Beginning in early October, the instream structures and bank improvements at Rio Vista Falls will undergo maintenance. The Rio Vista Falls area will be closed to the public for the duration of the maintenance work, which is expected to be completed in March 2022.
In 2006 the Rio Vista Falls area was transformed from a single dam into three sets of rapids, outlined pool areas, and decorative boulders. No maintenance had been made to the area since its original construction. The structures have endured constant strong currents and three major flooding events since their installation. Underwater voids or undercuts have formed in the bank and instream structures requiring maintenance in many locations throughout the Rio Vista Falls area.
Maintenance will include repairing voids, undercutting, and deepening the foundation toe of the bank and instream structures. A protective layer of rock armoring around the foundation will also be installed. The maintenance strategy will provide a more robust system of protection against river currents and future floods. The $970,000 project bid has been awarded to Austin Filter Systems, Inc. Construction.
Prior to the maintenance, the river will be dewatered from the dam to near Cheatham Street. Protections will be in place to ensure the maximum survival of aquatic flora and fauna during the dewatering process. Additional safeguards will be used to protect the water quality of the river throughout the construction.
For more information on this project, contact the City of San Marcos Engineering and Capital Improvements Department at 512.393.8130 or visit www.sanmarcostx.gov/3265/Rio-Vista-Falls-Maintenance---743. For media inquiries, contact communicationsinfo@sanmarcostx.gov.
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