Staff from the City of Austin's Parks and Recreation and Watershed Protection departments are working with contractors to address a leak in a portion of an abandoned pipe at Barton Springs Pool. The pool will remain closed while work is underway. Deep Eddy Pool will open daily at 6 a.m. while Barton Springs Pool undergoes repairs. For a full list of available pools to use while Barton Springs Pool is closed, visit austintexas.gov/pools.  

The abandoned pipe, previously used as a skimmer pipe, is made of concrete, 18 inches in diameter, and was installed in the 1940s. When it was originally installed, it ran the entire length of the pool and served as a bypass, keeping storm water out of the pool. In the 1990s, part of this pipe was rerouted and repurposed, while most of it was taken out of use. Today, the rerouted portion of the pipe is still in use. It runs from the shallow end to the bypass tunnel underneath the sidewalk on the bathhouse side of the pool and helps to circulate water in the shallow end.

The repairs may begin as early as next week and will include filling the end of the unused skimmer pipe in the “Barking Springs” area with concrete. It will likely take a few weeks to make the repairs, with much of that time needed to prepare and clean up the site. At “Barking Springs,” a section of Barton Creek adjacent to the pool’s dam will be cordoned off and water will be pumped out of it to create a dry work area.  

Portions of “Barking Springs” will remain open, but people are encouraged to visit other parks and waterways while concrete filling work is underway.  The contractor will access the Barking Springs area, using the path beside the creek that runs past the kayak rental. Construction equipment will travel this route a few times a day. Temporary environmental and sediment control measures, including coffer dams, will be put in place while repairs are being performed.  The repairs are being done on an emergency basis, and the plan may need to be adapted as the repair progresses.

Barton Springs is a federally protected habitat for endangered salamanders, and no construction equipment will be in the pool itself. The contractor will use sediment and erosion controls to keep dust and material out of Barton Creek and will restore the Barking Springs area back to its current condition before demobilizing.

For updates, FAQs, and more information about Barton Springs Pool repairs, visit austintexas.gov/bsprepairs.  

Background

On Thursday, August 29, 2024, Parks and Recreation staff noticed water being pulled into an abandoned pipe during weekly pool cleaning and maintenance. Further investigation revealed a hole that had grown to be two feet long and a foot wide as well as a smaller hole. A strong suction force is drawing water into the pipe and could trap a swimmer underwater, posing a serious safety risk. The proposed repair plan will plug the outlet of the old skimmer pipe in the Barking Springs area to address this safety concern.