Our Mission & Vision
Shoal Creek Conservancy is a proud steward of the 13-square-mile Shoal Creek watershed and the creek and trail running through it, bringing to life the Shoal Creek corridor in Austin, Texas. We champion the Shoal Creek watershed in order to create a healthy and vibrant community.
We restore Shoal Creek to be a healthy and resilient waterway, empower the public to understand and steward all lands in the watershed, and champion on-the-ground improvements that make the Shoal Creek Trail more connected and accessible for all ages and abilities.
We envision a continuous network of green spaces stretching throughout the watershed, connected by hike-and-bike trails in a healthy habitat. Restored, enhanced, and celebrated, Shoal Creek will shine even more brightly as a central part of our city’s cultural heritage.
Our Strategic Plan details Shoal Creek Conservancy’s commitments and plans that work towards this cause.
Our Programs
Shoal Creek Conservancy’s programs are organized into three main categories:
- Shoal Creek Trail Plan implementation
- Shoal Creek Watershed Action Plan implementation
- Community Engagement
The Trail Plan and Watershed Action Plan were developed between 2016-2020 alongside hundreds of community members, businesses, City of Austin representatives, and non-profit partners. They identify the most important improvements needed on the Shoal Creek Trail and the natural environment throughout the Shoal Creek Watershed, and they guide our team’s day-to-day priorities. Additionally, Community Engagement is essential for the success of all improvements to the Shoal Creek Watershed, so we offer a variety of public, family-friendly events and volunteer opportunities to create informed and empowered partners in our community.
Learn About the Shoal Creek Trail Plan
Learn About the Shoal Creek Watershed Action Plan
What is a Watershed?
A watershed is a geographic area within which all water drains to a common source. Any water that falls on the ground in the Shoal Creek watershed eventually reaches Shoal Creek (if it doesn’t evaporate first)!
View the Shoal Creek Watershed Map
About Shoal Creek
Shoal Creek flows through the heart of Austin, Texas. In 1839, it was the city’s original western boundary. Today, it is an artery into its urban core. Shoal Creek is an eleven-mile natural waterway in a 13-square-mile watershed. The creek’s headwaters spring from the ground in north Austin near MoPac Expressway and Highway 183, and it has two main tributaries, Spicewood Springs from the west and Hancock Creek from the east.
The creek meanders through commercial properties and neighborhoods, skirts the campuses of St. Andrew’s Episcopal School and Seton Hospital near 38th Street, borders the western edge of the University of Texas, travels through Pease Park and ribbons through downtown Austin. The mouth of Shoal Creek, and the southern terminus of the trail, is located at Lady Bird Lake. Nearly 10 miles of trail and bikeways follow the creek from Highway 183 to Lady Bird Lake, providing a pathway for cyclists, walkers and runners. Shoal Creek remains a green oasis embedded in Austin’s quickly changing urban landscape.
Shoal Creek Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (ID number 46-2705100).
