Onion Creek to receive federal funds

March 5, 2014

Click here to watch Congressman Doggett's statement.

The City of Austin has been awarded nearly $12 million in federal funding for the Onion Creek, Lower Colorado River Basin project. The funds will be used for property buyouts in the floodplain.

Late Tuesday, Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell received word from officials with President Barack Obama's administration that the funds would be included in the President’s Fiscal Year 2014 work plan.

“I cannot express enough gratitude to the Obama Administration and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the Onion Creek funding,” said Mayor Lee Leffingwell. “This project has been a passion of mine since I served on the City of Austin’s Environmental Board, beginning in 1999. However, the Halloween floods put an urgency on this project that the White House recognized. We will be able to help a lot of families with this money and these additional federal funds bring us one step closer to a safer Austin.”

The Mayor went on note the tireless efforts of U.S. Congressman Lloyd Doggett for his determination to secure funding, noting that the Onion Creek project is within the Doggett’s congressional district. Additionally, Leffingwell thanked the entire Austin area congressional legislative delegation for their support of the project.

“After almost two decades of working on this, we finally have some results,” said U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett. “I salute Mayor Leffingwell for his determined commitment and partnership in achieving this success. After such tough times for so many in Dove Springs and others along Onion Creek, I hope this means that more of our neighbors will finally get an answer to whether they move or repair. I will continue working with the Corps, the City and County to implement this funding as quickly as possible.”

The City of Austin has spent $36.5 million, including $7.8 from a FEMA grant, on the project. This included relocating over 300 households and developing a plan to restore Onion Creek to its natural habitat.

Austin City Manager Marc Ott added, “The positive impact that these funds will have for the Onion Creek area cannot be overstated. We are grateful to the Obama administration and Congressman Doggett for their support in helping our residents continue to recover from the devastating floods. I look forward to what the future holds for the Onion Creek community.”

Key highlights in the projects history include:

• After a 1998 flash flood in the area, the City of Austin invited the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to partner with the City to address the flooding problem and Congressman Doggett secured funding for the Corps to undertake a study of the area. Doggett has made requests for Onion Creek funding in every subsequent session of Congress.
• Since 1999, the City of Austin has proactively pursued buyouts in the area.
• Lee Leffingwell, first as an Environmental Board Member, then as Council Member and now as Mayor has championed the project, speaking to Members of Congress, senior members of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and as recently as January 2014, senior White House officials.
• In 2000, the City of Austin and Travis County received about $1 million in federal funding to purchase 21 homes in the floodplain.
• In 2006, Austin voters approved $28 million in bond money to support the project and the City of Austin received a $7.8 million federal Hazard Mitigation Grant, which was used to buy out 114 properties.
• In 2007, the plan received flood control project authorization. Complete funding had been stalled in budget negotiations between the U.S. House & Senate.
• In October 2013 a flash flood in Onion Creek flooded 1,100 homes and killed four people.
• The City of Austin has exceeded its $20.9 million cost share for buyouts by $5.4 million, acquiring 332 properties out of 483 in the project area (as of 9/15/13).

Click here to read Congressman Doggett's 1998 annoucement of funding for Onion Creek..