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Another Texas Hill Country swimming hole is closing as area experiences exceptional drought

Swimming area at Blue Hole Regional Park in Wimberley will be closed for remainder of 2023

Before and after photos show swimming area at Blue Hole Regional Park (Wimberley Parks and Recreation)

WIMBERLEY, Texas – Another Texas Hill Country swimming hole is closing as water disappears from the area.

The swimming area at Blue Hole Regional Park in Wimberley will be closed for the remainder of the year because the depth of the water is no longer safe, according to the city’s parks officials.

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“It has become evident that the section of Cypress Creek that flows through Blue Hole Regional Park has not regained a safe depth for swimming this season,” City of Wimberley officials said in a Facebook post.

The announcement comes a little more than a week after officials first announced the swimming area would be closed temporarily due to low water levels.

Swimming area at Blue Hole Regional Park in Wimberley prior to drought. (Wimberley Parks and Recreation)

“Your safety has always been our highest priority. While the E. coli levels have thankfully remained within the normal range, the lack of sufficient water depth makes swimming unsafe at this time,” officials said at the time.

Anyone who has an upcoming swimming reservation will be fully refunded as soon as possible.

Park officials said regional hike and bike trails, picnic areas, playscapes and sports courts are still open with free access to the public. However, barbecue pits are closed due to a burn ban in the area.

The closure of Blue Hole comes after two years of brutally hot summers and one of the driest years on record in 2022.

Jacob’s Well Natural Area, also in Wimberley, was closed for swimming during the 2022 season and that continued this year as well.

Jacob's Well before and after drought and over pumping dried up the swimming hole. (Hays County Parks)

The latest U.S. Drought Monitor shows the entirety of Hays County is currently dealing with exceptional drought along and stretches into all surrounding counties, including Bexar.

Exceptional drought is the most intense classification of drought, taking into account parameters like precipitation, area reservoir levels, soil moisture, vegetation health, and streamflow.

“We value your support and hope you all understand that this decision was not made lightly. We share your disappointment and frustration, and we truly wish the circumstances were different,” officials with the Hays County Parks Department said.


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