Barton Springs Pool will reopen to the public starting at 5 a.m. on Thursday, September 19, following quick action to repair two holes that formed in an abandoned skimmer pipe and created a safety hazard. The City of Austin's Parks and Recreation (PARD), Austin Water (AW), and Watershed Protection (WPD) departments collaborated on the repairs. With Barton Springs reopening, Deep Eddy Pool will resume normal operating hours on Thursday, September 19, opening at 8 a.m. instead of 6 a.m. 

The holes in the Barton Springs Pool skimmer pipe have been filled with gravel, and a segment of the pipe downstream of the dam, in the area known as "Barking Springs," was filled with concrete. The pool repair plan was designed and implemented to avoid disruptions to the endangered salamanders. To protect the salamanders, staff limited the size and duration of any drawdown of the pool. Salamander biologists were present during construction to monitor for any water level changes in the pool.  

City staff will continue to monitor the repairs to ensure the safety issues do not recur before reopening the pool. During this time, PARD staff will focus on clean-up efforts to restore the site for public use including repainting safety signs, conducting routine tree and pool maintenance, and installing sod on the south side of the Barton Springs Pool lawn. Roped-off sections of the lawn will remain closed to the public for several weeks to give the new turf time to grow. The pool's regular weekly cleaning will occur on Wednesday, September 18, this week rather than Thursday, its usual closure day.

“We are thrilled to welcome the community back to Barton Springs Pool in time for the weekend. City leadership and partner departments have been instrumental working efficiently and cooperatively to resolve the issue and ensure that the pool is safe and ready for visitors,” said Interim PARD Director Angela Means. “We appreciate the patience and understanding of pool goers throughout the repair process.”

For background information on the repairs, please refer to previous press releases and the FAQ section of the Barton Springs Pool Repairs webpage at AustinTexas.gov/BSPrepairs.