NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas — Every spring and summer, folks come to Hill Country to float on a river. Some may notice the water is flowing slower this tubing season. 

“This is year 30 for me,” said Colie Reno, the owner of Texas Tubes. “1995 was my first year.”

For decades, Texas Tubes has been floating down the shortest waterway in Texas — the Comal River. As Colie Reno and his crew welcome floaters to New Braunfels, the river is flowing slower than normal.

“It’s a little lower, but it’s still floatable,” Reno said. “And people are still showing up and having a good day.” 

Currently, the Comal River’s flow is below 80 cubic feet per second. An ideal flow for recreation is between 100 and 500 cubic feet per second.

“Most people that never been here don’t know that we’re even in a drought from this water,” Reno said. “Your regulars that have been coming for 10-15 years they know it’s lower.” 

On the riverbanks, you can tell water levels are lower. Reno says the ongoing Texas drought is a part of the problem.

“It’s not just this spring,” Reno said. “We’ve had about three years of pretty good drought conditions. And there’s a lot more people moving into the area.”

Floaters may need to paddle in a few spots to keep moving along the river. Texas Tubes employees are letting folks know float time can take between 3 to 4 hours.

“The more busy that the river gets, it takes a little longer,” Reno said. “The wind direction, if the wind is blowing hard upriver, you’re not going to float as fast.” 

With below average water levels, Reno says rain in the right areas is key to stabilize Hill Country river levels. 

“If it rains in New Braunfels, that doesn’t help us,” Reno said. “We need it out south of Kerrville, in that area. Down in Uvalde up to here. When it rains there and you get flow from there, that where it’s going to go into the well that we pull water from. Where this water comes from.”

Slow-moving water or not — weather permitting — seven days a week, from now until October, it is officially tubing season.

“It’s still a great time,” Reno said. “You’re still just floating. It’s just taking you longer.”