Erosion Control in Austin, TX
Is your hillside washing away after every storm? We stop slope erosion in Austin with riprap, terracing, retaining walls, and native deep-root plantings built for thin Hill Country soil. Veteran-owned, 5.0-star rated, with over 20 years of design-build work across Central Texas.
A bare slope that washes out after every rain is more than an eyesore. It sends mud across your yard, cuts gullies down the hill, and pushes runoff toward your foundation. Hill Country lots are built for this problem. The soil is thin, it sits over caliche and limestone that water cannot soak into, and our storms arrive as hard, fast downpours that flash off the slope and carry the dirt with them. Thrive Landscape and Design is a veteran-owned, design-build landscaper with over 20 years of erosion control services across Travis, Williamson, and Hays counties, and we hold a 5.0 Google rating from 70+ reviews. We stop the washout with the right mix for your slope: terracing and retaining walls to break the grade, riprap and rock to armor fast water, erosion-control blankets to hold bare ground, swales and berms to steer runoff, and native deep-root plantings that lock the soil for good. Every assessment is itemized and free. Our sediment-control and permit work follows TCEQ Edwards Aquifer Protection Program and City of Austin Development Services standards.
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- 500+ Projects Completed
- 20+ Years Experience
- 5.0 Google Rating
Explore Our Full Drainage Lineup
French Drains
Gravel-and-pipe drains that pull standing water away from your foundation and low spots.
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Yard Grading
Regrading and sloping that sends storm runoff away from the house and out of low spots.
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Retaining Walls
Stone, block, and boulder walls that hold the grade and turn a steep slope into level terraces.
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All Drainage Services
See the full range of drainage, grading, and erosion-control work we do across Austin.
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Our Process
Free Site Assessment
We walk the slope with you and read it the way water does. We note the grade, the bare and gullied spots, where soil is shedding, and how the lot sheds runoff during a storm. You get honest options and a clear, itemized written assessment, with no pressure to decide on the spot.
Drainage Mapping & Design
We map where the water comes from and where it needs to go before we choose a single fix. Then we design the right mix for your slope: terracing or retaining walls for steep grades, riprap where water runs hard, swales and berms to steer flow, and a native planting plan to hold the rest. We match the plan to your soil and budget.
Permits & Sediment Control
If your lot sits over the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone or near a creek, we handle the review. We install silt fence and other sediment controls so dirt stays on site during the work, and we coordinate any TCEQ aquifer plan, City of Austin floodplain check, or LCRA setback so the paperwork does not stall your project.
Build & Stabilize the Slope
This is where the washout stops. We cut terraces, build retaining walls on a compacted base with full drainage behind them, set riprap over filter fabric where fast water cuts in, and staple erosion-control blankets over bare soil. Each piece does its job: rock armors, walls hold the grade, blankets shield the ground until roots take over.
Native Planting & Establishment
Roots are the fix that lasts. We plant native deep-root grasses, shrubs, and trees that knit the soil together and get stronger every season. The best window runs October through March, so roots set before summer. We walk the finished slope with you, check the drainage outlets, and explain how to keep the cover thriving.
Expert Erosion Control
Travis, Luis and the crew did an amazing job on our front yard landscaping. Travis had a vision that we could've never come up with on our own. They were communicative, hard working and had incredible attention to detail. We were really impressed with our experience and will… Read more
We’ve been very impressed with Travis and his team at Thrive Landscaping. From the initial design consultation through revisions and installation, the entire process was smooth, thorough, and high quality. We needed an HOA-compliant design that improved drainage and reduced… Read more
Travis was very responsive on the pricing . Luis and the crew did an amazing job and fixed a lot of problems that the prior firm had created. Very pleasant group and seem to want to please clients.
Great people providing outstanding service. Our yard has never looked better. And best of all, they stand behind their work. If something needs attention after the job is finished, they’re right on it.
After interviewing several companies, we chose Thrive Landscape to create some hardscaping for our back yard. They installed stone paving for our patio and pool area, a gravel area for our fire ring, and a raised gravel pad for a greenhouse. Everything looks great! We had a good… Read more
Thrive replaced some dying plants in a white rock bed and left it clean and beautiful. You would never know they had been in the rock bed at all - no dirt, no disruption - they left it better than they found it!
