APD to enforce personal watercrafts ban on Lake Austin over Labor Day Weekend

The Austin Police Department Lake Patrol Unit will be enforcing the city ordinance to ban personal watercrafts on Lake Austin over Labor Day Weekend.

The city ordinance prohibits the use and operation of personal watercraft, wet bikes, motorized surfboards, and similar devices — designed to be operated by a person sitting, standing, or kneeling on the vessel.

The ban begins Friday, Sept. 2, and ends on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022 at sunrise as outlined in Ordinance 8-5-81.

Non-motorized devices such as kayaks, canoes and paddleboards can still be used along with water craft designed for the conventional manner of sitting or standing in the vessel.

You can read the full city ordinance below:

City Ordinance: 8-5-81 Watercraft and other motorized craft on Lake Austin

  • A person may not use or possess a jet ski, wet bike, motorized surfboard, or similar device on Lake Austin: From sunset on the Friday before Memorial Day until sunrise on the Tuesday after Memorial Day From sunset on the Friday before Labor Day until sunrise on the Tuesday after Labor Day From sunset on July 3 until sunrise on July 5
  • From sunset on the Friday before Memorial Day until sunrise on the Tuesday after Memorial Day
  • From sunset on the Friday before Labor Day until sunrise on the Tuesday after Labor Day
  • From sunset on July 3 until sunrise on July 5
  • A person operating a motorboat on Lake Austin shall stay on the right side of the lake, except when assisting a downed water skier.
  • A person may not operate a watercraft on Lake Austin at a speed that is greater than reasonable and prudent under the existing circumstances.Source: 1992 Code Section 14-2-1; Ord. 031009-11; Ord. 031211-11

You can read the Texas Water Safety Act: § 31.123 below:

  • Required Response to Police Water Safety Vessel The operator of a vessel underway, on sighting a rotating or flashing blue beacon light, shall reduce power immediately and bring the vessel to a no-wake speed and subsequent stop until the intention of the water safety vessel is understood.