Country White Sink. Another one of Austin’s lesser known sinkholes.

Country White Sink is one of Austin’s lesser known sinkholes which not many people know about. This news article will explain what Country White Sinkhole is specifically. Country White Sink us also known as Country White Sinkhole.

Country White Sink is an aquifer recharge feature connected to Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone. The water below there flows through the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone into Barton Springs. (Ref: https://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=223628)

The land where Country White Sink is on has an impervious cover due to being surrounded by trees, bushes, and other shrubbery. Greenery surrounds the sinkhole. Country White Sink is a creek buffer and CEF buffer due to being an aquifer recharge feature that is connected to the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone. (Ref: https://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=195270)


The history of Country White Sink began in 1971.

The land where Country White Sink is located on originally belonged to Harold G. Kennedy and B. Joy Kennedy, which was the address and location of 3617 Country White Lane. They owned several acres of land in Sunset Valley and Austin. Country White Sink was located on 6.60 acres (later 6.37 acres) of property that belonged to Harold G. Kennedy. Harold G. Kennedy owned that property since 1971. (Ref: Travis County Land Deeds, Volume 4026, Page 1507)

 

In 2013, the City of Sunset Valley began looking into protection plans for environmental features, mainly as karst features, such as caves, sinkholes, and canyon rimrock in the city limits including Austin. The City of Sunset Valley granted a variance from City Code Section 25-8-281 to allow re-irrigation of treated stormwater within the portion of the Country White Sink critical environmental feature buffer on the date of 8/25/2013. (Ref: https://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=195256)

The Kennedy Property first went on the market in August 2013 with a listing price of $1.2 million. The City Council met once in executive session to discuss the City’s position on purchasing the property. This is/was the largest tract available for use of the Green Tax. A majority of the property including Country White Sink is within the 100 year floodplain, Critical and Water Quality Transition Zones. The location where Country White Sink is located allows for the opportunity for future storm water controls and water quality enhancements.This gave the City of Sunset Valley an opportunity to protect a portion of the drainage area to a nearby aquifer recharge feature known as Country White Sink. The property abuts to Sunset Valley Indian Prairie Preserve and City of Austin Water Quality Preserve land. (Ref: https://sunsetvalleytx.govoffice2.com/vertical/Sites/%7B8963FD9D-CEFE-410A-A38B-1611D53E7AA1%7D/uploads/January_2014_Newsletter.pdf)

An easement to protect Country White Sink was constructed later that year when a conservation easement was placed on the entire 6.6 acre tract to prevent further development and then the entire tract was sold to place it back in to private ownership. The proceeds from the sale went back into the Green Tax fund for future purchases or water quality projects. The City Council of Sunset Valley approved the purchase of 3617 Country White Lane, known as the “Kennedy Property”, on December 3, 2013 for the price of $875,000 using the “Green Tax” fund, a special sales tax fund designated for water quality protection in the area along Brodie Lane and Country White Lane. (Ref: https://sunsetvalleytx.govoffice2.com/vertical/Sites/%7B8963FD9D-CEFE-410A-A38B-1611D53E7AA1%7D/uploads/January_2014_Newsletter.pdf)

His son, Neal Allan Kennedy, sold the land which included Country White Sink to the City of Sunset Valley on a warranty deed on the date of 12/20/2013 at 3:30 PM for the sum and consideration of $10 dollars. (Ref: Travis County Land Deeds, Instrument #2013223873)

Interestingly enough, the City of Sunset Valley sold the land where Country White Sink is located on to a single man named Joseph Koizen for the sum and consideration of $621,900 dollars on warranty deed which was a deed without warranty. Joseph Koizen is the current owner of the sinkhole known as Country White Sink. (Ref: Travis County Land Deeds, Instrument #2017112743)

The sinkhole known as Country White Sink is located southwest of the house located at 3617 Country White Lane and located close to the fence line. Country White Sinkhole is located near a metal chain link fence. Country White Sink is located at 3617 Country White Lane, Austin, Texas, US 78745. (Ref: https://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=195256)