Our neighbor a few houses down had Thrive do his property and we liked how it looked, so we decided to contact them to see what it would cost to do our house. Wanted to get rid of the sand burrs and decided to do stone, rock and mulch for the whole yard in front of the house. I… Read more
We have used Thrive landscape for several projects over the past two years. They have delivered outstanding service, careful attention to detail, and impeccable service and care after the project was complete. Travis Odom is outstanding, and his vision helped us transform our… Read more
We were very pleased with Thrive from the initial bid to the completion of the project. We had our front yard and backyard landscaped. Communication was excellent and when a couple issues occurred they were quickly resolved. The onsite crew was great to work with and were… Read more
Excellent service and advice. Knowledgeable, on time, communicative owner, and crew. This is the place you want to call for your landscaping needs! We are extremely satisfied with the outcome and will use the service again. Thank you Travis and crew.
I was really pleased with Thrive. Travis arrived exactly on time for the quote, had a great design, and was able to start quickly once the plans were approved by my HOA. The crew was polite and worked quickly. They left the whole worksite very neat, and my front yard now looks… Read more
Had grass that was dead, Travis and his team transformed my backyard in a few days!
I am a repeat customer of Travis's. He recently transformed my front yard. The design was perfect for what we wanted to accomplish and the crew did high quality work which included clean-up. I will keep coming back to him in the future.
Thrive is a very professional and excellent business - they did a wonderful job on my project and I couldn't be more pleased with the end results. Will definitely use them again!
I had an outstanding experience with Thrive. Quality, honesty, value and customer service were phenomenal! Exceeded my expectations!
Swapped out black stone that were killing my plants with mulch. Added a bunch of plants and sod. Also got my irrigation and stone walkway complete. I say it is all looking great.
I don't know where to begin. Travis and his team provided an amazing landscape design, strategy, and results on our backyard for my 50th birthday celebration. Travis was patient and very detailed with his quote and made sure he covered every detail with me. Once we decided to… Read more
I’ve done two projects with these guys to include a landscaping project where I added sod, metal planters, and plants. The second was a fence repair and both turned out great. They were fairly priced, scheduled quickly, executed on time, and worked through my lunch list at the… Read more
We chose Thrive Landscaping after a friend of ours used them for their own backyard and we could not be happier with our decision. Travis and team were incredibly professional, thorough and communicative the entire time. They added new grass, flowers, gravel and lights to our… Read more
Travis with Thrive Landscape & Design did an amazing job redesigning our backyard! They were hard-working, timely, responsive and appreciated their craftsmanship they put into the project. The space looks better than we imagined — highly recommend!
Wow! Travis and his team did an amazing job refreshing our back yard! They were professional, prompt, respectful and above all had an eye for detail! It was an absolute pleasure working with them to create our dream back yard! I highly recommend Thrive Landscape and DESIGN… Read more
Our project was the tear-out, re-design and rebuild of a fairly substantial deck. Great experience with Travis Odom and Thrive Landscape. Travis is congenial, professional and great to work with. The guys on site did excellent work. We’re very happy with the finished product and… Read more
Mr Travis Odom made an excellent, unique, and original cedar fence design that we ended up using.
Great design and construction for my landscaping project. Travis and his crew were very attentive and detailed. They also took on board our feedback and we’re very willing to evolve their designs.
Travis did a great job fixing the drainage along the side of my house! Was very responsive, timely, and reasonably priced. Would reach out to again for any future landscaping needs.
Travis was very responsive and did an excellent job designing our difficult yard. We LOVE the end result and can’t wait to do phase two. Can’t say enough how happy we are with the design!
Riprap, Terracing & Native Plantings
Built For Steep Hill Country Slopes
The right erosion control solution depends on how steep the slope is, where the water runs, and what is washing out. Here is how the methods we use most often compare on an Austin hillside. Most slopes get a mix, and every plan starts with where the water goes.
Request A QuoteBreaking one long slope into level steps is the strongest fix for a steep grade. Short retaining walls hold each terrace, so runoff loses speed at every level instead of racing to the bottom. This turns a washing hillside into usable, plantable ground.
Riprap is loose rock set over filter fabric to armor a channel, a drain outlet, or the toe of a slope where water runs hard. Sized to the flow, it does not rot or wash out, which makes it a long-lasting fix for the spots that take the worst of a Hill Country storm.
A biodegradable blanket stapled over bare soil shields it from rain while native deep-root grasses, shrubs, and trees take hold. Plants like Lindheimer muhly, little bluestem, agarita, and live oak knit the slope together and get stronger every season, the only fix that improves with time.
