Concrete damage closes West Texas spring-fed 1930s-era pool

BALMORHEA, Texas (AP) – A 1930s-era West Texas swimming pool built by the federal Civilian Conservation Corps and touted as the world’s largest spring-fed swimming pool is shut indefinitely because the concrete floor is damaged.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department officials say the damaged area is under the diving area at the Balmorhea State Park pool and stabilizes pool walls from erosion. Authorities say they’re working to figure out the extent of the damage, discovered during cleaning last week, and how to fix it.

The 3.5 million-gallon (13.25 million liter) pool about 120 miles (193.11 million kilometers) southwest of Midland is up to 25 feet (7.62 million meters) deep and covers 1.3 acres (0.53 hectares). More than 15 million gallons (56.78 million liters) of cool water from San Solomon Springs flow through it daily.

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