Round Rock Springs

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Current Situation

Current Situation

Our group came together to preserve the springs, creeks, and ponds of our
neighborhoods. We do not feel that a non-residential use of the property that is
currently zoned residential is the best use of the land. We also feel that the
potential to contaminate our drinking water is too great, and that we need to
help preserve our natural surroundings. Perhaps some of you that are newer
residents to Round Rock are not aware that there have been multiple
contamination events which in the past, have made the drinking water of
Tonkawa Springs, Great Oaks, and Brushy Bend undrinkable. These
neighborhoods used a private water company which used to pump from the
aquifer. In the past, a contamination event occurred with the City of Austin Lift
Station located along Brushy Creek on Hairy Man Road. When the gas station
spill on Sam Bass Road happened, the wells became unusable. Also, some
residents who live along the west side of Sam Bass Road rely on wells for their
daily water use. At least one family has a well that never did recover from the
contamination and needs to bring in drinking water.

The empty lot known as the Bradley Lot sits at the southwest corner of
Wyoming Springs and Sam Bass/3406. In the past, there have been attempts to
build a gas station there. Currently, the City of Round Rock is wanting to
purchase the lot for a fire station. The lot is really not large enough, there are
issues concerning the slope and drainage into the spring-fed creek and ponds,
and it is not a lot large enough to address the water runoff that runs through the
lot when there is a large rain event. Also, the lot does not support the large
concrete footprint that would be required for such a building. The trees and
their roots allow water to percolate and sink into the soil. Concrete and paving
would cover too much of the soil, and the natural process would be interrupted.

NEW FIRE STATION BEING BUILT NEARBY ON GREAT OAKS DR./SAM BASS RD.
There is already a new fire station being built near the corner of Sam
Bass Road and Great Oaks Drive. This fire station will also house an
EMS station and sheriff's sub-station.
Graphic measured route from a GPS -satellite based map/routing program
showing the proposed locations of Fire Stations will be 1.21 miles apart via Sam
Bass & Great Oaks.:

RESIDENTIAL ZONING THROUGHOUT OUR AREA
The lot is zoned residential, and all surrounding lots are zoned
residential.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT TO OUR DRINKING WATER
We are located in a highly environmentally sensitive area which sits
over the Northern Edwards Aquifer recharge zone. There are multiple
recharge features throughout the adjacent backyards. There is a visible
sinking stream which returns much of the surface water back into the
aquifer. Polluting the spring water which drains back down into the
aquifer a short distance downstream means that local and City of Round
Rock wells will most possibly contain contaminants from the increased runoff.

PRESERVING THE UNIQUENESS OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND OUR SIDE OF TOWN
Most of us were drawn to the the trees, open spaces, quiet, and water
features of our town. By not keeping a residential use on the empty lot, the
whole look and feel to the entrance of one of our most beautiful
neighborhoods will be changed forever.

US FISH AND WILDLIFE PROTECTIONS
As if there were not enough reasons to protect the area from
overdevelopment, the US Fish and Wildlife Department has ruled that
protections to the local Krienke Spring is warranted due to the presence of the
Eurycea Tonkawae (aka as the Jollyville Plateau Salamander). We also call it
the Tonkawa Springs Salamander, and it is listed as a Threatened Species.
There used to be a colony of salamanders on the East Side of Round Rock,
near Brushy Creek and 79 at A. W. Grimes. It is now extinct and is no longer
shown as a live colony since it is believed to have been covered in concrete.
Kreinke Spring emits fresh water from the aquifer at a rate of between 167
and 270 gallons per minute.

Let's preserve the natural beauty of our area! Let's protect our drinking
water! Our decisions impact our children and future Round Rock residents.
Let's not destroy that which can never be replaced.