Barton Creek
Encyclopedia
Barton Creek is a tributary
that feeds the Colorado River
as it flows through the Texas Hill Country
. The creek passes through some of the more scenic areas in Greater Austin
and forms a greenbelt
that is the habitat
for many indigenous species
of flora and fauna, including at least seven endangered species
of plants.
The creek begins in northern Hays County
and flows 40 miles (64 km) east through Austin to Lady Bird Lake (formerly Town Lake), where it merges with the Colorado River. The creek falls into the fissure of the Edwards Aquifer
in southwest Austin and reemerges at Barton Springs
. During rainy seasons, upper Barton Creek hosts water recreation including kayaking, tubing, and swimming. The Lower Barton Creek Greenbelt
features these water sports year-round with swimming in Barton Springs Pool
, and kayaking and caneoing in the creek fed with the discharge from the springs.
Indian camps.
The creek is named for William Barton, who built a house near Barton Springs
in 1837. The springs quickly became a popular resort
, and its swimming hole
was replaced with a pool
some time during the 1930s.
Development in Austin in the 1970s and 1980s began to threaten both the creek's water quality
and wildlife
. Heavy rainfall often caused pools at the springs to close due to contamination
from runoff
and sewer
lines, the effluent of the affluent upstream subdivisions entering the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone which feeds the springs. Following public outcry, the Austin City Council passed the Barton Creek watershed
ordinance in 1980 and the Comprehensive Watersheds Ordinance in 1986. Proposals in 1990 to develop land in the watershed resulted in more public outcry which spurred passage of the Save Our Springs Citizens' Initiative of 1992, which severely limited construction
, curtailed tax exemption
s, established pollution control standards and implemented methods for reducing accidental contamination.
Barton Creek also fronts the Barton Creek Habitat Preserve, a 4100 acres (16.6 km²) habitat maintained by local residents and the Nature Conservancy. The reserve is home to old-growth stands of juniper, oak, cedar and elm trees, rare woodland flowers and plants such as Heller's marbleseed
and gravelbar brickellbush
, endangered golden-cheeked warbler
s and black-capped vireo
s, and the threatened Guadalupe bass
.
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
that feeds the Colorado River
Colorado River (Texas)
The Colorado River is a river that runs through the U.S. state of Texas; it should not be confused with the much longer Colorado River which flows from Colorado into the Gulf of California....
as it flows through the Texas Hill Country
Texas Hill Country
The Texas Hill Country is a vernacular term applied to a region of Central Texas featuring tall rugged hills consisting of thin layers of soil atop limestone or granite. It also includes the Llano Uplift and the second largest granite monadnock in the United States, Enchanted Rock, which is located...
. The creek passes through some of the more scenic areas in Greater Austin
Greater Austin
Austin–Round Rock–San Marcos is a five-county metropolitan area in the US state of Texas, as defined by the Office of Management and Budget. The metropolitan area straddles on the eastern edge of the and is situated in Central Texas....
and forms a greenbelt
Green belt
A green belt or greenbelt is a policy and land use designation used in land use planning to retain areas of largely undeveloped, wild, or agricultural land surrounding or neighbouring urban areas. Similar concepts are greenways or green wedges which have a linear character and may run through an...
that is the habitat
Habitat (ecology)
A habitat is an ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular species of animal, plant or other type of organism...
for many indigenous species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of flora and fauna, including at least seven endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
of plants.
The creek begins in northern Hays County
Hays County, Texas
Hays County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2010, its official population had reached 157,107. It is named for John Coffee Hays, a Texas Ranger and Mexican-American War officer. The seat of the county is San Marcos....
and flows 40 miles (64 km) east through Austin to Lady Bird Lake (formerly Town Lake), where it merges with the Colorado River. The creek falls into the fissure of the Edwards Aquifer
Edwards Aquifer
The Edwards Aquifer is one of the most prolific artesian aquifers in the world. Located on the eastern edge of Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas, it discharges about of water a year and directly serves about two million people...
in southwest Austin and reemerges at Barton Springs
Barton Springs
Barton Springs is a set of four natural water springs located on the grounds of Zilker Park in Austin, Texas resulting from water flowing through the Edwards Aquifer. The largest spring, Main Barton Spring supplies water to Barton Springs Pool, a popular recreational destination in Austin...
. During rainy seasons, upper Barton Creek hosts water recreation including kayaking, tubing, and swimming. The Lower Barton Creek Greenbelt
Barton Creek Greenbelt
The Barton Creek Greenbelt, located in Austin, Texas is managed by the City of Austin's Park and Recreation Department and is considered the seventh best hiking trail in Texas.1 The Greenbelt is a stretch of public land that begins at Zilker Park and stretches South/Southwest to the final section...
features these water sports year-round with swimming in Barton Springs Pool
Barton Springs Pool
Barton Springs Pool is a man-made recreational swimming pool located on the grounds of Zilker Park in Austin, Texas. The pool exists in the channel of Barton Creek and is filled by water from Main Barton Spring, the fourth largest spring in Texas...
