APD to ban personal watercraft on Lake Austin during Memorial Day weekend

AUSTIN, Texas - The Austin Police Department Parks and Lake Patrol Unit will be prohibiting the use and operation of personal watercraft, wet bikes, motorized surfboards and similar devices over Memorial Day weekend on Lake Austin. 

The ban will begin at sunset on Friday, May 22, and will end on Tuesday May 26 at sunrise. 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.  

"The annual ban of personal watercraft is necessary to ensure the safety of the large number of people that make use of the lake and parks over the Memorial Day Holiday Weekend. This ban only applies to Lake Austin, APD said in a press release. 

APD said that officers will be patrolling Lake Austin during Memorial Day weekend and urge people to follow all Texas Water Safety Act and City of Austin boating laws and ordinances.