AUSTIN, Texas — Austin officials are pleading with residents and visitors to stay off area lakes and rivers, saying people continued to get out on the water Saturday despite a citywide ban meant to keep them safe amid ongoing flood operations.
The city issued the ban Friday, closing Lake Austin from Mansfield Dam to Tom Miller Dam, Lady Bird Lake, and the Colorado River downstream of Longhorn Dam to all personal and commercial watercraft.
The closures include motorized boats, wet bikes, motorized surfboards, canoes, kayaks, paddleboards and similar devices. The ban remains in effect until 5 p.m. Tuesday.
RELATED | LCRA opens floodgates at Tom Miller, Mansfield dams as Lake Travis rises
The city said the ban was issued because floodgate operations by the Lower Colorado River Authority and Austin Water were expected to bring faster flows and more debris to area waterways, making them unsafe for recreational, commercial and navigational use.
Despite the ban, Austin police said Saturday that people continued to get out on the lakes and waterways. The department said it “can’t stress enough” how dangerous conditions are, citing fast-moving water, strong currents and debris beneath the surface that can change conditions quickly and put people at serious risk.
Police said waterways are closed for a reason and that everyone should stay off the water until the ban is lifted.
The city also urged people to avoid riverfront trails, saying many areas are unsafe because of high water levels and the potential for flash flooding.