Hydrologic Data for Urban Studies in the Austin, Texas Metropolitan Area, 1980 R. M. Slade^ Jr., /. L. Gaylord, M. E. Dorsey, R. N. Mitchell and J. D. Gordon U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Open-File Report 82-506 Prepared in cooperation with the City of Austin and the Texas Department of Water Resources MAY 1982 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR JAMES G. WATT, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Dallas L. Peck, Director Printed by the Texas Department of Water Resources This publication for sale by: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Services Section Branch of Distribution Box 25425, Bldg. 41, Federal Center Denver, CO 80225 PH: 303-234-5888 -2- CONTENTS Page Introduction 9 Location and description of the area 10 Data-collection methods 11 Precipitation data 11 Runoff data 20 Water-qual ity data 20 Ground-water data 28 Selected references 43 Compilation of data 44 Colorado River basin: Colorado River below Mansfield Dam, Austin, Tex. 45 Colorado River (Lake Austin): Bull Creek drainage basin 47 Bull Creek at Loop 360 near Austin, Tex. 50 Storm of March 27, 1980 54 Storm of April 25, 1980 56 Lake Austin at Austin, Tex. 57 Bee Creek drainage basin 66 Bee Creek at West Lake Drive near Austin, Tex. 68 Colorado River (Town Lake): Barton Creek drainage basin 69 Barton Creek at State Highway 71 near Oak Hill, Tex. 72 Storm of May 8, 1980 75 Barton Creek at Loop 360, Austin, Tex. 76 Storm of May 8, 1980 79 Barton Springs at Austin, Tex. 80 Barton Creek below Barton Springs at Austin, Tex. 83 West Bouldin Creek drainage basin 85 West Bouldin Creek at Riverside Drive, Austin, Tex. 87 Shoal Creek drainage basin 88 Shoal Creek at Steck Avenue, Austin, Tex. 92 Shoal Creek at Northwest Park, Austin, Tex. 93 Storm of May 12, 1980 94 Shoal Creek at White Rock Drive, Austin, Tex. 95 Storm of March 27, 1980 96 Storm of May 12, 1980 98 Shoal Creek at 12th Street, Austin, Tex. 99 Storm of March 27, 1980 101 Storm of May 12, 1980 103 Waller Creek drainage basin 104 Waller Creek at 38th Street, Austin, Tex. 107 Storm of May 12, 1980 108 Waller Creek at 23rd Street, Austin, Tex. 109 Storm of May 12, 1980 110 Town Lake at Austin, Tex. 111 Colorado River at Austin, Tex. 119 -3- CONTENTS--Continued Page Compilation of data Continued Colorado River--Continued Boggy Creek drainage basin 127 Boggy Creek at U.S. Highway 183 Austin, Tex. 130 Storm of April 25, 1980 133 Walnut Creek drainage basin 134 Walnut Creek at Farm Road 1325 near Austin, Tex. 139 Storm of March 27, 1980 140 Storm of May 8, 1980 141 Walnut Creek at Dessau Road, Austin, Tex. 142 Storm of March 27, 1980 144 Storm of May 12, 1980 145 Ferguson Branch at Springdale Road, Austin, Tex. 146 Storm of September 25-26, 1980 147 Little Walnut Creek at Interstate Highway 35, Austin, Tex. 149 Storm of March 27, 1980 150 Storm of May 12, 1980 152 Little Walnut Creek at Manor Road, Austin, Tex. 153 Storm of March 27, 1980 154 Storm of May 12, 1980 156 Walnut Creek at Webberville Road, Austin, Tex. 157 Storm of March 27, 1980 160 Storm of May 12, 1980 161 Walnut Creek at Southern Pacific Railroad Bridge, Austin, Tex. 162 Colorado River below Austin, Tex. 164 Onion Creek drainage basin 166 Onion Creek near Driftwood, Tex. 168 Storm of May 12-14, 1980 171 Onion Creek at Buda, Tex. 173 Storm of May 12-16, 1980 176 Bear Creek drainage basin 178 Bear Creek below F.M. Road 1826 near Driftwood, Tex. 182 Storm of May 12, 1980 185 Storm of September 29-30, 1980 186 Bear Creek at F.M. Road 1626 near Manchaca, Tex. 187 Storm of May 12, 1980 188 Little Bear Creek at F.M. Road 1626 near Manchaca, Tex. 189 Storm of May 12-13, 1980 191 Slaughter Creek drainage basin 192 Slaughter Creek at F.M. 1826 near Austin, Tex. 195 Storm of May 12, 1980 196 Slaughter Creek at F.M. 2304 near Austin, Tex. 197 Boggy Creek (south) drainage basin 199 Boggy Creek (south) at Circle S Road, Austin, Tex. 201 -4- ILLUSTRATIONS Page Figure 1. Map showing locations of surface-water hydrologic- instrument installations and surface-water- quality sampling sites in the Austin urban study area 12 2. Map showing the locations of the water-quality data- collection sites on Lake Austin 21 3. Map showing the locations of the water-quality data- collection sites on Town Lake 22 4. Map showing ground-water data-collection sites in Travis County 23 5. Map showing ground-water data-collection sites in Hays County 24 6-17. Map showing locations of surface-water data-collection sites in the: 6. Bull Creek drainage basin 48 7. Bee Creek drainage basin 67 8. Barton Creek drainage