shown in Photo 3 are visible through the trees and have no erosion controls

Event 4 - 04 Aug 2019

The silt fence is mangled and ineffective. The excavation has cut away the soil resulting in significant walls/cliffs that currently have no structural bracing. In significant rain events, these wall faces could collapse and release significant amounts of sediment, not to mention the possibility of the house above being affected.


Photo 1

Event 3 - 26 Jul 2019

The silt fence in Photo 1 is crumbled and will allow sediment to escape if it rains. Note the large piles of dirt to the left. The backside of these dirt piles are visible through the trees in Photo 2. There are no ersosion controls on the backside and sediment from these dirt piles can escape.


Photo 1

Photo 2

Event 2 - 24 Jul 2019

This is the aftermath of a discharge event. Prior to these photos, significant amounts of muddy water were being discharged by a contractor to the roadside along Azie Morton Road. The water flowed down the southside of the road, crossed over to the north side of the road, and then into Little Zilker Creek and Barton Creek. These photos were taken well after the discharge but show the puddles that remained.


Photo 1 - source of the discharge on southeast side of Azie Morton

Photo 2 - looking downstream; location of water crossing from the road

Photo 3 - looking upstream; puddles on northwest side of road resulting from previous discharge

Photo 4 - puddles on nothwest side of road resulting from previous discharge

Event 1 - 08 Jul 2019

There are no erosion controls in place below where all of the soil disturbance is taking place.


Photo 1

Photo 2

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