Work to repair a tunnel under the sidewalk on the north side of Barton Springs Pool will require first a partial and then a complete closure of the pool beginning when the shallow end closes Oct. 1.

The tunnel—a concrete box culvert, which runs from the shallow end to just past the dam at the deep end of the pool—channels Barton Creek and small floods, protecting water quality in the pool.

The water level dropped in October 2008, causing the city to close the pool. Holes in the bypass tunnel were discovered and temporarily plugged. The repairs will be a long-term fix to the problem and will repair a crack in the dam at the deep end of the pool as well. City of Austin engineer Johnnie Price said the culvert has been in place since 1974, and the normal lifespan for a culvert like that is 30–50 years, so it is due for a repair.

"it's reaching the end of its expected life. Of course we would have liked for it to last a bit longer, but it's not uncommon for concrete construction like this to need repairs," Price said.

The entire pool will be closed in from mid-November until the project is completed. The construction cost is estimated to be $2.9 million, $2.8 million of which is coming from the drainage utility fee, and $100,000 is coming from the Parks and Recreation Department. For more information, visit www.austintexas.gov/bartontunnel.