Marcusen Park Stadium Flooded; Austin Resident Battles Repeated Basement Flooding

In the wake of intense storms that hit Austin on Wednesday and Thursday, floodwaters are now receding. However, the consequences have left community spaces and local homeowners facing considerable damage.

Marcusen Park Baseball Stadium experienced a significant impact. By midday on Friday, the entire area was underwater, but by 6 p.m., a substantial amount of the water had receded. Although the condition of the field is improving, the surrounding roads remain submerged and inaccessible to vehicles. Kathy Serratore, president of the Marcusen Park Board Association, stated that the outcome of the games planned for Sunday through Tuesday hinges on volunteer evaluations scheduled for Saturday to assess the extent of cleanup efforts.

In a different part of town, Austin resident Amy Koppelman is facing a significant personal challenge. Since acquiring her residence two years back, she has encountered persistent flooding in the basement — a problem exacerbated by every considerable storm. She mentioned that even a drizzle can cause water to accumulate in the corners of her basement.

“This time wasn’t as severe as the floods we experienced last year,” Koppelman noted, referring to the significant flooding that impacted Austin in 2024. Nevertheless, the recent storms continued to inundate her already compromised sump pump, compelling her to extract water manually.

“I’m not sure, perhaps around 23 trips,” Koppelman speculated, detailing the challenging task of manually bailing water. “It’s important to remember that it was arriving just as we were releasing it.” It feels as though you are trying to empty a bucket while two more are being filled at the same time.

As she awaits the county's support for a new sump pump, each storm brings escalating repair expenses her way.

Individuals looking to lend a hand can contact Kathy Serratore regarding the cleanup at Marcusen Park. Contributions to assist with the restoration of Koppelman’s residence can be made via her GoFundMe page.

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