[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6502831,"mediaKeyId","5713532-c37162429c53d0c3155600ef1506bcea","parentId",5713532,"title","Watershed staff report: Austin Lakes Index, hydrilla, shoreline plantings and microplastics in reservoirs","audioSeconds",2240,"startMs",3077000,"endMs",5317000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5713532-c37162429c53d0c3155600ef1506bcea&start=3077&end=5317","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5713532-c37162429c53d0c3155600ef1506bcea/thumbnail_3077000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6502831/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/Watershed-staff-report-Austin-Lakes-Index-hydrilla-shoreline-plantings-and-microplastics-in-reservoirs","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6502831-b15b108887a43e27c3d32663b69690ff/orig.mp4?Expires=1770482555&Signature=lAhaqTByegHbtzWIm45JMZPMBsz6UG3LbM5FPiZePai2IhDSp5ZiGbyU7mdCqSJSBHZ8cM8-8GO~d--so-~ysnWaXNFP3ZkMFs1Q25g8NkZkHjGer8FpAqdzjZeqY6TBnMvF~6jamrMahwOMiK6LmkGjtblZWwl-c~~Jp43-UJtBPGJREQRqhyjDm7afKiF-jezlwqSQNUde~Z0t7QeU7w0wHu9wt0maoI-qfM-hKOTmEc3CBeLL3~CTxXx6TiPoiUb-h4L4zYXsS5XJQLQY18vUpuZBuKD4nEVDEg47J0g5r9lK0DmpTgTgYtECJXD4Gj4Irm0Qr-cEnbkdcySg1w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Austin","date","2025-09-03T00:00:00Z","article","Dr. Brent Bellinger, Conservation Program Supervisor for the City of Austin Watershed Protection Department, updated the Environmental Commission on the Austin Lakes Index, aquatic vegetation trends in Lake Austin and Lady Bird Lake, shoreline planting survivorship on Lake Austin, and initial sediment sampling for microplastics.

Bellinger summarized the Austin Lakes Index (ALI), an annual index compiled by Watershed Protection that aggregates multiple measures of reservoir ecological condition. He said ALI scores for Austin reservoirs typically range from the mid-40s to mid-60s and that the index helps guide where the city invests engineering and restoration resources. He presented three main topics: aquatic vegetation, shoreline/riparian protections and a microplastics sediment study conducted in partnership with the University of Texas.

On vegetation, Bellinger described differing management aims across reservoirs. Lake Austin has seen cycles of hydrilla (an introduced aquatic plant) and stocking of sterile (triploid) grass carp to control vegetation; recent grass-carp stockings and population changes have been followed along with periodic mechanical harvesting in high-use areas. Bellinger said Texas Parks and Wildlife had advised targets of roughly 15–25% vegetated area for some reservoirs but that Lake Austin’s narrow, sunlit morphology (and zebra mussel-driven water clarity) complicates management.

Lady Bird Lake, Bellinger said, lacks hydrilla but supports native aquatic plants such as fanwort (Cabomba caroliniana) and bladderwort; the city’s approach there has been a light touch with mechanical removals for high-use recreational channels. Lake Walter E. Long (Decker Lake) is managed differently; it has a narrower shoreline vegetation zone and is drawn down for dam work as of the presentation.

Bellinger reported a systematic review of closed Lake Austin shoreline site plans (2010–2020). He said watershed staff visited 84 closed site plans that filed mitigation or shoreline plantings under contemporary codes and graded compliance on a six-point scale. He said most sites did not fully retain the number and diversity of required plants over time and that demonstration projects such as the established Emmaline (Emmalong) Park shoreline restoration performed strongly. He noted that clustering plantings (denser groupings) can improve survivorship compared with widely spaced plants.

On microplastics, Bellinger described grab samples of surface sediment collected at reservoir and tributary points and processed by University of Texas researchers. He said counts of microplastic particles per 100 grams of sediment increased approaching the urban core, and Lady Bird Lake samples at mouths of major urban tributaries showed particularly high counts, with road- and tire-related particles prominent in analysis. He and commissioners discussed limitations of sediment-only sampling and recommended additional water-column sampling and flow-standardized loading estimates for future work.

Commissioners asked about biological controls for hydrilla, tree/shoreline plant survivorship, enforcement of shoreline plantings, outreach to landscaping contractors, and whether the city should limit recreational use if ecological stressors intensify. Bellinger said some biocontrol work had been attempted historically (insects, fungal approaches) but results were limited; he described grass carp, mechanical removal and targeted management as current tools. He noted Watershed Protection and partners are pursuing more frequent vegetation surveys with TPWD and continuing collaborations with the University of Texas on contaminants of emerging concern.

