Dog Beach closed for Maintenance Work

Staff Reports

SAN MARCOS — City-contracted crews will position fencing and close Dog Beach for maintenance to repair stonework and protect against future erosion beginning the week of May 9, 2022.

The closure will extend into the water approximately 1/3 the width of the river adjacent to Dog Beach. The portion of the river adjacent to Lions Club Tube Rental, Pauline Espinosa Community Hall, and City Park will remain open to allow access upstream and downstream of Dog Beach.

The repair project at Dog Beach follows the Rio Vista Falls Maintenance Project, which began in October 2021. Both projects were originally slated for completion in May 2022 to avoid construction along the San Marcos River during the busy summer season, but work at Dog Beach was delayed due to unanticipated repairs and challenges experienced during the Rio Vista Falls Maintenance Project.

Postponing construction at Dog Beach until after the summer season was considered but was ultimately determined to be cost-prohibitive.

The project will address safety and stability issues that will continue to develop if the stonework at Dog Beach experiences additional erosion. Planned repairs include deepening the foundation at the water’s edge and installing a protective layer of rock armoring at the riverbed level adjacent to the foundation.

Ecosystem protection measures will remain in place throughout the duration of the project, including erosion control, a turbidity curtain, the use of non-toxic hydraulic fluid, and the relocation of native species. The $150,000 project will be conducted by Austin Filter Systems, Inc. Construction is expected to be completed by July 2022.

For more information, contact the Engineering & Capital Improvements Department at 512-393-8130.