, and kayaking and caneoing in the creek fed with the discharge from the springs.
History and conservation
During the 17th and 18th centuries, Barton Creek was believed to host Tonkawa and ComancheComanche
The Comanche are a Native American ethnic group whose historic range consisted of present-day eastern New Mexico, southern Colorado, northeastern Arizona, southern Kansas, all of Oklahoma, and most of northwest Texas. Historically, the Comanches were hunter-gatherers, with a typical Plains Indian...
Indian camps.
The creek is named for William Barton, who built a house near Barton Springs
Barton Springs
Barton Springs is a set of four natural water springs located on the grounds of Zilker Park in Austin, Texas resulting from water flowing through the Edwards Aquifer. The largest spring, Main Barton Spring supplies water to Barton Springs Pool, a popular recreational destination in Austin...
in 1837. The springs quickly became a popular resort
Resort
A resort is a place used for relaxation or recreation, attracting visitors for holidays or vacations. Resorts are places, towns or sometimes commercial establishment operated by a single company....
, and its swimming hole
Swimming hole
A swimming hole is a place in a river, stream, creek, spring, or similar natural body of water, which is large enough and deep enough for a person to swim in...
was replaced with a pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
some time during the 1930s.
Development in Austin in the 1970s and 1980s began to threaten both the creek's water quality
Water quality
Water quality is the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water. It is a measure of the condition of water relative to the requirements of one or more biotic species and or to any human need or purpose. It is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which...
and wildlife
Wildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
. Heavy rainfall often caused pools at the springs to close due to contamination
Contamination
Contamination is the presence of a minor and unwanted constituent in material, physical body, natural environment, at a workplace, etc.-Specifics:"Contamination" also has more specific meanings in science:...
from runoff
Surface runoff
Surface runoff is the water flow that occurs when soil is infiltrated to full capacity and excess water from rain, meltwater, or other sources flows over the land. This is a major component of the water cycle. Runoff that occurs on surfaces before reaching a channel is also called a nonpoint source...
and sewer
Sanitary sewer
A sanitary sewer is a separate underground carriage system specifically for transporting sewage from houses and commercial buildings to treatment or disposal. Sanitary sewers serving industrial areas also carry industrial wastewater...
lines, the effluent of the affluent upstream subdivisions entering the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone which feeds the springs. Following public outcry, the Austin City Council passed the Barton Creek watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
ordinance in 1980 and the Comprehensive Watersheds Ordinance in 1986. Proposals in 1990 to develop land in the watershed resulted in more public outcry which spurred passage of the Save Our Springs Citizens' Initiative of 1992, which severely limited construction
Construction
In the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of human multitasking...
, curtailed tax exemption
Tax exemption
Various tax systems grant a tax exemption to certain organizations, persons, income, property or other items taxable under the system. Tax exemption may also refer to a personal allowance or specific monetary exemption which may be claimed by an individual to reduce taxable income under some...
s, established pollution control standards and implemented methods for reducing accidental contamination.
Barton Creek also fronts the Barton Creek Habitat Preserve, a 4100 acres (16.6 km²) habitat maintained by local residents and the Nature Conservancy. The reserve is home to old-growth stands of juniper, oak, cedar and elm trees, rare woodland flowers and plants such as Heller's marbleseed
Boraginaceae
Boraginaceae, the Borage or Forget-me-not family, include a variety of shrubs, trees, and herbs, totaling about 2,000 species in 146 genera found worldwide.A number of familiar plants belong to this family....
and gravelbar brickellbush
Brickellia
Brickellia is a genus of about 100 species of plants in the sunflower family , known commonly as brickellbushes. They are found in North America, Mexico, and Central America. Many species are native to the American southwest, especially Texas...
, endangered golden-cheeked warbler
Golden-cheeked Warbler
The Golden-cheeked Warbler Dendroica chrysoparia is an endangered species of bird that breeds in Central Texas, from Palo Pinto County southwestward along the eastern and southern edge of the Edwards Plateau to Kinney County...
s and black-capped vireo
Black-capped Vireo
The Black-capped Vireo, Vireo atricapilla, is a small bird native to the United States and Mexico. It has been listed as an endangered species in the United States since 1987. The IUCN lists the species as vulnerable....
s, and the threatened Guadalupe bass
Guadalupe bass
The Guadalupe bass is a rare species of fish endemic to the U.S. state of Texas, where it also is the official state fish. It is restricted to creeks and rivers , and was formerly listed as vulnerable, but IUCN currently considers the data insufficient to determine its status...
.