Austin Watershed Protection’s Rain Catcher Pilot Program has received the 2025 Texas Rain Catcher Award in the governmental category from the Texas Water Development Board. The recognition was announced at the board’s meeting on October 2, 2025.
The Rain Catcher Pilot Program installed more than 300 green infrastructure features across 40 residential properties in North Central Austin. According to program data, installations included 117 large cisterns, 65 rain gardens, and 124 rainwater-irrigated street trees. Collectively, these systems are capable of capturing up to 185,000 gallons of rainwater per storm event. The effort targeted a 1.08-square-mile area within the upper portion of the Waller Creek Watershed, an urban neighborhood with high impervious cover that was developed before current watershed protection regulations.
Watershed Protection Manager Jessica Wilson stated, “The Rain Catcher Pilot Program shows how small-scale, community-based solutions make an impact.”
Environmental Officer Liz Johnston emphasized collaboration and resident involvement: “By working across City departments, partnering with a nonprofit and researchers, and engaging our community, we were able to turn rainwater from a problem into a resource to improve creek health, conserve water, cool our city, and build stronger neighborhoods along the way.” She added: “The actions that individuals take matter. Program participants now have a deeper understanding of their role in making Austin a more livable and resilient city.”
In addition to managing stormwater runoff and improving local creeks’ baseflow conditions, the initiative also contributed to water conservation efforts by providing alternative sources during outages and increasing tree canopy cover. The project promoted viewing rainwater as a valuable resource rather than waste runoff.
Austin Watershed Protection administered the program in partnership with Urban Patchwork and other community organizations. Support from Austin Water and Austin Development Services helped lower costs for residents who chose to add rain gardens or cisterns on their properties.
For further information about the program visit https://www.austintexas.gov/RainGardens.
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