FLASH BRIEFING

Austin lakes reopen after historic flooding

Rowers, anglers and others take to the water once three-week long usage ban lifted

Mary Huber
mhuber@statesman.com
Members of the University of Texas rowing team train on Lady Bird Lake, which reopened for recreational use, on Saturday. The lake had been closed since Oct. 16 after historic flooding created unsafe conditions. [Rodolfo Gonzalez/For the American-Statesman]

The water in Lady Bird Lake was calm this weekend after the picturesque stream reopened for commercial and recreational use in the wake of heavy rain and historic flooding on the Highland Lakes.

Starting at daybreak, rowers began unloading their shells on the water, and fishermen climbed into their boats, finally able to enjoy the lake again after the Austin Fire Department on Friday lifted the waterway ban it imposed on Oct. 16.

For the past three weeks, the lake had been largely a blank canvas, though dabs of color dotted the scene this weekend as locals took to the water despite the crisp temperatures.

Near the Waller Creek Boathouse, a group of four female rowers — all of them cancer survivors, they said — pulled in at about 11 a.m. and laid down their paddles.

The women are part of a nonprofit group called Capital of Texas Team Survivor, which encourages healthy living after the completion of treatment for cancer. They make it out to the lake regularly to row and said the past few weeks had been tough on them. They were itching to get back on the water.

"I'll tell you what, I've been kind of sad," said Jil Doughtie, who admitted she missed her friends. "We are happy to be together and on the water and getting some exercise."

Nearby, Congress Avenue Kayaks, which also rents stand-up paddleboards to locals and tourists, was reopening for business.

Assistant manager Thalai Topete said the business had not been able to offer rentals over the past month — and absent any work, many employees had stayed home.

"They told us we couldn't open until the water hit a certain current," said employee Samantha Garcia, 18, as she prepared to return to business as usual Saturday. "We had a big group this morning. It's a little cold, but people still persevere."

Garcia said that during the period when the lake wasn't open for recreation, her boss was kind to give her shifts that involved cleaning and maintenance work on the boats.

Austin waterways were closed in mid-October as a safety precaution after an overflowing Llano River emptied into the Highland Lakes last month and swelled them to historic levels.

The massive influx of water caused Lake Travis to rise to 704.3 feet above mean sea level, or 146 percent of its capacity, resulting in flooding of surrounding neighborhoods and businesses. The Lower Colorado River Authority, which manages the Highland Lakes system, had to open floodgates at Mansfield Dam to release the water, which led to swift, dangerous currents downstream and created unsafe conditions on Lake Austin and Lady Bird Lake.

Alvin Cantu, who manages the Texas Rowing Center on Lady Bird Lake, said he knew immediately when flooding-related evacuations began in the Hill Country that the water was on its way to Austin. He said the business started preparations to evacuate property, and soon had tucked away all the electronic equipment and moved kayaks, canoes and paddle board to higher ground.

"We've seen a lot of floods," said Cantu, who has worked at the rowing center for 22 years. On Saturday, he said the business hadn't suffered any damage and was doing just fine.

"Just like every time we experience a flooding event, the moment we reopen everybody comes back," he said.

All Austin-area waterways have reopened to the public, including Lakes Austin and Travis. Lakes Marble Falls and LBJ in the Hill Country remain closed until at least next week.

By 10 a.m. Saturday, Cantu said about 150 people had already checked into the rowing center and ventured onto the river. Rowing teams that had been practicing on land over the past three weeks set off in their shells and began slicing through the water.

"It reminds you how valuable a resource the lake is," said Patrick Kelly, a rowing coach. "And how much use it really gets."