All families are invited to participate in the parade (feel free to make a small or big donation by contacting tarrytownparade@gmail.com) or to cheer on the participants along the route.  The parade route will begin at the Tarrytown Shopping Center (Windsor at Exposition) and travel west on Windsor to Pecos, and then follow Pecos to Reed Park. At Reed Park we will enjoy hot dogs, watermelon, lemonade, cold water, entertainment for the kids and more!

Your neighbors from around the corner and just down the street will gather to celebrate this festive occasion and support our neighborhood parks.  We need your donations and your time to put on this festive celebration!  100% of the proceeds from the Parade will go toward enhancements at Reed and Tarrytown Parks.

Please join your neighbors in supporting this holiday tradition.  The Parade Sponsorship form is below.  All donors and volunteers will receive recognition on banners displayed at Reed Park, and in addition, Star-Spangled sponsors will be recognized on parade T-shirts, flyers and yard signs.  Sponsor Forms that are received by Friday, June 18^th will be included on the event banner that will be displayed at Reed Park. All other sponsors will receive recognition on event day banners.

And a special Thank You to the“early bird” Star Spangled Sponsors: WAYA, Grande Communications, Plains Capital Bank and Avenue One Properties!!

The 2010 Tarrytown Parade Planning Committee

Collin Ohanian
Elise Bridges
Laurel Hooper
Natalie Kinsel
Holly Norman
Julie Lewis
Brannon Smith
Erika Holmes
Anne Schniederjan

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

Here are links to several news articles about the History and the Marker:

• Muny’s Past Might Yield New Future <http://www.statesman.com/search/content/news/stories/local/archive/102608muny.html?cxntlid=inform_sr>
• Historical Agency Altered Marker Text <http://www.statesman.com/search/content/news/stories/local/2009/08/09/0809muny.html?cxntlid=inform_sr>
• UT Chancellor Suggests Second Marker <http://www.statesman.com/search/content/news/stories/local/2009/08/21/0821muny.html?cxntlid=inform_sr>

La Dolce Vita 2009

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

###

Help finish up the Parks Department’s punch list of projects by volunteering to spread compost and mulch under trees, clean up cut sod strips, do some weeding and clean-up curbs and sidewalks.  Tools, gloves, water, and cool ACL t-shirts will be supplied for the first 50 volunteers on each of the three volunteer days.  Further, all volunteers will be eligible to win one of three sets of 2009 Austin City Limits Music Festival weekend passes, where one to be given away at each volunteer day. Everyone who participates from 9 to 12 is eligible to win a pair of Austin City Limits Music Festival three-day passes!  This is huge, since the passes are now officially SOLD OUT.

Volunteer days are July 11, July 18, and July 25, so help mulch trees, weed the volleyball courts, pick up sod strips and clean up sidewalks and curbs at Zilker’s new Great Lawn, and then enjoy the fruits of your labor while watching Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews Band, the Beastie Boys and more (assuming that you win, buy, or otherwise acquire the tickets).

There are 3 steps to be eligible to win:

1. Sign up for the dates you will attend here (www.austinparks.org/volunteer.php).
2. Arrive by 9 AM and be sure to sign in.
3. Work until noon and stay for the drawing.

Sign up here:

• Saturday, July 11, 9 AM to 12 PM
• Saturday, July 18, 9 AM to 12 PM
• Saturday, July 25, 9 AM to 12 PM

Thanks for supporting parks!

Additional questions?  Contact Rosie Weaver at:

Rosie Weaver
Outreach Director
Austin Parks Foundation
816 Congress, Suite 1680
Austin, TX 78701
512-477-1566
rweaver@austinparks.org
http://www.austinparks.org