Does the Greenbelt have water?
Dry
Loop 360: 0 cfs · Lost Creek: 1.9 cfs · 6h ago
Why the Greenbelt dries up and comes back →Last 7 days on Barton Creek
ideal 15 - 50 cfsPast years on these dates:10th - 90th percentile25th - 75th percentilemedian
Loop 360 is the gauge most people quote. Lost Creek is upstream of where the creek drains into the aquifer, so it's a better read on the upper falls.
Bacteria: cautionSignificant rain 42h ago washed bacteria into the creek. Wait until at least Friday 4 AM.
Standard local guidance (City of Austin watershed protection, LCRA): wait 48 - 72 hours after significant rain before swimming in creeks; up to a week after major floods.We call rain "significant" at ≥0.5" in 24h on any Barton watershed gauge. How this countdown works
Hill of Life
StagnantOnly isolated pools are left, and they’re barely moving. Expect warm, murky water with more bacteria.
The cascades and pools at the bottom of the Hill of Life, upstream of Sculpture Falls. The creek here sits above the biggest aquifer losses, so it holds water a little longer.
Spot details →
Sculpture Falls
DryNo flow at the gauge.
The big swimming hole below the carved limestone falls, about 1.5 miles down the Hill of Life trail. Deep enough to jump when the creek is running.
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Twin Falls
DryNo flow at the gauge.
Twin waterfalls over a limestone shelf near the MoPac access. Swimmable at lower flow than the other falls.
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Gus Fruh
DryNo flow at the gauge.
A deep pool against a limestone wall off Barton Hills Dr. Needs more water than the falls to be swimmable.
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Campbell's Hole
DryNo flow at the gauge.
The broad, calm pool a short walk upstream from Barton Springs. The easiest Greenbelt swim to reach.
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Barking Springs
LowSpring output is below its usual range, but spring-fed pools hold water even in drought.
The spillway pool just below Barton Springs Pool. Spring-fed, so it has water year-round even when the creek is dry.
Spot details →Where the thresholds come from
- Swimming ranges come from austintexasthings.com/flows and greenbelter.io, two long-running hobby trackers.
- City of Austin Waterway Restriction Plan: recreation permitted below 350 cfs at Loop 360; Austin Fire Department closes the creek around 1,500 cfs. (PDF)
- Standard local guidance (City of Austin watershed protection, LCRA): wait 48 - 72 hours after significant rain before swimming in creeks; up to a week after major floods.
Sources disagree on how much water is too much. Hobby trackers put the limit at 120 - 250 cfs. The City's plan, written for boaters, allows up to 350. We use the lower swimming numbers.