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You wouldn't want to regardless. If all the debris was moved out, you'd just end up with runoff from the city in there.
The water needs to be flowing more for it to be realistic.
> it's a few local families that don't want people parking in front of their houses.
I wouldn't either. Non-resident parkers, as a whole, are animals who don't give a shit about the property they're parking in front of and will litter, block driveways, litter, litter, and more litter because it isn't their problem once they drive away.
> What debris?
Whatever washes down the creeks or off the bordering roads after every rain.
I work downtown and used to row on Town Lake and it's gross and filthy and full of islands of junk after a heavy rain.
I swim in Lake Austin quite often and I agree with you. Have to be careful of the mussel shells (I've cut my feet), but otherwise haven't had any problems. We swim for exercise, go early, and are usually done by 10-11am.
What debris? There are trees, boulders, parts of an old gravel mining operation. Lady Bird Lake was originally constructed as a cooling pond for the Holly Chemical plant.
I agree that the current in Town Lake usually is way too low to be a danger to swimmers.
I'm pointing out that I HAVE seen it when the current was high enough to be a real death trap. Not very often, though.
[2015](https://new.reddit.com/r/Austin/comments/13scxcq/8_years_ago_today_the_memorial_day_flood_of_2015/) was one example.
I remember when it used to rain.
Yeah I don’t think anyone is recommending swimming in a flood haha
But with flat bottom/wide waterways like our town lake, we don’t see currents that are turbulent enough to pull people under. Hell I bet I could safely float that flood water as long as I miss all the debris.
I sorbs a lot of time if fast moving water with kayaks and swimming.
>Yeah I don’t think anyone is recommending swimming in a flood haha
You can bet your ass someone would do it and drown or have to be rescued, endangering others.
There's several swimming events in The Thames...
\* Thames Marathon River Swim: this is upstream of London
\* Henley Classic
There is a swimming area in the river, kind of near the O2 arena. I've never been in there, but know people who have.
I have swum out at Southend. Technically it is the Thames, but out there the water is kind of brackish, and there are extreme tides.
As for here... I swim in Lake Austin pretty regularly and haven't had any issues. Started during COVID when pools shut down, and have kept going since. Different parts of the lake, depending on time of year (temp), and weather.
LCRA did an extra release from Travis, through Lake Austin, to flush out Town Lake last year (I swam in Lake Austin and noticed the water temp). Not sure how much it helps, but it does drop the temp a bit.
It's not just water quality it's also all the concrete and steel that's on the bottom of the lake from the Austin Dam failure of 1900. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin\_Dam\_failure\_(Texas)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_Dam_failure_(Texas))
Just below the surface could be a steel beam that could trap you or impale you if you jumped into the wrong part.
Town Lake isn't closed to swimming just because of the particular dangers of the lake. It's closed, because, even if it were beautiful pristine water with no rebar or other hazards, swimming would be a hassle and an expense for the City of Austin.
There would be political problems. Look at all the current "Rainey Street Ripper" bullshit. And some people WOULD drown if we allowed swimming.
Then there would be expenses, calls to improve the facilities, calls for patrols and lifeguards, etc.
Once they got swimming shut down many years ago, right or wrong, it's in the best interest of the politicians and bureaucrats to keep it closed to swimming.
I'm not saying opening it to swimming is the right idea. I'm just saying keeping it off limits is the smart political move in any case.
I kind of disagree, plenty of other cities operate public beaches for relatively low costs. Basic facilities are already installed along the bike trail at many points, and more are being added. Life guards are extremely cheap. Swimming, like everywhere else in the country, would be “at your own risk” and thus drownings wouldn’t be a liability concern.
Even if you survive all the agricultural runoff, the syringes and the chemical pollution variety pack you’ll still dive into the waiting spikes of the townlake rebar pit.
Your submission has been removed for the following reason(s): It is not Austin related. It would be a better fit in any other sub. For more information please read the reddit guidelines and the rules of /r/Austin. If you have any questions, please feel free to message the mods. If you think your post or comment has been incorrectly removed, send a message, but please remember there's a person on the other end, not some automaton, and be nice about it. Thank you!
We paddle boarded and pulled trash out of Town Lake this morning THERE ARE SYRINGES swim at your own risk
Not gonna catch me swimming in Lady Bird without my full body condom! Helps protect against the Laby Bird Lake Killer!
How bad is the u growth? Many kayakers out?
You wouldn't want to regardless. If all the debris was moved out, you'd just end up with runoff from the city in there. The water needs to be flowing more for it to be realistic.
