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Fast Facts
Environmental Creek Assessments
Photo Gallery |
| Fast Facts |
| Population |
2000: 16,796
2030: 19,659 |
| Creek Length |
6 miles |
| Drainage Area |
3 square
miles |
| Drains To |
Colorado
River below Town Lake through Boggy Creek |
| Well Known Sites |
Springdale
Park, Pecan Springs Park, Reagan High School Blanton, Harris,
Pecan Springs and Norman Elementary Schools |
| Land Use |
Residential
Business
Civic
Parks
Roadways
Undeveloped |
46%
10%
6%
2%
19%
18% |
Watershed Facts
- Fort Branch was named after Fort Colorado,
an old U.S. Army post that was built near this branch of Boggy
Creek
- Fort Branch winds five miles through East
Austin before flowing into Boggy Creek near Johnson High School.
- It has the lowest impervious cover (paved
or built surfaces) percentage of Austin’s urban creeks.
- In response to citizen complaints, investigators
find an average of 24 pollution problems each year in Fort Branch.
Sewage is the most common problem, followed by petroleum and
trash.
- Overall, water quality is fair to good.
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| Creek
Assessments
Environmental
| Index |
Score |
Category |
Notes |
| Overall
Score |
55 |
Fair |
Fort Branch ranks 38
out of 46 watersheds in overall quality |
Water
Chemistry |
51 |
Fair |
Water quality is average,
suspended solids are high |
Sediment
Quality |
78 |
Very
Good |
PAHs are low, herbicides/pesticides
are very low, metals are very low |
| Recreation |
63 |
Good |
During dry weather conditions,
bacteria is usually not a threat |
| Aesthetics |
71 |
Good |
Lots of litter present,
slight offensive odors, some of the creek bed is dry |
| Habitat |
44 |
Marginal |
Increased sediment deposition,
cover is insufficient, some channel alteration, bank stability
is marginal, bank vegetation is marginal, buffer zone is too
small |
| Aquatic
Life |
20 |
Bad |
Benthic macroinvertebrate
community is bad; diatom community is bad
|
- Development near creek banks and with limited
controls resulted in poorer channel and riparian conditions
than later regulated development.
- Large sections of creek completely channelized.
- Preliminary Engineering for flood, erosion,
stream restoration, and water quality retrofits completed recently
and several Capital Improvement
- Projects were recommended in the mid-reach
of the watershed.
- Unstable, sandy substrate limit aquatic life
habitat.
Learn
More
How to Help
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| Photo Gallery |
| |
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| Fort Branch Creek at Glen
Crest Drive |
Fort Branch Creek at Glen
Crest Drive |
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|
Fort Branch Creek at
North Boggy Creek |
Fort Branch Creek at
Single Shot Drive |
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