basin 70 9. West Bouldin Creek drainage basin 86 10. Shoal Creek drainage basin 89 11. Waller Creek drainage basin 114 12. Boggy Creek drainage basin 128 13. Walnut Creek drainage basin 135 14. Bear Creek drainage basin 179 15. Slaughter Creek drainage basin 193 16. Boggy Creek (south) drainage basin 200 17. Williamson Creek drainage basin 203 -6- CONTENTS--Continued Page Compilation of data Continued Colorado River Continued Williamson Creek drainage basin 202 Williamson Creek at Oak Hill, Tex. 206 Storm of March 27, 1980 209 Storm of May 7-8, 1980 211 Williamson Creek at Manchaca Road, Austin, Tex. 213 Storm of March 27, 1980 214 Storm of May 7-8, 1980 216 Williamson Creek at Jimmy Clay Road, Austin, Tex. 218 Storm of March 27, 1980 221 Storm of May 7-8, 1980 223 Onion Creek at U.S. Highway 183, near Austin, Tex. 224 Wilbarger Creek drainage basin 228 Wilbarger Creek near Pflugerville, Tex. 229 -5- TABLES Page Table 1. Location of rain gages in the Austin area 20 2. Weighted-mean precipitation factors for drainage basins above stations in the Austin metropolitan area 25 3. Rainfall and runoff data for selected continuous-record gaging stations in the Austin urban study area, 1980 water year 27 4. Peak discharges associated with water-quality samples collected during storms 33 5. Locations, descriptions, and flow data for recharge flow-loss study 30 6. Water-quality data for recharge flow-loss study 41 7-15. Storm rainfall-runoff data, 1980 water year,: 7. Bull Creek 49 8. Barton Creek 71 9. Shoal Creek 90 10. Waller Creek 106 11. Boggy Creek 129 12. Walnut Creek 136 13. Onion Creek 167 14. Bear Creek 180 15. Slaughter Creek 194 16. Williamson Creek 204 17. Daily and monthly rainfall summary for gages north of the Colorado River 230 18. Daily and monthly rainfall summary for gages south of of the Colorado River 235 19. Records of wells, test holes, and springs in the Austin urban study area, Travis County 240 Hays County 248 20. Water-quality data from wells and springs in the Austin urban study area, Travis County 252 Hays County 258 21. Monthly water-level measurements of observation wells in the Austin urban study area, 1980 water year 264 -7- METRIC CONVERSIONS The inch-pound units of measurements used in this report may be con­ verted to metric units by using the following conversion factors: From Multiply To obtain Unit Abbrevia­ by Unit Abbrevia­ tion tion inch 25.4 millimeter mm foot .3048 meter m mile 1.609 kilometer km square mile mi 2 2.590 square kilometer km2 cubic foot ft3/s .02832 cubic meter 'per second nrVs per second foot per mile ft/mi .189 meter per kilometer m/km acre-foot 1233 cubic meter m3 .001233 cubic hectometer hm3 -8- HYDROLOGIC DATA FOR URBAN STUDIES IN THE AUSTIN, TEXAS, METROPOLITAN AREA 1980 By R. M. Slade, Jr., J. L. Gaylord, M. E. Dorsey, R. N. Mitchell and J. D. Gordon U.S. Geological Survey INTRODUCTION Hydrologic investigations of urban watersheds in Texas were begun by the U.S. Geological Survey in 1954. Studies are now in progress in Austin, Houston, and San Antonio. Studies have been completed in the Dallas and Fort Worth areas. The Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Texas Department of Water Reources, began hydrologic studies in the Austin urban area in 1954. In cooperation with the city of Austin, the program was expanded in 1975 to include additional streamflow and rainfall gaging stations, and the collection of surface water-quality data. In 1978, the program was expanded to include a ground-water resources study of the South Austin metropolitan area in the Balcones fault zone. The objectives of the Austin urban hydrology study are as follows: 1. To determine, on the basis of historical data and hydrologic analyses, the magnitude and frequency of flood peaks and flood volume. 2. To determine the effect of urban development on flood peaks and volume. 3. To determine the variations in water quality during different seasons and flow conditions in representatives watersheds under various types of urban development. 4. To quantitatively appraise the ground-water resources along the Balcones fault zone, the effect of urbanization on the quality and quantity of recharge and discharge, and the extent of contamination in the Edwards aquifer that is is hydrologic circulation with Barton Springs. This report presents the basic hydrologic data collected in the Austin urban area for the 1980 water year (Oct. 1, 1979 to Sept. 30, 1980). -9- Additional explanations of terms related to streamflow, water quality, and other hydro!ogic data used in this report are defined in the U.S.