The city of Austin is prohibiting activity on Lady Bird Lake, Lake Austin and the Colorado River beneath the Longhorn Dam until 5 p.m., Tuesday.
The waterway ban comes as the Lower Colorado River Authority opens floodgates on dams in the Highland Lake reservoir system upriver of Austin.
Opening floodgates will allow a surge of water from recent storms to pass through the lakes and down the Colorado River. But it could make it hazardous to be on the water, the city warned.
“Water conditions are anticipated to have faster flows and increased debris in the water make recreational, commercial, and navigational use of area waterways unsafe,” the city said.
The ban extends to “personal and commercial watercraft, wet bikes, motorized surfboards, canoes, kayaks, paddleboards, and other similar devices.”
People are also encouraged to avoid riverfront trails that may be subject to flooding due to the increased water levels.