Some Texas Rivers Maybe Too Low for Tubing.

[TexasStooge]

Those in the drought-striken areas of Texas or elsewhere across the US who are planning on going tubing this summer, read this news story first.

http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Drough ... 96504.html

Perhaps it's best to do some tubing at your backyard/neighborhood pool or lake.

[somethingfunny]

I visited New Braunfels and tubed the Guadeloupe back in April, and the river flow was so weak that the wind actually blew us upstream - we had to paddle like heck just to get 300 yards downriver to the pickup point. The depth wasn't a problem though - some sandbars we could walk knee-deep on (helped with getting downriver lol) but other areas were too deep to stand in. It's only gotten much worse since then.

Unfortunately for businesses along the river, we all know how this drought will end. Remember 1998? I hope they all stay current on their flood insurance.

[Shoshana]

I was just checking the flow at Rio Frio (Concan) and the flow is at 1.4 cfs. On the explanation chart,

15-25 Slow Floating - Some Walking
25-150 Normal (Apx 3.75 Ft. at Gage) Good Tubing, normal flow

I wouldn't think tubing is even possible!

[wall_cloud]

I think tubing is the least of many locals' worries.

http://www.statesman.com/news/local/dro ... 42491.html

http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/06/15 ... attle.html

[Shoshana]

Since those articles were published, I seem to recall Llano found water in a test well so that's good news. I haven't seen anything recently about that tho.

The Comal River is springfed and seems to be ok. Actually they are having a lot of problems because tubers that usually go down other rivers are tubing the Comal and it's gotten overcrowded.

[Tireman4]

Since those articles were published, I seem to recall Llano found water in a test well so that's good news. I haven't seen anything recently about that tho.

The Comal River is springfed and seems to be ok. Actually they are having a lot of problems because tubers that usually go down other rivers are tubing the Comal and it's gotten overcrowded.

Traffic jams of tubers on the Comal. Who would of thunk it? LOL
To prove my point..webcams of the river...

http://www.texastubes.com/

http://www.nbtx.net/

By the way, this the rapids ( the last address) on the Comal. When I was younger (1977-1980), we, as a family, used to go to the spot and stay at Camp Warneke in the non A/C (yes, in July and August) cabins and spend a week there. The big thing was float the rapids, get out and do it again. Now it is where Schlitterbahn is. Sigh. I know it seems empty now, but watch it after 12 noon.

[Shoshana]

I read an article a few weeks back that I can't find about how they had so many tubers they had to regulate how many went in and they had at least 3000 tubers waiting in line. On the weekends they had to start doing that because they needed enough room in the river for the police to be able to get in.

[Shoshana]

from kvue.com

Comal River reopens after overcrowding shut it down Saturday

by SHELTON GREEN / KVUE News
Posted on July 18, 2011 at 9:28 PM
Updated today at 9:46 PM

NEW BRAUNFELS --The Comal River in New Braunfels is reopen for business again after the mayor there declared a state of emergency Saturday, shutting down business along the river.

Mayor Gale Pospisil made the decision at 4:30 p.m. Saturday to turn away another 4,000 or so people hoping to rent tubes because there were already too many people in the water.

“We have so many people get in that when they get down to the place where they get out of the river, it gets really clogged with people trying to get out,” said Mayor Pospisil.

Unlike the Guadalupe River, which in San Marcos is fed by Canyon Lake, the Comal River is spring-fed, so in the drought conditions it isn’t as low as the Guadalupe. That has more and more people flocking to the Comal River in New Braunfels, which is now taking four hours to float compared to the usual two hours.

Mayor Pospisil says there’s no way of knowing if or when she’ll declare another state of emergency forcing the closure of the Comal River she does offer this advice.

“There always is that possibility (that the river could close) depending on the crowd. We want people to come and have a good time but we want them to be safe and just probably if they're going to come probably come a little bit earlier in the day because if we close it down, it's usually 4 or 4:30 before we do that," added the mayor.