The presentation concluded with commissioners encouraging continued monitoring, stronger outreach and follow-up on enforcement for shoreline mitigation plantings that were not persisting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Austin - Environmental Commission","oneSentenceSummary","Watershed Protection staff presented the Austin Lakes Index and recent monitoring of aquatic vegetation, shoreline planting compliance and a sediment study that found microplastics concentrated near urban tributary mouths; the commission discussed vegetation management, shoreline code compliance and public outreach.","taxTitle","Austin, Travis County, Texas","taxId",2819,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6502837,"Environmental Commission recommends variance to allow 8–15-foot driveway fill at Clovis at McKinney Falls",2866,176000,3042000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5713532-c37162429c53d0c3155600ef1506bcea&start=176&end=3042","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5713532-c37162429c53d0c3155600ef1506bcea/thumbnail_176000.jpg","/articles/6502837/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/Environmental-Commission-recommends-variance-to-allow-815-foot-driveway-fill-at-Clovis-at-McKinney-Falls","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6502837-c5e3855a944d8d1d134a0904b26285e8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770482555&Signature=bohRgCHbRGQ1uejrGVY0bcd0prZ7Pre1uFLDUDUojMuaKnoOkp36WIi7JN0F8MYBy8Kzkyuehqbwk~RCrIc5sNvPD-glDqVvbss~kat-gvMmRw1gMbK4JYq5LFkPs1a35UK8pQs~MWGPQ~uzoJD2lcq-nELwlA14vV6vCvnTfhUCPCKzKXntBValOsyffzH9~wUCUsy~D1tNvN2sjAvdPQNfkzzfx8NHBwfUtLWU~VLrzBubTWxu4cewaGqgV-d~090Vk~n-x5xACYZPvOxkplUG8RfrsfYWVRxRWOv19PH0ACqDbQCxtQX7ZKdqtgL53~sRVyYId-6oU0dgba6JBw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Environmental Commission on Sept. 3 recommended approval of a variance allowing 8 to 15 feet of fill for a driveway at the Clovis at McKinney Falls affordable housing project at 6507 McKinney Falls Parkway.

The commission's recommendation, adopted unanimously, follows staff presentations explaining that the driveway fill is required to meet Travis County and fire access grades and to provide two access points required for buildings over 30 feet. The commission attached conditions including an engineered and structural retaining wall to contain the fill, parking-lot trees, a five-year tree-management plan, native blackland prairie seed mix plantings and “dark sky” downcast lighting, and a request that the applicant incorporate pedestrian, bike and multimodal design into the property driveways to improve nonmotorized access.

Mohammed Blucader, an environmental review specialist senior in the City of Austin Development Services (DSD), summarized the request as a variance from LDC 25-8-342 to allow driveway fill in the Cottonmouth Creek watershed, a suburban-classified desired development zone. Blucader said the variance area is small compared with the 15.98-acre site and that staff found required findings were met subject to conditions. He described the fill area as about 1,700 square feet and roughly 630 cubic yards and identified accessibility for emergency apparatus as the reason for the fill request.

Jay Segura, engineer of record for Dunaway Associates, told commissioners the project is a single-lot subdivision formerly used for agriculture and that the two driveways — on McKinney Falls Parkway (a city road) and D. Gabriel Collins Road (a Travis County road) — are necessary to satisfy the fire code provision requiring two access points for buildings over 30 feet. Segura said Travis County required the D. Gabriel Collins driveway be located where it is for sight distance and turn studies; McKinney Falls driveway placement follows an existing drive and avoids the intersection.

During Q&A commissioners pressed on traffic review, landscaping, pedestrian access and housing details. Mike McDougall, environmental review, DSD, and Mohammed Alior, DSD, answered technical landscaping questions: Alior reported a parking-lot planting plan with 105 trees totaling about 315 caliper inches and said plantings are from the city's Appendix F preferred species list (Live Oak, Cedar Elm, Shumard Oak and Shumard oak variant shown in the plan). Blucader and Segura said the project will provide a 10-foot-wide multimodal sidewalk along the McKinney Falls frontage but not a sidewalk along D. Gabriel Collins because of steep driveway slopes and because D. Gabriel Collins is in county jurisdiction.

Commissioners and staff also discussed transit access. Commissioners said the nearest bus stop is about a half-mile away and that Capital Metro typically adds service only after housing is occupied; several commissioners urged the applicant to coordinate with Capital Metro about future service. Commissioners also noted the site is a HUD-affordable housing project: the site plan shows 264 units and, according to the applicant's sheet, 468 parking spaces; staff said proposed impervious cover is roughly 50.7 percent, below the 60 percent allowance cited in the presentation.

Motion and commission action: the commission read aloud a recommendation finding the variance from LDC 25-8-342 is justified, and recommended approval with conditions. The environmental-commission recommendation included: (1) retaining the fill with an engineered structural retaining wall; (2) parking-lot trees of at least 1.5-inch caliper from Appendix F within a 50-foot radius of all parking spaces; (3) a five-year tree-management plan; (4) planting native plants and blackland prairie grasses from the 609S native seed mix and pollinator plants in green-space areas, especially along the driveway and slopes; (5) dark-sky, downcast lighting with warmer-hue fixtures outdoors; and (6) that the applicant incorporate pedestrian, bike and multimodal design into the property's driveways to provide greater and safer accessibility to adjacent roadways. Commissioners also requested that the applicant consider pedestrian egress to the McKinney Falls Parkway sidewalk. The motion passed by voice/roll-call with no abstentions or objections (commissioners recorded as unanimously in favor).","The Austin Environmental Commission on Sept. 3 recommended approval of a variance to allow 8–15 feet of fill for a driveway at the Clovis at McKinney Falls affordable-housing site, with conditions including engineered retaining walls, a five-year tree management plan, native prairie plantings and pedestrian/multimodal access on the driveways.","actionData","errors"]

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Watershed staff report: Austin Lakes Index, hydrilla, shoreline plantings and microplastics in reservoirs

Environmental Commission recommends variance to allow 8–15-foot driveway fill at Clovis at McKinney Falls