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Fast Facts
Environmental Creek Assessments |
Photo Gallery |
| Fast Facts |
| Population |
2000: 2,037
2030: 10,984 |
| Creek Length |
3 miles |
| Drainage Area |
3 square
miles |
| Drains To |
Colorado
River to Lake Austin |
| Well Known Sites |
Westlake
Hills |
| Land Use |
Residential
Business
Civic
Parks
Roadways
Undeveloped |
35%
3 %
1 %
19%
9 %
32 % |
Watershed Facts
- Bee Creek watershed drains to the environmentally
sensitive Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone where water travels
through caves and sinkholes to “recharge” the aquifer.
- The creek runs through Wild Basin Preserve
then on through Westlake Hills before entering Lake Austin.
- Wild Basin Ledge Spring in Wild Basin Ledge
forms a nice swimming hole in the middle of Westlake Hills.
- Waterfalls along Bee Creek are so beautiful
that in 1975 one landowner would not allow anyone to take a
picture for fear publicity would bring sightseers
- Bee Creek has 15% impervious cover,
which makes it fairly undeveloped compared to creeks the same
distance from downtown Austin.
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Creek Assessments
Environmental
| Index |
Score |
Category |
Notes |
| Overall
Score |
75 |
Good
|
Bee ranks 6 out of 46
watersheds in overall quality |
Water
Chemistry |
59 |
Fair |
Water quality is average,
ammonia is high, nitrate is high, conductivity is high |
Sediment
Quality |
94 |
Excellent |
PAHs are very low, herbicides/pesticides
are very low, metals are very low |
| Recreation |
87 |
Very
Good |
Bacterial levels are
not a threat during non-rainy periods |
| Aesthetics |
89 |
Excellent |
Litter is not a problem,
no odor |
| Habitat |
52 |
Fair |
Some sediment deposition |
| Aquatic
Life |
67 |
Good
|
Benthic macroinvertebrate
community is good, diatom community is excellent |
- Invertebrate species of concern may be found
in the Karst features of the Bee Creek watershed.
- High nitrates and conductivity may be attributed
to groundwater impacts from springs
- Commercial construction in headwaters upstream
of Loop 360 may contribute to increased sediment deposition
- Presence of pollution-intolerant diatom
species suggest healthy community
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Bee Creek at Loop 360 |
Bee Creek at Lake Austin |
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