Bacteria levels return to typical pre-flood levels, but caution is still advised.
AUSTIN — As the Highland Lakes continue to recover from recent flooding, the Lower Colo rado River Authority is reminding visitors to use caution on the lakes.
Some areas of the lakes still contain debris such as large tree limbs and trash carried in by July flooding and docks and boats that owners have not yet moved back to shore. LCRA advises boaters to avoid traveling on the lakes at night for several more weeks.
“The debris is getting better day by day, but you still need to keep an eye out and slow down,” said John Hofmann, LCRA executive vice president of Water.
“It’s absolutely not smart or safe to go full speed on the lakes under these conditions. We expect conditions will continue to improve, but our advice is to remain cautious of debris for the foreseeable future.”
Water quality conditions are now typical of what we see this time of year, but visitors should still be careful about where they swim or let their dogs in the water.
“Flood-related bacteria levels have subsided,” Hofmann said. “It’s important to remember these lakes are not chlorinated swimming pools, so there is always a risk of encountering bacteria or other microorganisms regardless of whether there’s been a recent flood."
LCRA advises lake visitors to avoid swimming in cloudy, smelly or stagnant water, as bacteria tend to be higher in those areas.
Swimmers should avoid contact with debris, algae mats or stirred up sediment to reduce potential risks.
LCRA also advises visitors to:
•Always wear a life jacket on the Highland Lakes, which are now more than 100 feet deep in places.
•Be aware the bottoms of the lakes are uneven and covered with rocks and sometimes plant material.
•Never swim alone and keep a close eye on every member of your group.
•Plug your nose when jumping into the water to reduce potential exposure to the Naegleria fowleri amoeba.
•Avoid letting dogs swim near floating algae mats and take care to rinse dogs with clean water after they swim.
Additional water safety tips are available on LCRA’s Be Lakewise webpage at lcra.org/ belakewise.
