River Could Rise to 20 Feet in La Grange by Friday, Flooding Not Expected

Rainfall in the Hill Country is causing record flooding of the Colorado River and its tributaries upstream of Austin. The river level at the gauge above La Grange measured 9.38 feet at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 16, but it is predicted to rise above 20 feet in coming days.

Those waters are not expected to cause any major problems in La Grange according to current projections. However, Fayette County Agrilife Extension Office is reccomending some precautions for rural residents.

“We would advise landowners to monitor rivers and tributaries and, if needed, to move any livestock or equipment along the river and low lying areas to higher ground,” said Agrilife Agent Scott Willey.

The Lower Colorado River Authority opened floodgates at Tom Miller Dam and Mansfield Dam around noon on Tuesday, Oct. 16.

“We are experiencing record flooding in the Highland Lakes, and LCRA is managing the floodwaters through releases on dams along the Highland Lakes,” said LCRA spokesperson Clara Tuma.

The National Weather Service expected the river in La Grange to rise to 20.8 feet by Friday evening, which is about six feet below the low flood stage. That’s also well below the river’s level during last year’s historic Hurricane Harvey flood, which was 54.14 ft.

Monitor the river level online at https://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=ewx&gage=lgrt2&hydro_....