The Austin Police Department Parks and Lake Patrol Unit will prohibit the use and operation of personal watercraft, wet bikes, motorized surfboards and similar devices on Lake Austin beginning at sunset on Friday, September 4, 2020 and ending on Sept. 8, 2019 at sunrise. Non-motorized devices such as kayaks, canoes and paddleboards can still be used.
 
The annual ban of personal watercraft is necessary to ensure the safety of the large number of people that make use of the lake and parks over the Labor Day Holiday Weekend. This ban only applies to Lake Austin. 
 
Police will be patrolling Lake Austin this weekend and urge people using waterways to follow the Texas Water Safety Act and City of Austin boating laws and ordinances. Police urge all boaters to practice safe boating and to call 9-1-1 for all reckless operation of boats or emergencies.
 
The Austin Parks and Recreation Department and the Austin Police Department want the public to enjoy the parks and lakes but urge people to make this a safe holiday. For more information, contact the APD Lake Patrol Unit at 512-329-8841.
 
City Ordinance:  8-5-81 WATERCRAFT AND OTHER MOTORIZED CRAFT ON LAKE AUSTIN.
 
     (A)     A person may not use or possess a jet ski, wet bike, motorized surfboard, or similar device on Lake Austin:
          (1)     from sunset on the Friday before Memorial Day until sunrise on the Tuesday after Memorial Day;
          (2)     from sunset on the Friday before Labor Day until sunrise on the Tuesday after Labor Day; or
          (3)     from sunset on July 3 until sunrise on July 5.
 
     (B)     A person operating a motorboat on Lake Austin shall stay on the right side of the lake, except when assisting a downed water skier.
 
     (C)     A person may not operate a watercraft on Lake Austin at a speed that is greater than reasonable and prudent under the existing circumstances.
 
Source:  1992 Code Section 14-2-1; Ord. 031009-11; Ord. 031211-11.
 
In addition, the Austin Police Department will conduct a No Refusal Initiative that will coincide with the holiday weekend. This initiative will run from Thursday, September 3 through Monday, September 7, 20202. The hours of the operation are 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. every day.  
 
This initiative is an effort to enforce DWI laws, keep the public safe by encouraging drivers to make responsible decisions, and to apply for blood search warrants on suspects who refuse to provide a breath or blood specimen as required by law.
 
The Austin Police Department and the City of Austin Transportation Department are continuously focused on preventing lives from being lost on the streets, highways and waterways of Austin. The Department is dedicated to making the roadways and waterways of Austin safe for residents and visitors through education and enforcement.