Pollutants, syringes just a few items ending up in Lady Bird Lake after heavy rain

With the chance of severe weather moving through Austin, city crews have been preparing.

AUSTIN (KXAN) — With the chance of severe weather moving through Austin, city crews have been preparing.

"We do monitor the weather regularly," said Ramesh Swaminathan, Assistant Director of the Watershed Protection Department

Crews go out and make sure debris and trash are cleared out, but they also rely on reports from people in the community.

"We always encourage residents to call 311 to respond to any kind of blockages or anything that they see that could cause blockages," said Swaminathan.

During times of drought and fewer rain events, a lot of the trash and debris can build up in the creeks, which means a lot of rain can mean a lot of trash and debris end up in Lady Bird Lake.

"Practically all the creeks flow into the Colorado, into the lakes so we do get this flush of many things," said Swaminathan.

In Waller Creek, the city has a facility called the Waller Creek Tunnel which collects trash before it enters Lady Bird Lake. The facility also helps control the flow of water which has helped to stop flooding in the area.

"It is a fairly significant prevention of debris from going into the lake," Swaminathan said.

In the past, debris and trash could block the creek, but now water flows through metal grates, and the trash gets caught. That trash is then picked up by a large claw-like piece of machinery, ground up and compacted. Finally, the debris-filled trash is taken to a local landfill.

From October 2021 to June 2022 the city says they have picked up about 22 tons of trash from Lady Bird Lake.

Some of the trash is coming from homeless encampments along creeks.

"I have multiple videos showing the trash ending up in the creek," said Jamie Hammonds, who documents encampments he finds around Austin. "We are finding gas cans. We find needles, a lot of cups and cans."

Hammonds says he's concerned with how much trash is ending up in the creeks, especially syringes, which sometimes can be seen floating in Lady Bird Lake.

"These needles are there, most of them do not have caps on them and it is just a matter of time before something terrible happens before somebody does get stuck with one of these needles."

"Those are all pollutants and we definitely don't want them to come into a creek," said Swaminathan "Use 311 and inform us and we will get to it as soon as we can."

There are also dangers for the people living in these encampments, quick rising creeks can sweep someone away very easily.

"We have had in the past these individuals swept away and lost a life, not too many, but a few," said Swaminathan. "It is very important that we work with the Homeland Strategy Office to make sure the people experiencing homelessness are being notified and being made aware of an upcoming storm or weather event."

The city said you should stay out of Lady Bird Lake for at least three days after heavy rain because of the potential for harmful pollutants.