Old contstruction debris in Lady Bird Lake - Anyone know about this?

[JAM]

I didn't realize there were old bridge remains and stuff down there. Anyone have details on this? Photos perhaps?

A man was taken to the hospital this evening after he jumped off a bridge piling at Lady Bird Lake and impaled his foot and leg into a reinforcing bar.

Austin firefighters said the man was swimming and jumping off the construction debris with friends when he landed on the rebar and was hurt just before 7 p.m. under the Lamar Boulevard Bridge. Rescue swimmers were able to get him out of the water, and he was taken to University Medical Center Brackenridge with injuries that are not considered life-threatening, officials said,

Construction debris from the old bridges “is one of the big reasons why swimming in Lady Bird Lake is against city ordinance,” Battalion Chief Thayer Smith said. “It is really dangerous.”

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/conte...t_lady_bi.html

[MichaelB]

I knew about the old quarry bridges further to the west but not at Lamar. Right around where the old Row boat rentals are near Austin High on the north side of the river, there are remains of what was a bridge built to get rocks accross the river from Quarries to the south.

[Downtown_Austin]

Originally Posted by MichaelB

I knew about the old quarry bridges further to the west but not at Lamar. Right around where the old Row boat rentals are near Austin High on the north side of the river, there are remains of what was a bridge built to get rocks accross the river from Quarries to the south.

Interesting. I always thought bacteria from dog crap was the reason. Either way, these seem like obstacles which can be overcome in order to make the river/lake swimmable - which I would love to see.

[JAM]

Originally Posted by Downtown_Austin

Interesting. I always thought bacteria from dog crap was the reason. Either way, these seem like obstacles which can be overcome in order to make the river/lake swimmable - which I would love to see.

Ha ha, and I thought it was mercury levels. There is probably tons of garbage at the shallow bottoms that could hurt you too. Here is something kind of interesting, but nothing about old bridges on town lake

http://bridgehunter.com/category/cit...-texas/exhibit

http://www.progressiveengineer.com/P...-2/Pfluger.htm

http://www.austinpostcard.com/pclist.php

[KevinFromTexas]

It doesn't surprise me. I would not swim in Ladybird Lake. It can be nasty anyway. Lots of dead bats and their poo floating in it. If you can walk under the bridges along the Hike and Bike trail and get pooped on, guess where else it's going!

I have seen people sitting in those arches before and always figured it was a bad idea.

[the Genral]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

It doesn't surprise me. I would not swim in Ladybird Lake. It can be nasty anyway. Lots of dead bats and their poo floating in it. If you can walk under the bridges along the Hike and Bike trail and get pooped on, guess where else it's going!

I have seen people sitting in those arches before and always figured it was a bad idea.

This made me wonder...what if you catch and eat a bass that ate a dead rabid bat, could you get rabies? Not a joke, I fish the lake from time to time and never considered this possibility until now.
A late great friend of mine was a diver for APD in the 80's who was assigned the task of searching for evidence mostly under the bridges said there were a ton of bowling balls at the bottom of the lake.
As far as the lake being a toilet for the bats, and dogs, at least its in constant flush mode since there is a west to east current so the waters west of the Congress bridge would be cleaner.
I'll get boos and hisses for saying this, but I think the sounds and sights of gas powered boats on Lady Bird lake would be really cool. Yeah, I know they would reek havoc on the canoers and paddle boats.

[MichaelB]

Originally Posted by the Genral

This made me wonder...what if you catch and eat a bass that ate a dead rabid bat, could you get rabies? Not a joke, I fish the lake from time to time and never considered this possibility until now.
A late great friend of mine was a diver for APD in the 80's who was assigned the task of searching for evidence mostly under the bridges said there were a ton of bowling balls at the bottom of the lake.
As far as the lake being a toilet for the bats, and dogs, at least its in constant flush mode since there is a west to east current so the waters west of the Congress bridge would be cleaner.
I'll get boos and hisses for saying this, but I think the sounds and sights of gas powered boats on Lady Bird lake would be really cool. Yeah, I know they would reek havoc on the canoers and paddle boats.

boo. Hiss

[Jdawgboy]

Ive always thought it would be nice for Austin to get real steam power wheel boats and a couple of larger cruise boats. The ones we have look ghetto and unimpressive and I think it would look nice to have good size boats for tourists and such.

