The Confluence, Waterloo Greenway’s newly opened Phase II, adds 13 acres of restored green space along Waller Creek between 4th Street and Lady Bird Lake.
Waterloo Greenway provides essential habitat for urban wildlife. Walk the trail today, and the first thing you notice is a lush new landscape of nearly 1,600 trees and 200,000 mature plants made up of nearly 200 different native species. These plants improve downtown air quality, enhance ecosystem functions, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce the urban heat island effect. The 13 acres of southern Waterloo Greenway includes the deepest and most ecologically diverse section of Waller Creek.
But how did this come together? A methodical recipe from the ground up. To create a thriving, healthy new habitat, our team included landscape architects Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, hydrologists, arborists, soil scientists, civil engineers, and many more.
Prior to this transformation, the creek was a hidden, overgrown space covered in invasive species and falling creek banks that lacked care and attention needed to create a welcoming community space. To create a healthy foundation, we focused on creating healthy soils that were custom-engineered to support a thriving landscape. The soil we’ve implemented at Phase II is built for longevity, stability, and a healthy creek. It’s meant to function as a self-sustaining ecosystem, bringing a healthy and natural riparian Texas creek environment back to downtown Austin. Our plants have doubled in size, and this soil held up beautifully through storm events.
The project is pursuing Sustainable SITES Initiative certification, recognizing its use of nature-based solutions to increase resiliency. A newly completed Biofiltration Pond, the first-of-its-kind in downtown Austin, is fully operational, treating 26.2 acres of urban stormwater and improving water quality along Waller Creek with support from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The thousands of plants and trees at The Confluence and throughout Waterloo Greenway are cared for by our Park Operations Team and Horticulture Supervisor. This project was supported by the City of Austin’s Urban Forest Grant, which funded tree purchases, tree care and protection, invasive species removal, and soil work at The Confluence.
The Confluence was created in partnership between the Waterloo Greenway Conservancy and the City of Austin, including Austin Watershed Protection, Austin Parks and Recreation, Capital Delivery Services, and Austin Climate Action and Resilience.