From the TxDOT MoPac1 website (http://www.dot.state.tx.us/project_information/projects/austin/mopac1/):

Crews will work Monday through Thursday nights the week of June 20, and Sunday through Thursday nights thereafter.  TxDOT says the night work, which will be done between 9:00 PM and 5:00 AM, is necessary to avoid interfering with heavier daytime traffic on Loop 1.  The $3.5-million project is scheduled to be completed in late September.  Motorists are reminded that work zone traffic fines are doubled when crews are present.

Early July Update:  Some good progress was made this week , but the rain has slowed things down.   TxDOT is still working on the concrete removal on the northbound lanes and needs a few more nights to finish.  The plan at this time is to start hot mix operations next week on the southbound side.  This work should take most of July to complete and then we will work on the northbound side.

Here are a few helpful tips to protect your property:

Before Freezing Weather

 •       Wrap all exposed pipes located outside or in unheated areas of the home.

•       Remove garden hoses from outside faucets. Insulate outside faucets with Styrofoam cover, rags or paper.

•       Make sure that your property owner’s water cut-off valve is accessible and operational.

In Sub-Freezing Weather

•       Drip outside faucets 24 hours a day (roughly 5 drops per minute; faster if a hard freeze is expected).

•       Open cabinet doors under sinks adjacent to outside walls.

•       In unheated garages, shut water off to washing machines. Turn off both the hot and cold water lines and disconnect them from the back of the washer. Place both lines in the drain pipe behind the washer and drip the faucets.

•       In sustained sub-freezing weather, let water drip slowly from inside faucets (steady drip).

•       Take extra precautions to protect pipes that have frozen in the past.

•       Businesses and homes that operate landscape sprinkler systems are urged to shut their systems off to prevent run-off water from freezing on sidewalks and road surfaces.

If You Are Not Going To Be At Home

•       Cut water off at the property owner’s cut-off valve.

•       Drain all outside water faucets if your house will be unoccupied for several days (leave outside faucets open and return water flow to then gradually when you return home).

•       Or, leave home heating system on at a low setting.

•       Open cabinet doors under sinks adjacent to outside walls.

•       Renters and tenants may be responsible for personal property damage caused by broken water pipes during severe weather conditions.

Residents should contact property management, landlord or maintenance personnel to locate the property owner’s cut-off valve and find ways to avoid pipe breakage during a freeze.

The City of Austin submitted a drawdown request to the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) in October, hoping that fall rains would increase water storage in lakes Travis and Buchanan and allow for an effective drawdown. However, as of Nov. 30, the combined water stored in the two lakes is around 1.1 million acre-feet — about 55 percent of their capacity.

Over the past decade, the lake has been lowered several times to control the aggressive non-native aquatic plant hydrilla. The last time the lake was lowered was in January 2008. The introduction of sterile grass carp into the lake by the City of Austin has had a major impact on controlling this weed. However, the carp have been less effective against other aquatic vegetation such as Eurasian watermilfoil.

“The lack of a drawdown is not the best case scenario for either property owners or lake users, but unfortunately, the persistent drought conditions are determining the situation,” said Mary Gilroy, Environmental Scientist with the City’s Watershed Protection Department. “While a drawdown would help minimize the impacts from the nuisance aquatic vegetation in shallow water, it would not have much effect on the aggressive hydrilla, which grows in much deeper water.”

“Reduced environmental flow requirements as a result of low lake levels and reduced winter water releases would not be enough to effectively draw down Lake Austin,” said Mark Jordan, Manager of LCRA River Management Services. “Even a very limited drawdown would not be effective for either vegetation control or dock maintenance and repair.”

The City of Austin continues to work with its partners (the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, LCRA, and citizens’ group Friends of Lake Austin) to combat the invasive hydrilla, which showed resurgence to more than 320 acres this fall. Because sterile grass carp proved successful in reducing the aquatic weed in the past, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department granted approval to stock an additional 4,400 fish. In mid-November, 2,200 fish were stocked, with the remaining fish scheduled to go into the lake later this year.

Contact: Krista Umscheid, LCRA, (512) 473-3365; Lynne Lightsey, City of Austin Watershed Protection Department, (512) 974-3538

Fall is almost here and so is November 15th, which is the last day of the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department’s Neighborhood Habitat Challenge! Is your neighborhood taking the 2009 Habitat Challenge?

