Barton Springs Pool is closed while it undergoes a deep cleaning to remove unhealthy growth and things like dirt, leaves, sticks and other debris from the pool floor.
While the annual cleaning goes back more than a decade, the closure is taking place as so many people are in town for South by Southwest. Last year, the festival welcomed more than 47,000 people, according to SXSW data.
City officials said the timing is strategic.
“If we do it too early in the year, like in February, you get those really, really cold days, and it’s not really safe for the staff to be getting in the water and doing that work,” DeAndre Cain, who manages the pool, said. “So we always aim for a time where the weather is nice enough for us to be able to be effective. But also before it gets really hot and we are going to want those real crowds coming in.”
Cain said the city also wants to make sure the pool is open for the people who live here.
“Historically, what we do is we look at Austin Independent School District, when their spring break is,” he said. “Our very first day of opening is always the first Saturday that they get let out.”
The cleaning helps keep the water healthy for wildlife and swimmers. It’s also a time for staff to catch up on training and small projects, like repainting the “no dive” signs on the pool deck.
Protecting the pool’s ecosystem is a priority. The pool is home to endangered species, like the Barton Springs salamander, so the city works with groups to ensure the cleaning doesn’t hurt the pool’s slithery residents.
“This is a very unique environment and there are very unique ways to manage and control it,” Cain said. “I think one of the most forgotten things is that this is an endangered species habitat. Most people think this is just a beautiful swimming hole, which it is, but there are a lot of other factors that go into (the annual cleaning).”
The pool will reopen March 15, coinciding with the start of Austin ISD and UT’s spring breaks. It’s also the first day of the season when the city charges for admission. Tickets range from $2 to $9.
This story was produced as part of the Austin Monitor’s reporting partnership with KUT.
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City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department: The city department responsible for the city's park system, rec centers, and associated infrastructure.
SXSW: Organizers of the massive annual festival that takes over the City of Austin each March. SXSW has donated to the Capital of Texas Media Foundation.
