Walnut Creek (Central Texas) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Walnut Creek ( Central Texas) |
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| Country | United States |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Edwards Aquifer |
| River mouth | Colorado River 30°15′44″N 97°38′29″W / 30.2621°N 97.6414°W |
| Length | 23 miles (37 km) |
| Basin features | |
| Basin size | 36,000 acres (150 km2) |
Walnut Creek is a cool stream in Texas that flows into the Colorado River. It's about 23 miles (37 km) long! This creek starts in the Edwards Plateau area, west of Austin. Then, it flows south through the city, reaching the Blackland Prairie on the east side. Finally, it empties into the Colorado River, past the Longhorn Dam.
The northern part of Walnut Creek flows over limestone rock. As it moves south, the ground changes to deeper clay soils and goes through hardwood forests. Walnut Creek has the biggest watershed in Central Austin, covering about 36,000 acres (146 square kilometers). A watershed is the area of land where all the water drains into one main river or stream.
You can visit Walnut Creek at several local parks. The most popular ones are Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park and Balcones District Park. These parks offer great ways to explore the creek!
The History of Walnut Creek
For a long time, the Tonkawa people lived along Walnut Creek. They had small settlements all along the stream. In 1833, there was an early interaction between the Tonkawa and American settlers in Travis County.
However, the Tonkawa soon became friends with the American settlers. They worked together against other larger tribes in the area, like the Comanche, Kiowa, and Apache. The Tonkawa often helped the Texas Rangers and the U.S. Army by acting as scouts.
