Aquarena closed to diving today due to high waters

[cruiser]

So, I head to San Marcos this morning @ 5:30 from Dallas. My buddy gets there first and calls me while I'm at Sonic getting a breakfast burrito to tell me that all diving has been called off due to rain during the night. He said there would be diving on Sunday IF the water went down about 3 feet but there was no guarantee. Decided to walk around and get some pictures of the high water while I was there and posted them here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/scuba-linda/sets/72157600941381882

The road that runs by the golf course was flooded so you had to enter the back way. In the residential area you could see deer that had been washed out of their cover and were taking refuge in front yards.

The level of Spring Lake was overflowing onto the lawn, and fish were having a great time exploring this new territory.

Staff was trying to salvage equipment that was flooded and the boats weren't running.

Across Aquarena Springs Drive, the San Marcos was out of its banks, and the entry stairs were all under water. Word was they expected the water to eventually rise over the bridge and that would be closed. too.

Ah, water, water everywhere.....

 

[CenTexDivin]

Nice pics.

There was a science class that was diving out there, but I wouldn't have wanted to dive in there. With all of the run off, the bacteria level is much higher than normal.

You should've taken some pics of the show area. The docks are chained to the bottom and are now partially underwater. I think that the clamshells that are normally at 15 ft are around 20 now, and I can only guess at what the flow is at right now. It was enough that you could see leaves and such floating by at a brisk pace on the surface.

I'd like to hope that everything will go down by the morning, but there was still water covering the entrance by the golf course and it began raining pretty good around 6:30p.

 

[archman]

That's totally messed up.
I wonder what the low pressure springs looked like. When I was diving there a few weeks back, there were a few *patches* off to the side of Cream of Wheat where previously unobtrusive springs were creating visible sand blowouts. It must be nuts down there now.

The picture of the deer sitting in the front yard is awesome.

 

[cruiser]

That's totally messed up.
I wonder what the low pressure springs looked like. When I was diving there a few weeks back, there were a few *patches* off to the side of Cream of Wheat where previously unobtrusive springs were creating visible sand blowouts. It must be nuts down there now.

The picture of the deer sitting in the front yard is awesome.

Thanks, archman. I drove by the deer twice before I realize it was real.

 

[cruiser]

CenTexDivin--Since the bulk of the runoff was from the golf course (and the lake level went up accordingly) you know there's got to be lots of crud in there right now. The spring where we dive, though, looked undisturbed from the surface. Further downstream it turned to chocolate milk.

 

[parrotheaddiver]

Ah yes...it was a great weekend here 6.5 inches.....the river is now a bit lower but not much...still looks like chocolate milk...we live above the river and there is a creek that crosses our road on it's way to the river and it made it difficult to get back and forth in to town over the weekend a few cars drowned out...crossed it this morning on the way in and still has about 6in. of water flowing over it...but within a week if no more rain the river should be beautiful again

 

[cruiser]

Kind of off topic but interesting: Heard on the radio this morning coming to work that a lady drove around a flooded road barricade in San Marcos with 2 kids in her car. She will duly arrested and charged with child endangerment.

 

[parrotheaddiver]

Not sure where that would be unless it was at 5 mi dam but they have locking barricades arcross the Blanco river low water crossing there and I think they have been closed for a while 2-3 wks?....but yep they will arrest you if you go around barricades....forturnately our road was not closed but did have one high water barricade warning us....and they were there monitoring it....plus a huge tree loosened by the flood waters fell across our road and they were having to cut it in pieces and move it so we could get around....

LBJ street in town was barricaded as was the road to Rio Vista park so maybe it was one of those..

 

[redacted]

I thought it was north of Austin - maybe Round Rock.

 

[thadsmoore]

wow! what a weekend! Went to my sisters place in Marble Falls- checked out all the dive spots in austin area- found out that windy point has been sold! Went to San Marcos hoping to go scuba back in my home town waters- sad to see it looked like chocolate milk churning down the river- worst I have seen it since early/mid 80s flood! So, I took my son to Comal Springs- visibility sucked- but, it was the best we had to deal with! we had fun regardless! met alot of cool people- didnt see any divers though!