Barton Springs in danger from drought

AUSTIN (KXAN) - The City of Austin has issued new, more serious warnings about the levels of spring flows at Barton Springs Pool.

"If the drought persists for long enough, the springs could cease flowing," said Austin Watershed Protection Director Victoria Li in a memo to Austin's Mayor and City Council members.

Li said if the drought persists, levels could reach 12 cfs by December 2009 and 5 cfs by December 2010. That could threaten the viability of the pool, possibly forcing the spring to dry up, city officials have said.

Currently, levels are at near-historic lows - threatening the health of the endangered Barton Springs Salamander and the viability of pool water at one of Austin's most revered swimming holes.

Spring-flow levels are averaging 15 cubic feet per second, or 6,732 gallons per minute. That's down from 19.5 cfs in May.

The lowest recorded discharge is 9.6 cfs in March 1956.

In late 1989 and early 1990, spring flows reached 15 cfs, "but not for this long during a hot dry summer," said Li.

As for the federally protected Barton Springs Salamanders, counts are extremely low. In 2008, the average number of salamanders in Eliza Spring was 703. This year, in Eliza Spring, counts are averaging 159, with the last count at 69 salamanders, Li said.

Li said pool conditions are largely unaffected by the drought right now, but should levels drop, the city could lose nearly $1 million in gate receipts with more than 500,000 swimmers not able to take advantage of the springs.

The drought conditions complicate major repairs needed for a faulty bypass culvert at the pool.

With the help of consultants, city workers have three options to fix the pool. All options require six- to eight months of repairs:

1. Pouring a new bypass floor, concrete footings and retaining wall with an estimated cost of $2.5 million and a life expectancy of 10 years.
2. Installing new pipe inside the existing culvert, along with other repairs, with a cost of $2.4 million and a life expectancy of approximately 15 years.
3. Replacing the entire 1,000 feet of culvert with an estimated cost of $4.7 million and a life expectancy of 75 years.

Complicating the repairs, city officials will need to lower water levels in the pool to complete construction, but that may not be acceptable during a record drought, and restrictions on water levels for the salamanders.

Wednesday, city council members said the pool will not close until at least next summer.