After weeks and weeks of no rain, Austin experienced a deluge on August 22. While the rain was welcome, more than 4 inches of it in three hours created flooding along Shoal Creek, causing damage to Pease Park and the Shoal Creek trail. The Pease Park Conservancy and Shoal Creek Conservancy (SCC) have come together to deal with damage to the park, trail, and creek. Here’s how you can help.

Donate
The organizations joined forces to raise $25,000 to help with the clean-up efforts. All donations will be split 50/50 between Pease Park Conservancy and Shoal Creek Conservancy

Clean up
Teams from the two organizations have been collecting the trash, limbs, and debris along the trail, but it’s a big job. Come help on Saturday, September 2 from 8 am to 10 am at the Shoal Creek Deep Roots Garden. All tools and supplies provided, but please bring water and snacks if needed and wear close-toed shoes, long pants, and dress for the weather. Masks optional, and all ages are welcome, with supervision.

The organizations also are working to bring out specialized equipment to clear the densest debris, which will be turned into mulch, and to inform and support City officials in repair of fallen retaining walls, massive gaping holes in the land, and trails that have washed away.

Have fun
SCC’s annual Shoal Creek Social, its largest fundraising event, runs through September 15. It includes free, family-friendly weekend events, known as Creekside Hangouts. The first is Saturday, September 3rd, 9 am to 1pm at Northwest District Park-South, 6600 Shoal Creek Blvd, and features refreshments, a kids tent, Austin Subaru showroom, Austin Board of Realtors Culture of Austin station, HEB activities and snacks and REI camp lounge.

Saturday, September 10 features events at two parks, 9 am to 1 pm at Duncan Park, 900 W 9th Street, Urbanspace/Shoal Creek Trail, 301 West Avenue. At Duncan Park, enjoy refreshments, a kids tent, H-E-B activities and snacks, and a Cirrus Logic craft and seed ball station. The Urbanspace event includes Cypress and Shoal Creek project information from SCC and Downtown Austin Alliance and a free coffee or cocktail at Codependent.

For those who just want to walk the trail, check out a new Audio Walking Tour (in English and Spanish), interactive maps, and a scavenger hunt on the SCC website.

Shoal Creek flows 11 miles from near 183 through the heart of downtown, emptying into Lady Bird Lake near the Austin Central Library. he nearly 10-mile Shoal Creek Trail, Austin’s oldest, is enjoyed by cyclists, walkers and runners. SCC is a non-profit dedicated to protecting the Shoal Creek watershed and green spaces along the trail.

Pease Park Conservancy works to restore, enhance and maintain the 84-acre Pease Park, a public green space stretching from West 24th Street to West 15th Street, taking in part of Shoal Creek Trail along with picnic and play areas, splash pads, and open space.