WHAT WE REPORTED Austin City Council’s Flood Mitigation Task Force presented its recommendations in May. In Southwest Austin, priorities included completing Williamson Creek area and Onion Creek area home buyouts as well as the ongoing study on flooding in Upper Onion Creek. Buyouts in the Williamson Creek 25-year flood plain were underway and a Watershed Engineering Division study for Upper Onion Creek was slated to end by fall 2016.

THE LATEST In Williamson Creek, the city has acquired 38 of the 66 properties in the first phase of the buyout, and 15 homeowners have said they do not want to sell, said Pam Kearfott, supervising engineer with the city. The rest are still in progress. The city held a public meeting for Upper Onion Creek residents in November, and  the contractor working on the study plans to have its final report by spring, Kearfott said.

WHAT'S NEXT The city will work to secure Williamson Creek area properties, Kearfott said.

“If somebody doesn’t want to sell, we’re not going to force them to,” she said. “Once we are at that ending point, we will just go back to the drawing board.”

A preliminary engineering study for more mitigation will be the next step after buyouts. 

This story is one update from The January Issue. View the full list of 10 things to look for in 2017 here.