AUSTIN, Texas — The City of Austin lifted its waterways ban effective immediately Monday, allowing recreational and commercial use to resume on Lady Bird Lake and the Colorado River south of Longhorn Dam.
The ban’s end came after the Lower Colorado River Authority concluded floodgate operations at Tom Miller Dam and Austin Water ended similar operations at Longhorn Dam early Monday morning, according to city officials. They said waterways are expected to return to more normal flow and safer conditions as a result.
The ban had been in place since July 17 and was extended multiple times. Austin Water had kept floodgates open at Longhorn Dam in coordination with the LCRA until flow from Tom Miller Dam slowed enough to scale back operations, following the LCRA’s decision to run multiple floodgates through the weekend.
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On Sunday, Austin Fire, Austin police and Austin-Travis County EMS responded to a water rescue on the Colorado River just south of Longhorn Dam. A family of five paddleboarding and kayaking on Lady Bird Lake encountered strong currents immediately after entering the water, and their watercraft were swept away. Swift water rescuers found the family clinging to a tree, according to the city.
Personal and commercial watercraft, including wet bikes, motorized surfboards, canoes, kayaks and paddleboards, are now permitted on Lady Bird Lake and the Colorado River downstream of Longhorn Dam.
Despite the lifted ban, officials cautioned that some risks remain.
Historic data shows bacteria levels can take at least three days after stormflow to return to previous conditions, the city said. Officials urged people to avoid swimming in Lake Austin because of submerged hazards. Lady Bird Lake has a permanent swimming ban.