Friends,
We are fast approaching the end of the pool cleaning season with Sept. 5 and Oct. 3 being the last of the first Thursday dates to volunteer, along with Councils Cleans the Pool on Thursday (Oct. 24). The season has been very successful working with corporate sponsors like AMD, C3 Presents, Wholefoods along with teams from all walks of life like ABGB, BRC Recovery, Austin Allies, Austin Youthworks, Progress Texas, and of course our loyal Friends! Folks, when you add up all the people/hours, we put up staggering numbers — 500+ volunteers putting in 3000+ volunteer hours at the pool!
WE THANK ALL OF YOU!!
Aquatic plants in the pool update. We have a new approach that takes into account some successes that were realized in the past along with a better commitment from PARD and Watershed. FBSP will be leading a team that will help with planting and maintaining the plants. To better prepare the plants, we are going to create a nursery. The planting will be done during the scheduled partial draw-downs of the pool to make it easier and safer. If anyone is interested in finding out more about this effort, check out our website or email me at president@friendsofbartonspringspool.org
Speaking of partial draw-downs, FBSP has been advocating for this since 2006 as a way of improving water quality. When the pool is drawn down, it kills the algae in the shallow end, and BSP Staff is able to get the bobcat with the power brush and hoses (Broom Brigade on steroids…) to wash away the organics and make it less slippery for swimmers.
WE COMMEND PARD and AQUATICS FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN!
Opening up the upper dam to creek flow something that we have been advocating for since 2006. I could go on and on about the benefits and I encourage anyone interested in learning more to refer to the Barton Springs Pool Master Plan. The good news is Watershed recognized the benefits and took on this project. Furthermore, they have progressed to the point where they hired an engineering firm to design the gates, and develop a plan for when to take advantage of creek flow in the pool. We have been involved all along the way with meetings and discussions and are looking forward to seeing what they have designed. We encourage everyone to support this effort, again if you are interested in finding out more about this effort email me at president@friendsofbartonspringspool.org
WE THANK WATERSHED FOR TAKING ON THIS PROJECT!
Barton Creek Safety update. Joe Riddell, a long-time environmental activist and avid kayaker of the creek, has led this charge and succeeded in getting the Environmental Board to create a resolution to council for “Safety improvements above Barton Springs Pool for inner-tubers and boaters” (Environmental Commission Motion 20190619 007b). In the short term, you should be seeing some signs over the creek and a temporary location for getting off the creek upstream from the upper dam. In the long term, a more formal way to safely get off the creek will be installed near where the gravel trap dam was. Another area of concern that sadly resulted in a drowning at the inlet to the bypass tunnel will be to make changes to the inlet gate to improve the safety.
WE THANK JOE RIDDELL AND SBCA FOR TAKING THIS ON!
Council Cleans the Pool is an event we have sponsored over the years and it is going to happen again on Thurs, October 24. Areas of interest for this event will be an update on Bathhouse Rehabilitation project, Barton Creek Safety, Upper Dam Protect, Zilker Park Master Plan, Repopulating Aquatic Plants, and identifying potential bond projects to benefit the park. Oh, and we also strongly encourage our mayor and council members to get in the pool, grab a broom and help put that shine on our beloved pool. We also hope to plant some trees again this year.
See you at the pool,
Steve Barnick, FBSP President
