Barton Springs Closing for Three Weeks Due to Maintenance

Barton Springs Pool will close the week of Feb. 23 and reopen on March 13 so crews can work on the Skimmer Bypass Project as well as several other deferred maintenance issues around the pool area in preparation for the upcoming swim season.

The Austin Parks and Recreation Department announced the closure in a press release on Wednesday. The department is removing sections of the 1940s skimmer bypass that it and the Watershed Projection determined is unstable and a safety hazard for pool users.

The department scheduled other deferred maintenance projects within the pool area for this same time frame so that the pool stays closed for as short a time as possible.

Of course, the city will take every possible step to limit the impact of the effort on the endangered salamanders that call the pool home.

"The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services has concurred that removal and remediation is allowed under the city's Barton Springs Pool Habitat Conservation Plan and Incidental Take Permit," the press release states.

The project will benefit the salamanders by reconnecting habitat separated over time by erosion. And Water Projection staff will be on-site the entire time to monitor how the activities are impacting the habitat and make any necessary remediation efforts.

Regular Barton Springs Pool goers can find alternatives on the city's Pool & Splash Pads website. Barton Springs is one of a handful of city facilities that are open year around. Others include Big Stacy, Bartholomew, Colony Park, Deep Eddy, and Springwoods.