Barton Springs Gets Clean

Anytime over the next three weeks we invite you to visit the Barton Springs spillway, where, while wading in dog piss and dodging abandoned Lone Star tall-boys, you can join us in chuckling at families sporting towels, ear-to-ear grins and National Championship t-shirts. Watch them walk anxiously over to the gates of Barton Springs pool, only to be greeted by an unwelcoming CLOSED FOR CLEANING notice, stenciled on a tattered wooden sign.

City of Austin allowing its citizens and visitors to enjoy the spring waters free of charge all winter long was great, but cut short as Barton Springs will be closing until March 9th.

The pool will re-open after its annual three-week-long spring cleaning, which prepares the pool for the massive amount of crowds expected for the next few months. Water levels will be lowered to remove algae off the steps, walls and limestone bottom. The last few days of free swimming were nearly jeopardized when a damaged storm water line at Robert E. Lee and Barton Hills Drive poured mud and chlorinated water into the pool. Authorities don't anticipate any harmful effects to local fauna and more importantly, the Barton Springs Salamander, but they will test the water during the cleaning.

During the closure, Deep Eddy Pool will extend their hours to Monday through Friday, 6:00am to 7:30pm and weekends, 6:00am to 7:00pm. Admission is free.