The City of Austin announced on Thursday, July 23 it would be extending its waterways ban until 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 25 due to those ongoing processes. While floodgate operations have wrapped at Mansfield Dam, officials noted hydrogeneration is still underway, necessitating floodgates stay open at Tom Miller Dam.
“In coordination with LCRA, Austin Water will keep flood gates at Longhorn Dam open until flow from Tom Miller Dam slows to a point where current flood operations can be safely scaled back,” city officials added in the announcement.
Due to those ongoing operations, area waterways remain unsafe for recreational, commercial and navigational purposes as both higher water levels and faster flows pour from the dams. There is also the risk of “strong and unpredictable currents” in area waterways as a result of those procedures.
As a result, the following items are prohibited on Lady Bird Lake, the Colorado River downstream of Longhorn Dam and Lake Austin from Mansfield Dam to Tom Miller Dam at this time:
“Residents and visitors also are urged to avoid riverfront trails which may be unsafe to navigate and are susceptible to flash flooding at this time due to raised water levels,” officials added.