Upper Boggy Creek Before Us

[Click photo to enlarge]

WPD environmental scientist Staryn Wagner sifted through old photos and found this cool aerial shot from the 1940s of how the Upper Boggy Creek and surrounding area looked before the neighborhood was built. He then carefully overlaid the current street grid, for perspective.

All the old timers in the neighborhood say that this area used to be a big dairy farm. They are faint, but you can cattle trails (the cattle and deer were making trails before we were!).

Neat perspective.

The Reach in 1997

At last week's meeting with the city, we were shown photos of what the Reach looked like in 1997. Oh wow, it looked awful - almost like a scar.

Now, it's a lush wildlife wonderland, and that's thanks in every part to the hard work and dedication of vocal neighbors who have advocated for the Reach over the last decade or so. THANK you to all!

What's happened is that the banks are now filled with willows, sycamores, cottonwoods, mulberries and tons of other plants (native and non), because neighbors advocated for the city to stop mowing and chopping them down. Those branches and roots are now providing habitat for wildlife and holding the banks together to prevent further erosion.

Historic photos: The Reach after a Water Main Break

Water flowing along Huisache Bend in June 2003. Taken by neighbor Dianne Sullivan.

The photo above was taken on the south side just east of Half Penny on Sycamore. Looking northwest. Note how different the banks look without vegetation. I'm told that this was not caused by rain, but a water main break.

A Window into the Past: Geology & Paleontology of Willowbrook Reach

By Erich Rose 

Austin, and the entire Central Texas region are well known for its readily accessible geology.  From the time of the earliest European settlers people have been collecting and commenting on the abundance of fossils and other evidence of ancient life to be found in our streams, road cuts and wherever the bedrock becomes exposed. 

We all know Austin is divided into basically two halves.  The uplifted, western "Hill Country" side and the low-lying relatively flat eastern half.  The rocks and fossils are easily found to the west in the big road cuts and quarries.  But to the east where the rocks are both less disturbed and often softer, we need to look in streams and the occasional construction site.  Willowbrook Reach is one of those spots.

I first visited the stream in the mid 90's.  My in-laws live in the neighborhood and, knowing my interest, it was suggested that I check out the creek bed.  Well to my pleasant surprise fossils were present, and in certain spots, abundant.  Now there are fossil collectors who bring picks and shovels and feel certain the best stuff must be below the surface.  

That's not my style.  

Water Watchdog

Interested in keeping an eye on the quality of our water in Willowbrook Reach? Seeking for that something that will nuture your inner science nerd?

This cool City of Austin program, Water Watchdog, is a way for citizen enviro-scientists to sample our water and learn how to analyze it in the lab.

It's a bit of a commitment--1 day of sampling and 1 day of testing it in the lab--but if your an enviro-geek and have some time on your hands, this is the thing for you!

Hat tip to David G...