Thousands of people and boats are expected on
Lake Travis this
weekend for
AquaPalooza, a music festival Brad Paisley is headlining.
Crowds coupled
with more than a thousand boats are raising safety concerns for public
safety agencies, particularly, the Lake Travis Task Force, an umbrella organization
comprised of the public safety agencies, like the Lower Colorado River
Authority Rangers and Travis County Sheriff's Office, that have
jurisdiction on or adjacent to Lake Travis.
Officers from various
agencies have been meeting over the past few months to determine how to
best keep people safe at the event.
"Everybody is working
together with the promoter to make sure everybody is safe," Roger Wade,
public information officer for the Travis County Sheriff's Office told
reporters.
One of the main concerns the increased number of boats
that will be on the lake and the potential for accidents.
Alcohol
consumption, traveling at high speeds and horseplay were all cited as
actions that lead to a lot of accidents. Lack of boating experience
also made the list.
Boaters and other festival attendees are
being urged to curb how much alcohol they drink and stay hydrated.
Public
safety is not the only concern, protecting the integrity of the lake
itself is also a top priority.
Texas Parks and
Wildlife Department officials will be inspecting boats entering
Lake Travis for music festival looking for two invasive species,
lakegiant salvinia and zebra mussels, that could damage the lake.
"Zebra
mussels are an invasive species that can plug water intake systems and
damage your boats engine," explained Brian Van Zee, regional director
for TPWD, in an informational YouTube video created by the
department. "They attach to fishing piers and boat docks and harm Texas
lakes by affecting the food chain."
They can seriously harm
lakes once they are introduced into the water and either species is
found, boaters can be turned away or fined $2,000 or more.
To
avoid being turned away or fined Van Zee advises boat owners to clean,
drain and dry their boat, trailer and gear before coming to the music
festival.
The festival kicks off Saturday, July 10, at The
Reserve, located at Calcasieu Point, mile marker 22 on Lake Travis near
Austin, Texas.
