Lack of recent rainfall impacting Austin-area swimming holes From the cover
The overview
BULL CREEK
Greenbelt swimming holes A Lost Creek Greenbelt B Sculpture Falls C Twin Falls D Gus Fruh at Barton Creek E The Flats at Barton Creek F Campbell’s Hole Barton Creek G Bull Creek Greenbelt Upper
As spring gives way to summer, warmer temperatures send many Austinites in search of a place to cool o —often near water. Popular haunts like the Barton Creek Greenbelt and Barton Springs Pool routinely see a rise in visitors beginning in April that ramp up over the summer, with over 90,000 individuals taking a dip in Barton Springs last May, according to Austin’s Park and Recreation department. A frequent visitor of local parks and greenbelts, local Brian Leitner said these natural swimming spots are a “big piece” of Austin. “The water is what brings me here,” Lietner said. “Austin’s my favorite city because it’s hot, it’s got culture, and I can jump in the water pretty much six to eight months out of the year.” However, without much rainfall this year adding to persistent drought conditions in the area, the rst question for many will be “Is there any water?” For now, some of Austin’s natural swim areas are owing, while others still need steady rainfall to see measurable water volume. Water levels in local greenbelts are variable and dependent on rainfall, while spring-fed natural swimming areas remain at a consistent temperature and water level, according to the city’s parks and recreation department. Forecasts from the Lower Colorado River Authority, or LCRA—which oversees access to the Colorado River water supply for Austin—indicate the Hill Country will see slightly below average rainfall over the spring and summer months. LCRA chief meteorologist Bob Rose said the summer pattern currently shows only a few opportunities for rain, with “nothing sustained or heavy.”
I
183
G
H The Bull Creek Preserve I St. Edward’s Greenbelt
H
5
Cubic feet per second gives an indication of stream conditions like water levels.
0
0
0
West Lake Hills
360
BARTON CREEK
SHOAL CREEK
MOPAC
1
0
3
Barton Creek
0
A
0
WALLER CREEK
B
F
Austin
E
C
D
0
1
0
0
290
0
N
DATA AS OF APRIL 21. SOURCE: LOWER COLORADO RIVER AUTHORITY COMMUNITY IMPACT
From the experts
Austin-area annual rainfall Central Texas has faced drought conditions since 2019, with declining rainfall over the past decade contributing to persisting arid conditions.
Should the dry spell continue, the current arid conditions could rival the “drought of record,” which was the area’s worst drought in history from 2008-2015. The most recent ve years of drought conditions have played a role in diminished water levels at some of Austin’s favorite greenbelts. Recent e orts to modernize the city’s water use and management plan, known as Water Forward, indicate that Austin is projected to see longer, worse droughts in the decades ahead as Texas grows drier overall.
This year’s current storm track is expected to be primarily across Oklahoma and North Texas, allowing fewer storms to make it south into Central Texas, Rose said. However, he noted other tropical storms and moisture could bring rain into the area. Central Texas has remained under drought conditions since 2019, which was the last time the area’s two water supply reservoirs, known as the Highland Lakes system, were full. Both lakes Buchanan and Travis, which make up the High- land Lakes system, are currently under halfway full, according to LCRA data.
20 30 40 50 60
59.96 inches
28.25 inches
0 10
SOURCE: NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION COMMUNITY IMPACT
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