By Marty Toohey, Asher Price
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Barton Springs Pool has serious structural damage and will probably need to be closed for six months or more for repairs, according to city officials.
Those officials said they don’t know when the pool would close. Numerous factors, including the health of endangered salamanders living nearby, will play a part in that decision.
The damage does not pose an immediate safety hazard to the swimmers, sunbathers and others who use Barton Springs Pool, according to a Monday city memorandum written by the directors of the city’s parks and environmental protection departments. But if the city does not make repairs, the damage could worsen, eventually making the pool unsafe and threatening the salamanders.
“Not making any repairs … is not a realistic option,” the city memo said.
The repairs could cost $2.4 million to $4.7 million.
The damage is to an underground tunnel that runs parallel to the pool on its north side, underneath the sidewalk. During heavy rains, the tunnel shunts excess dirty water from the creek that feeds Barton Springs Pool. The tunnel is about 6 feet high and 10 feet wide.
City officials discovered cracks in the tunnel in October when the pool level began dropping, city spokeswoman Stephanie Lott said. As a temporary fix, the city put bricks and stones into the tunnel to equalize pressure with the pool.
More holes, none bigger than a pad of paper, have formed since then. There are now about a dozen holes.
“The structure has reached the end of its useful life,” said Stan Evans, an engineer with the city’s Watershed Protection and Development Review Department. “It’s just like when you wear a car out. We’re now in the process of determining strategies to repair that or replace it.”
Gary Beyer, vice president of the Friends of Barton Springs Pool association, said he hopes the city can find a way to conduct the repairs without closing the pool. Continue reading “Structural repairs to take place at Barton Springs Pool”