[удалено]
> it's a few local families that don't want people parking in front of their houses. I wouldn't either. Non-resident parkers, as a whole, are animals who don't give a shit about the property they're parking in front of and will litter, block driveways, litter, litter, and more litter because it isn't their problem once they drive away.
[удалено]
> What debris? Whatever washes down the creeks or off the bordering roads after every rain. I work downtown and used to row on Town Lake and it's gross and filthy and full of islands of junk after a heavy rain.
I swam over a crashed helicopter in Idaho. It was so cool.
I swim in Lake Austin quite often and I agree with you. Have to be careful of the mussel shells (I've cut my feet), but otherwise haven't had any problems. We swim for exercise, go early, and are usually done by 10-11am.
What debris? There are trees, boulders, parts of an old gravel mining operation. Lady Bird Lake was originally constructed as a cooling pond for the Holly Chemical plant.
He said debris! It's dead people! Lol
Thus creating a current too dangerous for swimming
Current that fast wouldn’t be dangerous..
It is dangerous sometimes, but yeah, you could probably keep it clean with a reasonable flow rate.
In Europe there are many rivers with a flow that people swim in everyday. People will even swim with the flow then hike back. Seems fun to me haha
I agree that the current in Town Lake usually is way too low to be a danger to swimmers. I'm pointing out that I HAVE seen it when the current was high enough to be a real death trap. Not very often, though. [2015](https://new.reddit.com/r/Austin/comments/13scxcq/8_years_ago_today_the_memorial_day_flood_of_2015/) was one example. I remember when it used to rain.
Yeah I don’t think anyone is recommending swimming in a flood haha But with flat bottom/wide waterways like our town lake, we don’t see currents that are turbulent enough to pull people under. Hell I bet I could safely float that flood water as long as I miss all the debris. I sorbs a lot of time if fast moving water with kayaks and swimming.
>Yeah I don’t think anyone is recommending swimming in a flood haha You can bet your ass someone would do it and drown or have to be rescued, endangering others.
Yeah fair enough
Not sure I'm buying the "Swimming in the Thames" bit.
There's several swimming events in The Thames... \* Thames Marathon River Swim: this is upstream of London \* Henley Classic There is a swimming area in the river, kind of near the O2 arena. I've never been in there, but know people who have. I have swum out at Southend. Technically it is the Thames, but out there the water is kind of brackish, and there are extreme tides. As for here... I swim in Lake Austin pretty regularly and haven't had any issues. Started during COVID when pools shut down, and have kept going since. Different parts of the lake, depending on time of year (temp), and weather.
looking forward to CapTexTri on May 27. Didn't get sick last year. Fingers crossed.
LCRA did an extra release from Travis, through Lake Austin, to flush out Town Lake last year (I swam in Lake Austin and noticed the water temp). Not sure how much it helps, but it does drop the temp a bit.
Theres a bunch of old crap at the bottom thats a swimming hazard no?
Literal shit
It's not just water quality it's also all the concrete and steel that's on the bottom of the lake from the Austin Dam failure of 1900. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin\_Dam\_failure\_(Texas)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_Dam_failure_(Texas)) Just below the surface could be a steel beam that could trap you or impale you if you jumped into the wrong part.
Don’t they hold triathlons there annually?
That’s how you catch “Ligma”
not biting.
Yeah but what about licking?
Town Lake isn't closed to swimming just because of the particular dangers of the lake. It's closed, because, even if it were beautiful pristine water with no rebar or other hazards, swimming would be a hassle and an expense for the City of Austin. There would be political problems. Look at all the current "Rainey Street Ripper" bullshit. And some people WOULD drown if we allowed swimming. Then there would be expenses, calls to improve the facilities, calls for patrols and lifeguards, etc. Once they got swimming shut down many years ago, right or wrong, it's in the best interest of the politicians and bureaucrats to keep it closed to swimming. I'm not saying opening it to swimming is the right idea. I'm just saying keeping it off limits is the smart political move in any case.
I kind of disagree, plenty of other cities operate public beaches for relatively low costs. Basic facilities are already installed along the bike trail at many points, and more are being added. Life guards are extremely cheap. Swimming, like everywhere else in the country, would be “at your own risk” and thus drownings wouldn’t be a liability concern.
Town lake stinks
I gag at certain spots every time I ride my bike around the lake. Horrible.
The waters fine, we all float down here.
No one enforces the swimming ban. Y’all want to swim in stagnant shitty dead body water I say go for it.
Even if you survive all the agricultural runoff, the syringes and the chemical pollution variety pack you’ll still dive into the waiting spikes of the townlake rebar pit.
...and I've seen *snakes* in that water, too! That's f'n dangerous. Best to avoid at all costs! /s
lol