Why are CapTex Triathletes allowed to swim in Lady Bird Lake?
AUSTIN (KXAN) — One of Austin’s most famous bodies of water prohibits swimming… for the most part.
Lady Bird Lake — formerly called Town Lake, and technically a reservoir rather than a lake — offers plenty of opportunities for recreational activities like paddleboarding and kayaking, boat tours, and a 10-mile hike-and-bike loop along the water’s edge. But not swimming.
However, hundreds of swimmers will dive into the lake’s waters on Monday for the swimming portion of the annual Ascension Seton CapTex Triathlon.
The triathlon is currently the only time swimming is permissible in Lady Bird Lake.
Over 60 years ago, the Austin City Council banned swimming in what was then Town Lake. The 1964 ordinance bans swimming in Colorado River waters between the Tom Miller Dam and the Old Montopolis Bridge.
There are a few exceptions to that ban, according to the city’s watershed protection department.
According to city code, the swimming prohibition does not apply to a person:
(1) performing an official duty as an officer or employee of the city;
(2) attempting to rescue or recover another person;
(3) performing dredging or construction work authorized by the city council; or
(4) participating in a public event or exhibition authorized by the city council.
CapTex Tri is a special event.
The Parks and Recreation Department confirmed that other events in the past have involved swimming in the reservoir, but the CapTex Triathlon is currently the only special event allowing swimming in Lady Bird Lake.
According to the Austin Center for Events (ACE), “events held on waterways require additional planning, resources, and approval,” and a comprehensive water safety operations plan must be provided to the department. That typically includes Lake Patrol, emergency medical services, and Parks and Recreation Department review. Events that include water entry are required to have open water certified lifeguards and hire Lake Patrol, per ACE.
The ACE webpage for the CapTex Triathlon also notes, “due to the number of participants on site, and the nature of the activities, access to waterway and/or docks are impacted during event hours.”
