housing in "flood zones" and water shortages? (Austin: houses, neighborhoods)

[soulful]

I have two questions:

a)Have parts of Austin ever flooded? I assume from the Colorado River (if at all) and are certain neighborhoods in "flood plains"?

b)Has Austin ever suffered a water shortage? Is there a danger or discussion of such an event?

thanks.

[TexasHorseLady]

Yes, parts of Austin have flooded. Some seriously. It's pretty well known where the floodwaters will be (don't hang out on North Lamar near 12th Street, for example, during a thunderstorm after a very long wet spell - though some folks consider that an excuse for a sandbag party). However, we still talk about the Memorial Day Flood of 1981, so that should give you some idea. (Of course, we still talk about the flood of 1937, too, before the dams were built, too.)

Depends on what you mean by water shortage. Austin has had drought just like the rest of Texas. There is water conservation in the summer generally, either voluntary or, if a drought gets bad, mandatory (watering every five days, for example, which seems to work just fine anyway).

[soulful]

Thank you for that info. Are any neighborhoods of Central Austin considered to be all or in part in flood plains? And is the flooding a result of the CO River going over its banks?

[TexasHorseLady]

Well, I don't know of any entire neighborhoods that flood, just parts of them. Mostly, it's the creeks and streams rather than the river itself that cause flooding in neighborhoods, as far as I know. And, of course, the folks that build right on the water get flooded out with fair regularity. If you buy in Austin, one of the things that will be indicated is whether or not part of the property is in a flood plain. Your agent should be able to help you with that.

[geoquiz3000]

HorseLady is right, there really isn't much flooding around the Colorado River at least in town, since they dammed it up in the 1940s as part of a huge flood control project. The million dollar houses right on the lake (Lake Austin, to the west of the central city) do risk flooding. Austin is fairly good about creating parkland where the worst flooding has occurred along its creeks (Shoal Creek, Walnut Creek, Bull Creek). There are floodplain maps for all parts of the City available at City of Austin - Flood :: New Floodplain Maps.

Most flooding is very localized--we don't usually have the widespread gradual flooding that occurs in coastal and flatter locations--but there can be flash flooding in the creeks and you'll hear about folks getting stranded or even swept away at low water crossings in the exurb and rural areas ("turn around, don't drown" is something you'll hear on the local news).

Drought is another big topic in Austin and Texas--I don't know enough about this subject but it's my understanding that we are fairly secure due to the City's secured water rights from the Colorado River (of Texas, not the one out west), which is impounded by several dams creating the Highland Lakes. The city is pretty aggressive in providing incentives for folks to conserve (low flow toilets and showerheads, rainbarrels, etc.)

[soulful]

Thank you both for your feedback and good data