Heavy rain trashes Lady Bird Lake

AUSTIN (KXAN) - The City of Austin has a major cleanup ahead for Lady Bird Lake after recent heavy rainfall sent trash flowing into the beloved downtown lake.

City workers spent Tuesday morning cleaning up areas of Lady Bird Lake - finding paint cans, syringes and Styrofoam cups.

The drought has put extra strain on city work crews to clean up the 14-mile shoreline along the lake.

Last fiscal year, crews picked up 270 tons of debris, according to Watershed Protection Field Operations Supervisor Frank Andrada.

In one month this fiscal year, crews have picked up 50 tons already.

"I guess they don't really understand, the citizens, where the trash ends up," said Andrada.

Andrada said the first heavy rainfall after the drought sent debris and trash that had not been flushed down creeks and tributaries into the lake.

His crews picked up debris Tuesday and hauled it off to the landfill.

Crews of about 25 people are working to clean the lake over the next few days. The city also partners with Keep Austin Beautiful for lake cleanups, as well.

City officials also announced a closure of Barton Springs Pool Tuesday due to flooding and debris.