River Flooding Expected In Kerr County Over Weekend

Heavy rainfall is expected to fall in multiple rounds over Kerr County and the Hill Country this weekend, dumping enough precipitation that forecasters anticipate flash flooding of the Guadalupe River and other waterways.

“Dominoes are falling as expected…parameters for a widespread, heavy rainfall event are coming together, with the rainfall threat ramping up Friday evening and into the weekend,” reported Greg Waller, a service coordination hydrologist with the West Gulf River Forecast Center update this morning.

Forecasters are shifting their attention west as thunderstorms are expected to develop and spread across a large portion of the state, mainly west of I-35 and I-37.

“Soils are dry, but it won’t matter,” Waller continued. “Rainfall amounts and rainfall intensity will still produce runoff. Expect river flooding.”

“For the smaller, flashier basins, significant flooding is a real possibility,” Waller said, adding that the rivers to be impacted in addition to the Guadalupe include: Sabine, Neches, Upper Trinity, Lower Trinity, San Jacinto, Houston Bayous, San Bernard, Upper Brazos, Lower Brazos, Upper Colorado, Lower Colorado, Levaca-Navidad, San Antonio, Nueces, Rio Grande Big Ben region and the Lower Rio Grande.

“Our local residents and visitors need to stay away from the rivers and properties along the rivers this weekend,” said Kerr County Emergency Management Coordinator William B. “Dub” Thomas. “Turn around, don’t drown. Also, those with items on property along the river, such as boats, canoes, kayaks, lawn furniture, etc. should take care now, in advance, to move it all to a safer location.”

While the pattern of wet weather will ease as the weekend ends, it will continue into early next week. Ran chances remain in the forecast.

The West Gulf River Forecast Center will track runoff and flooding downstream, Waller noted. “Water supply reservoirs along and west of Interstate 35/Interstate 37 have room to store water. Water supply reservoirs east of this line will manage releases based on inflows,” he said.

All of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer flood mitigation reservoirs have plenty of storage for runoff/floodwaters and will coordinate with the National Weather Service, Waller added. “The issue will be local rainfall and runoff, until a reservoir can capture and hold the water.”

Updates will be posted when made at the Kerr County, Texas Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/kerrcountytexas