These wildlife loving neighborhoods are putting out the welcome mat for beautiful butterflies and songbirds!

• Copperfield Neighborhood Organization (also a City of Austin Green Neighborhood)
• Hancock Neighborhood Association
•  Windsor Park Neighborhood Association

It’s not too late to get on board with Keeping Austin Wild. Register your neighborhood for the Habitat Challenge today!

The top three neighborhoods that complete all the requirements and certify the most new habitats between April 15th and November 15th 2009 will be recognized by the City of Austin and eligible for prizes.

Creating wildlife habitat is as simple as -

• Planting native plants that provide nectar, pollen, seeds, and berries year round
• Including a reliable water source to attract a variety of critters
• Providing places for cover and rearing young such as planting evergreen shrubs, leaving rock piles or putting up a birdhouse

 Neighborhood Habitat Challenge Requirements

All participating neighborhoods must complete the following activities:

• Neighborhood must register with the Wildlife Austin program upon initiating challenge.
• Certify the most number of wildlife habitats with the National Wildlife Federation between April 15th and November 15th 2009.
• As a neighborhood group, participate in an ongoing invasive plant removal project with City of Austin, Austin Parks Foundation, Keep Austin Beautiful, the Trail Foundation or other organization within the city limits of Austin.
• Publish an article about Habitat Challenge and gardening for wildlife in neighborhood newsletter and/or website.

For more information please visit www.ci.austin.tx.us/parks/wildlifehabitatchallenge.htm or email wildlife@ci.austin.tx.us  or call 512-327-8181×29.

Historic drought conditions have caused the two wells feeding Deep Eddy Pool to go almost dry forcing the continued closure of the shallow portion of the swimming hole until groundwater levels rise.

The deeper end of the pool will continue to be open daily for lap swimmers and others.

“We have all felt the effects of 100-degree temperatures and lack of rain,” said Tom Nelson, who oversees Deep Eddy Pool as part of his duties as an Aquatics Division Manager. “The lack of water for the Deep Eddy wells is unprecedented in anyone’s memory.

“The City of Austin already is looking into alternatives to supply water to the pool,” Nelson said. “Of course, a possible quick fix would be substantial rainfall.”

The shallow end at Deep Eddy was closed Aug. 28 after a pump malfunction on the well used to fill that portion of the pool.  Still, even with a more efficient pump, the low groundwater levels are causing continued problems.

Deep Eddy, built in 1916, is a popular spot with families, especially its shallow end. City officials suggest Barton Springs, Northwest and Big Stacy pools as nearby options for those who have used the now closed portion of Deep Eddy.

Major improvements at Deep Eddy, including potentially new, deeper wells are already scheduled, funded by $5 million in bonds approved by Austin voters in 2006.  Those projects slated to be completed in 2011 may be accelerated because of issues raised by this year’s drought.

The City’s Watershed Protection Department will work with Parks and Recreation staff to evaluate the wells to determine what can be done to help water flows into the pool.

“The current drought has taken its toll on Austin’s groundwater resources,” said Scott Hiers, geologist with the Watershed Protection Department. “Deep Eddy Pool, which is fed with two hand-dug wells, is having difficulty obtaining groundwater for the pool. We will be evaluating existing conditions of the wells to identify options for keeping the entire pool open.”

Sept. 4, 2009

Contact: Victor Ovalle, Parks and Recreation, (512) 974-6745

Wendy Morgan, Watershed Protection, (512) 974-2090

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Beginning Monday, Aug. 24, the Austin Water Utility (AWU) will enact Stage 2 Mandatory Watering Restrictions because of the exceptional drought in Central Texas and recommendations made by the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA).

Stage 2 Watering Restrictions are in line with the 2009 Drought Contingency Plan authorized by Council earlier this year.  The plan states the City Manager may order additional water restrictions when the combined lake storage levels of Lakes Travis and Buchanan is less than 900,000 acre-feet. That level was reached on Aug. 12.

