Austin City Council adopts 10-year Rain to River plan

“Water shapes every part of life in Austin, and Rain to River reflects our responsibility to protect it,” said Jorge Morales, director of Austin Watershed Protection.  “For 30 years, we’ve been stewards of our watersheds, and this plan helps carry that work forward. It builds on what we’ve learned, responds to what our community needs today, and points us toward a more resilient future.”

The plan outlines three pillars that will guide future investments and decision-making:

• Centre community: strengthen trust, expand engagement, improve emergency readiness, and ensure policies and programmes reflect community priorities
• Innovate together: create clear watershed health targets, modernise data and modelling, shift to proactive infrastructure management, and expand shared stewardship
• Govern responsibly: improve transparency, define service levels, address past environmental harms, and align investments with community needs.

Rain to River establishes a long-term framework for watershed health and community resilience. Progress will be regularly tracked and reported to the public to show how the plan is advancing.

Austin Watershed Protection envisions a future where the natural and built environment work in harmony to enable the community to feel safe when it rains and maintain healthy waterways. Achieving this vision will rely on strong partnerships with Austinites, businesses, community organisations, governmental agencies, and city staff. These ongoing collaborations will keep the plan accountable and grounded in community needs, said the council.

To find out more about the strategy, go to: RaintoRiverATX.com.