Jacob, who was one of two District 5 representatives on the task force, said District 5 Council Member Ann Kitchen organized the council resolution that created the task force in June 2015 and is currently coordinating with state leaders to seek a solution for Central Texas flood mitigation.

“This is a regional problem, not just one for Austin,” Jacob said.

Representation for concerns

A resident of North Austin’s District 7, task force member Dorsey Tidwell said events like the 2013 and 2015 Onion Creek flooding incidents in South Austin could also happen in other parts of the city if no action is taken.

“There are creeks, watersheds and undersized, closed drainage systems all over Austin,” Tidwell said. “Flooding occurs not just because you’re next to a creek, but because there are stormwater drainage systems that haven’t been upgraded in decades.”

According to the task force, 30 percent of the city’s storm pipes were constructed before 1977. Tidwell said there are not enough resources to upgrade the old pipes while Austin continues to grow.

In District 5, Rollin MacRae said it may cost $100 million or more to repair the city’s old drainage system.

In his district, MacRae said the most impact from flooding in Austin has occurred to homes in the Williamson Creek and lower Onion Creek areas, and the city’s program to buy flood-prone homes from residents is not moving at a fast enough pace.

Buyouts for homes along Onion Creek began in 2013, and Williamson Creek home buyouts began in 2015.

“The buyout program started soon enough to save hundreds of lives, but it’s still not complete,” MacRae said. “One of the things the task force noticed is that the city has a tedious buyout process.”

Another of the task force’s recommendations is to make public safety the first priority in city budgeting. Task force members acknowledge that flood mitigation may not have the appeal of transportation improvements, but awareness can be sustained by continuing the task force’s post-final report presentations and outreach to council members.

“Let’s keep a light shining on this so people can understand–no one else has to die before we decide to spend money on [flood mitigation],” Dorsey said.