Austin marks 10th anniversary of 2015 Onion Creek floods; officials urge continued investment in resiliency

Austin officials, first responders and community leaders gathered at Onion Creek Metropolitan Park on Oct. 30 to mark the 10th anniversary of the 2015 Halloween floods and to urge continued investment in flood resiliency.

“Flooding remains one of the most pressing challenges in Austin and for communities across Texas,” Mayor Pro Tem Vanessa Fuentes, councilwoman for District 2, said while opening the commemoration and reading a proclamation designating Oct. 30, 2025, as the 10-year remembrance of the 2015 Halloween flood. “As we remember the lives that were lost and we honor the resilience of those affected, we also recommit to what matters most, keeping Austinites safe and informed and prepared.”

Why it matters: The 2015 storm was among the most destructive in the city’s recent history, in which city officials say three people died and thousands of homes were damaged or destroyed. City leaders said the disaster prompted a series of mitigation steps — including a home-buyout program, upgrades to early-warning systems…