Colorado River — Austin

About

Lady Bird Lake stretches five miles of flatwater through downtown Austin, impounded by Longhorn Dam and fed by the Colorado River at an average 1,200 CFS. The reservoir sits at the heart of Austin's paddling scene, with the Texas Rowing Center and the Lady Bird Lake Hike & Bike Trail providing access points along the urban shoreline. Above the Tom Miller Dam, Lake Austin extends another 10 miles through Hill Country terrain. Below Longhorn Dam, the Colorado runs 15 miles of Class I–II water with limestone riffles and occasional standing waves, optimal between 500–3,000 CFS on gauge 08158000. Travis County manages much of the corridor, while Barton Springs feeds cold groundwater into the system upstream of the lake. The urban sections see heavy recreational use from SUP paddlers, kayakers, and rowing crews, particularly around the university district where the lake narrows between concrete banks.