Why Choose Thrive Landscape and Design?
We Plan The Water First
Most failed slopes fail because the water was never managed. We map where runoff comes from and where it goes, then add swales, berms, and drainage so the fix holds through the next storm.
Built For Hill Country Soil
Thin soil over caliche and limestone sheds water instead of soaking it up, so our slopes flash and wash. We know which native deep-root plants hold this ground and how to terrace and armor it the right way.
Aquifer & Creekside Compliant
Work over the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone or near a creek carries sediment-control and setback rules. We install the required controls and coordinate TCEQ, City, and LCRA review so the job stays compliant.
Veteran-Owned, 20+ Years
We are a veteran-owned, design-build landscaper with over 20 years in Central Texas and a 5.0 Google rating from 70+ reviews. You work with the team that designs and builds your slope fix.
Hill Country’s Go-To Erosion Control Contractor
We control erosion and stabilize slopes across Austin and the surrounding Hill Country, from steep west-Austin and Westlake Hills lots to washing hillsides in Dripping Springs and Wimberley, with full attention to local soil, drainage, sediment-control, and aquifer requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
You slow the water down and give the soil something to hold onto. On a Hill Country slope that means terracing and retaining walls to cut the grade into level steps, riprap and rock to armor the spots where water moves fast, and erosion-control blankets to shield bare soil while it heals. The lasting fix is roots, so we plant native deep-root grasses and shrubs that knit the slope together. On thin caliche that sheds water instead of soaking it up, the plan starts with where the water goes.
Each solves a different problem. Riprap is loose rock over filter fabric that armors a channel or the toe of a slope where fast water cuts in. Terracing breaks a long slope into level steps so runoff loses speed at every level. An erosion-control blanket is a biodegradable mat stapled over bare soil that holds new seed and plants until roots take over. Many slopes need a mix. We walk your slope, watch where it sheds water, and tell you which mix fits.
It depends on the slope, the cause, and the fix. A small bare slope held with a blanket and native plantings costs far less than a steep hillside that needs terracing, retaining walls, and riprap. The big drivers are how steep and large the slope is, how much rock we dig through in caliche and limestone, the drainage work behind any wall, and whether the lot needs sediment-control or permit review over the Edwards Aquifer or near a creek. We give an itemized, on-site assessment for free.
Often, yes. The TCEQ requires an Edwards Aquifer protection plan for soil-disturbing work in the recharge zone, which covers parts of Travis, Hays, and Williamson counties, and that plan must show the erosion and sediment controls you will use during and after the job. Work near a creek can also fall under City of Austin or county floodplain rules and LCRA setbacks. We check whether your lot sits in the recharge zone or a flood hazard area, install the required controls, and coordinate the review for you.
Deep, fibrous roots hold soil better than anything you can buy in a bag. For Central Texas slopes we lean on native grasses like Lindheimer muhly, little bluestem, and sideoats grama, whose roots reach down and knit the soil together. We add tough native shrubs such as agarita, color from Texas lantana, and on larger slopes a live oak to anchor the grade. Natives also handle our heat and clay without constant water once they take hold. The best planting window runs October through March.
Yes, and on a steep Hill Country lot that is usually the strongest plan. A retaining wall holds back the soil and turns part of a slope into a level terrace, while plantings, blankets, and rock handle the ground between and below the walls. The wall and the planting plan have to work with the drainage, so we map where storm water goes before we set a single block. We often pair walls with swales, berms, or a French drain to route runoff away from the house. Built together, they stop washout and keep it stopped.
Built right, both last for decades with little upkeep. Riprap set over filter fabric does not rot or wash out, so it holds as long as the rock stays put, and we size the stone to the flow it has to take. A terraced slope held by sound retaining walls lasts as long as the walls and their drainage. Native plantings actually get stronger over time as roots spread and deepen. The failures we get called to fix almost always trace back to skipped drainage or undersized rock, which is why we plan the water first.
Yes. We control erosion and stabilize slopes across the greater Austin area and the Hill Country, including Dripping Springs, Wimberley, Westlake Hills, Bee Cave, Lakeway, and Driftwood. These lots see the worst of it: steep grades, thin soil over caliche and limestone, and creeks that flash during heavy rain. We know the local soil, the Edwards Aquifer recharge-zone rules, and the native plants that hold a slope here, and we bring that to every site assessment.