Barton Springs Pool will close Feb. 23-March 13 for maintenance, including the removal of a decades-old pipeline that's prompted environmental and safety concerns.
What's happening
The multiweek pool closure was announced by the city in February after Austin Parks and Recreation and Austin Watershed Protection identified potentially unstable portions of a 1940s bypass line near the pool.
The bypass was installed to address flow from Barton Creek into the pool area, and was decommissioned after larger line was installed beneath the north side walkway in 1975. The original bypass was diverted into the newer infrastructure via a skimmer pipe, but multiple flood events around the pool and creek caused "continual undermining" and damage that were discovered during routine inspections, according to the city.
A city feasibility study found that undermining could lead portions of the structure to collapse and end up in Barton Springs Pool.
"The primary risk is that a flood or high flows could potentially damage and/or dislodge the old infrastructure. Depending on the severity of any event and the resulting damage, a much lengthier closure of the pool would be needed to repair and remediate the damage," Parks Director Jesús Aguirre said in a memo.
The outlook
In response, the Barton Springs Skimmer Bypass Project was launched to remove some or all of the aging pipeline to address those risks. City departments determined removing the bypass would be the best option based on cost and timeline, and Aguirre said the project was scheduled for this winter to minimize recreational impacts.
The pool closure will allow city crews to tackle deferred maintenance projects around Barton Springs to prepare the pool for spring. It'll also lead to renewed city monitoring of the 1975 bypass.
The 1940s bypass's conditions and upcoming demolition project are unrelated to the pool's three-week emergency closure in 2024 caused by damage to another aging pipeline.
Information on city aquatics facilities available during the Barton Springs Pool closure is available online.
One more thing
The project may also improve the endangered salamander habitat around Barton Springs. "Numerous avoidance and minimization measures" will be in place to protect the salamanders, Aguirre said, and may improve their habitat by reconnecting areas that were previously separated due to erosion.
