Machine Space Table of Contents | Urban and Economic Geography Working Group | The Virtual Geography Department

Evidence of Degraded Water Quality

Photograph by Katrin Molch, 1995.

Water from a storm drain entering Waller Creek. Austin's street and storm drain system uses natural channels for all urban runoff.

Photograph by Katrin Molch, 1995.

In this section of Waller Creek on the University of Texas campus, a utility pipe crosses over a manhole cover leading into Austin's sanitary sewer system. Many of the city's sanitary sewer line have been buried beneath the natural stream channels. Since most of Austin sits atop rock formations that are expensive to excavate, using the stream channels to bury the sanitary sewer mains was economically expedient.

Photograph by Katrin Molch, 1995.

A storm drain leading directly into Waller Creek. Many residents are unaware that materials dumped into these drains flow directly into the city's rivers and streams.

Photograph by Katrin Molch, 1995.

In recent years, the City has painted signs on street drains to warn people about dumping waste. One of the greatest problems is that backyard-mechanics dump old motor oil as well as transmission and brake fluid into these drains to avoid a trip to a disposal facility. These oils and toxic fluids flow directly into city rivers and streams.

Photograph by Katrin Molch, 1995.

Some examples of the debris and litter that are dumped into streams by intention and accident.

Photograph by Katrin Molch, 1995.

Some very substantial pieces of debris end up in stream channels. Here a mattress has become lodged against a tree along Waller Creek in central Austin.

Photograph by Katrin Molch, 1995.

Litter that has been carried into Waller Creek by runoff. Some debris is also added by the substantial number of homeless people who live along the banks of Waller and Shoal creeks in central Austin.

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Created 10/30/96 by Shannon Crum. Last updated 10/30/96 by slc.