Barton Creek
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Canoeing on Barton Creek near where the creek empties into Austin's Town Lake. |
Barton Creek is one of the
tributaries that feeds the Texas
Colorado River from the
Texas Hill Country. The creek passes through some of the more scenic areas in the
Austin region and forms a
greenbelt that is the
habitat for many indigenous
species of
flora and
fauna.
The creek begins in northern
Hays County and flows forty
miles (64
km) east through Austin to
Town Lake, where it merges with the Colorado River. The creek falls into the fissure of
Edwards Aquifer in southwest Austin and reemerges at
Barton Springs. During rainy seasons, upper Barton Creek hosts water recreation including kayaking, tubing, and swimming. Lower Barton Creek features these water sports year-round with swimming in
Barton Springs Pool, and kayaking and caneoing in the creek fed with the discharge from the springs.
The creek is named for William Barton, who built a house near
Barton Springs in
1837. The springs quickly became a popular
resort, with a
pool being constructed there in the
1930s.
Development in Austin in the
1970s and
1980s began to threaten both the creek's
water quality and
wildlife. Heavy
rainfall often caused closure of the pools at the springs due to
contamination from
runoff and
sewer lines. Following public outcry, the Austin City Council passed the Barton Creek
watershed Ordinance in
1980 and later the Comprehensive Watersheds Ordinance in
1986. Proposals in
1990 to develop land in the watershed resulted in more public outcry leading to the passage of the Save Our Springs Citizens' Initiative of
1992, which severely limited
construction, limited
tax exemptions, established
pollution control standards, and implemented methods for reducing accidental contamination.
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