Austin residents and businesses may only water one day a week:

• Residential customers (4 or fewer units) with addresses ending in an odd number may water on Saturday.
• Residential customers (4 or fewer units) with addresses ending in an even number may water on Sunday.
• Commercial and multifamily customers (including common areas of condominiums or homeowners’
• associations) with street addresses ending in an odd number may water on Tuesday.
• Commercial and multifamily customers (including common areas of condominiums or homeowners’ associations) with street addresses ending in an even number may water on Friday.
• You may schedule your system no earlier than 12:01 a.m. on your designated water use day. All cycles must be complete by 10 a.m. that same day.
• You may water with a hose-end sprinkler, a soaker hose, or drip irrigation only from 12 a.m. to 10 a.m. and/or from 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. on a designated outdoor water use day.
• You may water with a hand-held hose or bucket any time of day and any day of the week.

Stage 2 Mandatory Water Restrictions

• Requires residential and commercial water customers to follow a once-per-week watering schedule.
• Limits automatic irrigation systems to operation between the hours of midnight and 10 a.m. on designated days.
• Limits residential vehicle washing to designated days and times and prohibits charity car washes.
• Automatic fill valves for pools or ponds should be turned off.
• No outdoor fountains should be used except to provide aeration for aquatic life.
• No water to be served at restaurants unless requested by the customer.
• No washing of sidewalks, driveways, parking areas or other paved areas except to alleviate an immediate health or safety hazard.

To ensure that restrictions are followed, the AWU Water Conservation staff will begin stepped-up, around-the-clock enforcement and take a zero-tolerance approach to violations of the restrictions. Violating mandatory watering restrictions is a Class C misdemeanor with fines up to $500. To report water waste, residents should call 3-1-1. For more information on water conservation visit www.WaterWiseAustin.com.

President, West Austin Neighborhood Group (WANG) Board of Directors

July 1, 2009

West Austin Neighborhood Group Deplores Brackenridge Tract Planners’ Suggestions

Neighborhood Organization Continues to Seek Best Use for Core Suburban Spaces

“WANG, as the only organized neighborhood association serving as a voice for and protecting property owners in the immediate area of the Brackenridge Tract and as one of the key community organizations that has worked tirelessly to provide guidance and input before and during the planning process, adamantly opposes Cooper Robertson’s master plan recommendations.”

“WANG calls upon the University of Texas System Board of Regents to reject both master plans submitted by Cooper Robertson & Partners.”

“WANG is pleased that Chairman Huffines has expressed an earnest desire to continue dialogue on this sensitive matter.”  

“WANG is grateful that Chairman Huffines stated resolutely that the leases to the City of Austin for Lions Municipal Golf Course and to the West Austin Youth Association for its youth sports and educational complex as well as the 1989 Brackenridge Tract agreement will be honored until their expiration in 2019.” 

“WANG recognizes that both the Village Plan and the Park Plan dramatically fail to propose truly sustainable redevelopment of the Brackenridge Tract in a manner that will benefit all while retaining and protecting the existing character of the surrounding core suburban community and its invaluable open space.  Instead it proposes residential densities as much as four (4) times that of the award winning Mueller Redevelopment.  Mueller is recovered industrial land adjacent to two (2) major arterials, not parkland and lower density residential, retail, and academic tracts located in a core suburban neighborhood served by three (3) neighborhood collectors. The overall size, scale and thrust of the Cooper Robertson & Partners master plans are entirely inappropriate in proposing an incredibly massive mixed use, residential and commercial project.” 

“WANG is dismayed at Cooper Robertson & Partners’ failure to address the overwhelming traffic problems that would be created by either Plan, both plans’ lack of compatibility with the adjacent core suburban neighborhood, significant open space, deference to the distinguished history of the Tract, and consideration of public sentiment.  Both plans also fails to address the detrimental effect the project would have on the reputation of The University of Texas at Austin.” 

“WANG looks forward to continuing its work with the University of Texas System Board of Regents, the University of Texas at Austin, the City of Austin and other key stakeholders to arrive at a mutually beneficial and sustainable solution for the Brackenridge Tract.”

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Contact:  August Harris    august.harris@westaustinng.com       512-320-8808

• Weather stripping
• Outlet sealers
• Two compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs)
• An energy saver nightlight

The program is specifically directed to reduce peak demand for electricity in the early evening hours (between 4 and 8 pm) when most of us cool homes, cook dinner, wash dishes, and do laundry.  If all 338,000 Austin residential customers turned off just two 40-watt light bulbs, the energy reduction would power 3,100 homes!

For additional details about how to sign up and what do to, go to http://www.austinenergy.com/Energy%20Efficiency/Programs/Power%20Saver%20Volunteers/index.htm.