McKinney Falls State Park
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| McKinney Falls State Park | |
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| Location: | Travis County, Texas |
| Nearest city: | Austin |
| Coordinates: | |
| Area: | 744.4 acres (3.01 km²) |
| Established: | 1976 |
| Governing body: | Texas Parks and Wildlife Department |
McKinney Falls State Park is a state park located at the southeastern edge of Austin, Texas, United States around the confluence of Onion and Williamson Creeks and is administered by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The park opened on April 15, 1976 and is named after Thomas F. McKinney, a businessman and rancher, who owned and lived on the land in the mid to late 1800s.
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[edit] Park History
In 1971, J.E. "Pete" Smith donated 632 acres of land to the State of Texas for a park. The land was apraised at $731,300 and the state received a matching federal grant to develop the park. After archaeological digs and surveys were completed, the park was developed. The park was dedicated on April 14, 1976 by Governor Dolph Briscoe and opened to the public on April 15.
The Texas Legislature also approved funds for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to construct new state offices on a bluff on the northern edge of the donated land. The offices are outside the park boundaries and only accessible by a separate road.
[edit] Features
The namesake features of the park are the scenic upper and lower falls along Onion Creek. The park also features the Smith Rock Shelter, a limestone overhang used for shelter by native americans for hundreds of years, along with the ruins of McKinney's stone house and his horse trainer's cabin.
[edit] Flora
Bald Cypress line the banks of Onion Creek and live oak can be found throughout the park. In Spring, the roads are lined with wildflowers, dominated by the Texas bluebonnet.
[edit] Fauna
White-tailed deer are common throughout the park, as well as raccoons, armadillos, and squirrels. Many bird species are found in the park including buntings.
[edit] Pollution
The park was a popular spot for swimming from the day it opened. In April, 1981, swimming in the park was banned when several elementary school children complained of cramps and nausea after swimming in Onion Creek. Testing indicated the fecal coliform count in the water was 2600, way above the 200 count maximum that was deemed safe for swimming.[1]
The problem was blamed on rain water runoff from the mostly urban area located upstream on Onion and Williamson Creeks. The run off dumped animal waste, oils, dirt and debris into the creeks.[2] Another contributor was the Williamson Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant. The plant would occasionally dump affluent in various stages of treatment into Williamson Creek if there was equipment failure. By 1982, the plant was oveloaded by the rapid growth of the city and regularly discharged affluent into the creek, not all of which met state standards for discharge.
Twelve years later in June, 1993, the park ban on swimming was finally lifted. This was due to the closure of the Williamson Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant in 1986, Austin's enactment of a comprehensive watershed ordinance and starting a city wide hazardous chemicals collection program.[3] Swimming is still often restricted because of high fecal coliform counts, usually after heavy rains.
[edit] References
- ^ Mangan, Andy. "McKinney Falls thrives despite ban on swimming". Austin American-Statesman. Aug. 15, 1982. p B8.
- ^ McCann, Bill. "Creek Pollution Cuts Use of McKinney Falls State Park". Austin American-Statesman. Mar. 17, 1985. p B6.
- ^ "A Good Week for Parks". The Austin Chronicle. Jun. 24, 1993.
[edit] External links
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