After weeks of heavy rainfall and flooding across Central Texas, Lake Travis officially reopened for recreational use on July 24. Despite the reopening, officials urge visitors to be aware of lingering hazards and safety risks while enjoying the water.
Lake Travis was fully closed under a disaster declaration issued by Travis County Judge Andy Brown on July 5, citing flooding hazards and unsafe water conditions. A revised order on July 19 allowed a partial reopening downstream, while recreational activity along Cow Creek remained off-limits with recovery and cleanup efforts underway.
“We had a significant rain event that has resulted in hundreds of thousands of acres of runoff water from the land mass around those water sources, and with that comes contamination,” said Desmar Walkes, medical director of Austin Public Health. “That poses significant public health risk to individuals that may be exposed to the flood water.”
Walkes said the contamination of the water can last for weeks after the flooding, and there may be debris in the water for an “indefinite” amount of time as well. As of Sunday, Lake Travis was 90.6% full as opposed to a month ago, when it was 43.6% full, according to Water Data for Texas.
“We have sewer and septic tanks in those areas that may have overflowed and gone off into that water that ran off into those water bodies,” Walkes said.
The flood also brought disruptions for local businesses that rely on lake activities, as many await clearer safety guidance. Charlotte Jacunski, general manager at Waterford Marina and North Shore Marina on Lake Travis, said debris carried by the floodwaters can cause physical damage to boats and marina infrastructure, complicating recovery efforts.
“The bigger interruption has been with the bacteria levels from floodwaters,” Jacunski said. “We’ve just seen a slowdown in general business and people taking their boats out.”
Clara Tuma, public information officer for the Lower Colorado River Authority, said water safety remains a top priority. Visitors are urged to remain mindful of the lake’s natural hazards, she said.
“Immediately after flooding, anyone thinking about going to the lakes needs to be aware that there is likely going to be debris both at the surface of the lake and under the surface of the lake,” Tuma said. “People need to know that bacteria levels tend to jump up immediately following flooding and stay elevated for a couple of weeks.”