[hookem]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

Ive always thought it would be nice for Austin to get real steam power wheel boats and a couple of larger cruise boats. The ones we have look ghetto and unimpressive and I think it would look nice to have good size boats for tourists and such.

How does a cruise boat look ghetto lol? I'm trying to picture it in my mind.

Anyway, Ladybird lake is extremely shallow in some areas. I'm not sure much bigger boats could use it. I admit, although I don't "swim" in Ladybird lake, I do kayak there a lot... and on a hot day, I'll jump out of the kayak to cool off a bit. Sometimes I'll immediately touch the ground, the water is only mid-chest level. Freaked me out the first time. Anyway, I'd never jump off anything into Ladybird lake...

And speaking of debris, isn't most of the old red bud dam debris still there? The "island" is basically the debris, right? Wonder if that has any dangerous stuff.

[KevinFromTexas]

^Ladybird Lake is shallow in some places. You can bottom out in a canoe fairly close to the center of it. It's only about 20 feet deep at its deepest spots, but most of it is only around 2 to 4 feet deep.

Originally Posted by MichaelB

boo. Hiss

Seconded. I like the quiet laid back nature (nature) of Ladybird Lake. It's pretty characteristic of Austin's personality. Besides, the lake is way too shallow for that. It would be like watching a demolition derby for boats.

Lake Marble Falls is a much better place for that since it's deeper. They have those boat races there every year. I remember when my aunt lived there you could hear the boats screaming down the lake, and she lived several miles from it.

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

Ive always thought it would be nice for Austin to get real steam power wheel boats and a couple of larger cruise boats. The ones we have look ghetto and unimpressive and I think it would look nice to have good size boats for tourists and such.

What's wrong with "ghetto and unimpressive"? Many of the SSP Rust Belt posters would love it.

[Jdawgboy]

Lol ok maybe ghetto was the wrong word, more like very simplified. I figured the lake overall was fairly shallow but ive seen fairly good sized boats that can float in shallow water. I do think we have more boats now than a few years ago. You can see them all out in the evenings filled with people which is nice. By the way I soooo want to go on one of those paddle swan boats, we should have a bunch of those and have a big race lol.

[BevoLJ]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

It would be like watching a demolition derby for boats.

I was going to give the Genral a boo and a hiss, but now you have me wondering... lol.

Lets have one day of the year we allow them on the lake and just sit back and watch the chaos! Memorial Day would be great for it! Being that we are Austin I am sure we could make it into a fantastic event or festival around it. lol

[the Genral]

We had drag boat racing at Fiesta Gardens back in the 70's. Now you got me thinking it would be cool to have an annual waterski jumping competition on LBL especially when the boardwalk is completed.
BTW, I retract my comment about allowing gas powered boats on LBL. The lake is obviously too shallow and narrow for this. Instead I think we should dredge the lake to make it deeper, then widen it by removing the trails on both sides, then we can allow gas powered speed boats and small yachts. Forgive my ignorance, what was I thinking?

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by the Genral

We had drag boat racing at Fiesta Gardens back in the 70's. Now you got me thinking it would be cool to have an annual waterski jumping competition on LBL especially when the boardwalk is completed.
BTW, I retract my comment about allowing gas powered boats on LBL. The lake is obviously too shallow and narrow for this. Instead I think we should dredge the lake to make it deeper, then widen it by removing the trails on both sides, then we can allow gas powered speed boats and small yachts. Forgive my ignorance, what was I thinking?

Some man made islands with condo towers would be cool too.

[BevoLJ]

*shakes head and leaves thread for good*

lol

[Jdawgboy]

Deepening the river is a pretty good Idea.

[JAM]

Originally Posted by Hill Country

Some man made islands with condo towers would be cool too.

I'm diggin this idea, but would like to add that it should be reserved for a nude female colony

[BevoLJ]

Originally Posted by JAM

I'm diggin this idea, but would like to add that it should be reserved for a nude female colony

There are more than a few male Austinite posters on here who would take issue with this!

Edit: On second thought, in thinking of many of the males I know who would have a problem with it being female nude only... well perhaps it is best that it only be female nude only. lol. I really don't want to think what sort of craziness they would get into.

[BevoLJ]

Do these sorts of discussions happen on other cities forums?