Austin extends water activity ban for Lake Austin, Lady Bird Lake and Colorado River

July 22, 2026

The City of Austin extended its restriction on water activities on Lady Bird Lake, Lake Austin and the Colorado River until Thursday at 5 p.m. The order bars personal and commercial watercraft and similar devices from those waterways during the extension.

City officials left the floodgates open at the Tom Miller Dam and the Mansfield Dam to lower reservoir levels after last week’s heavy rainfall. That release of stored water has produced high, fast-moving currents and increased debris in the river system.

The order lists prohibited equipment, including wet bikes, motorized surfboards, canoes, kayaks and paddleboards, along with other similar devices. Commercial, navigational and recreational uses are all barred while the restriction remains in effect.

Officials also advise people to avoid riverfront trails that are vulnerable to flash flooding. The city says the combination of strong flows and debris makes the waterways unsafe for users until conditions improve.