The City of Austin has closed the shallow portion of Deep Eddy Pool indefinitely because of low water levels in the two wells that feed the pool.


photo by Ricardo B. Brazziell

The shallow area — which ranges from about 1 foot deep to 31/2 feet — is separated by a concrete wall from the deeper portion, which is popular with lap swimmers and will remain open for now.

Officials plan to test the geology and soil around the pool to figure out whether they should modify or deepen the existing wells, build a new one or pursue another solution. The city isn't sure how much the tests or possible repairs will cost.

The city closed Deep Eddy, off Lake Austin Boulevard, on Aug. 28 after lightning knocked out two water pumps. The pumps have been fixed, but a closer look at the wells showed there isn't enough water to keep filling both sides of the pool, aquatics division manager Tom Nelson said.

If the drought continues, the pool's deep end might also have to be closed, Nelson said.

"We realize the iconic nature of this facility. We will do everything we can to keep it open," he said.

The drought is also taking a toll on Barton Springs Pool, where spring flows are at historically low levels. There are no plans to close that pool.

Stacy Pool is the only other city pool that has a well, but it is an artesian well that's only used in the winter to heat the water.

Year-round, the pool has a normal filtration system, so it is not in danger of closing, Nelson said.

Deep Eddy Pool and its wells are nearly a century old. City staffers had always assumed that Lady Bird Lake, which sits directly south of Deep Eddy, feeds the wells there.

But during a recent inspection, they found that the wells' water levels were lower than the lake, a sign that the wells might draw water from other sources.

The testing should help the city learn more about the wells and the geology that surrounds them, said Scott Hiers, a senior environmental scientist at the Watershed Protection Department.

The well west of the shallow portion of the pool feeds both sides of the pool. The other well, east of the deep end, feeds only that area. The water level of the west well is especially low, and there is not enough water in either to continue filling the whole pool, Nelson said.

In 2006, voters agreed to spend $5 million in bond money on renovations to Deep Eddy. Most hasn't been spent yet, and some could be used to modify or repair the wells, Nelson said.