Barton Springs Pool to Close Temporarily for Infrastructure Repairs

A boy jumps off the diving board during the annual Polar Bear Plunge at Barton Springs Pool in Austin, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. The spring-fed water at Barton Springs maintains a temperature of about 68 degrees.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman

Austin’s most iconic swimming hole will temporarily close later this month after city crews discovered unstable, decades-old infrastructure beneath Barton Springs Pool that could collapse during a flood event.

The pool is slated to close beginning the week of Feb. 23 and is expected to reopen before March 14, according to a Tuesday memo from Austin Parks and Recreation Director Jesús Aguirre to Mayor Kirk Watson and the Austin City Council.

City staff said the issue stems from a decommissioned “bypass” structure built in the 1940s that has been gradually undermined by floodwaters over the years.

What damage was found at Barton Springs?

People cool off in Barking Springs just downstream of Barton Springs Pool on a hot afternoon Tuesday May 13, 2025. If you head to the pool, make sure to assign a person to watch all the swimmers in your group.
Jay Janner/American-Statesman

During routine inspection and maintenance, Austin Parks and Recreation and Austin Watershed Protection staff determined that a portion of the original 1940s bypass — an infrastructure feature designed to manage Barton Creek flow — is now unsupported underneath and potentially unstable.

A study concluded that continued erosion could cause the old structure to collapse, with pieces potentially falling into the pool.

The pool has two primary bypass systems. The original bypass was built in the 1940s. A larger, redesigned bypass was constructed in 1975 beneath the north-side walkway. After the 1975 project, creek flow was diverted into the newer system.

But multiple flood events over the decades have continued to erode the older infrastructure, leaving parts of it unsupported.

The city said the conditions are unrelated to the emergency repairs completed at Barton Springs in 2024.

Why Barton Springs is closing now

The primary risk, officials said, is that a flood event could dislodge or damage the aging infrastructure. If that happened, the resulting damage could require a much longer pool closure to repair.

People swim during the annual Polar Bear Plunge at Barton Springs Pool in Austin, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. The spring-fed water at Barton Springs maintains a temperature of about 68 degrees.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman

By proactively removing the old structure, the city aims to avoid a more disruptive emergency shutdown.

City officials said they scheduled the work during the winter months to minimize impact on swimmers. While the pool is closed, crews will also attempt to complete additional deferred maintenance projects in preparation for the spring season.

How the city will protect the Barton Springs salamander

Because the work is occurring within endangered species habitat, the city will implement avoidance and minimization measures to protect the Barton Springs salamander.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has determined the removal is allowed under the city’s Habitat Conservation Plan and Incidental Take Permit, according to the memo. Officials said the project could benefit the salamander by reconnecting habitat areas that have been separated by erosion.

Watershed Protection staff will be onsite throughout the project to monitor activities and address habitat impacts.

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Feb 11, 2026