Heavy rain causes Llano River flooding; couple clinging to tree rescued by Kingsland VFD
Heavy rain Sept. 21 near Sonora flowed down the Llano River, eventually causing flooding at the Slab on FM 3404 in Kingsland. Photo courtesy of Phil Ort
STAFF WRITER JARED FIELDS
Quick, heavy rainfall Sept. 21 near Sonora caused the Llano River to reach flood stage as the water rushed downstream over the weekend.
The Lower Colorado River Authority measured 3.85 inches of rain between 11 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. Friday at a gauge 17 miles east of Sonora.
The water reached the city of Llano at about 2:25 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 23. The peak was at 4:10 a.m. as the river topped the 10-foot flood mark with water rushing at 17,056 cubic-feet per second.
As of 11 a.m. Monday, Sept. 24, the Llano River was down to a height of 3.8 feet in Llano.
Moving down the river, the water flooded the Kingsland Slab on FM 3404 later on Sunday.
One swift-water rescue was reported in the Highland Lakes, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
A man and woman near Long’s Fish and Dig, 822 CR 321 in Kingsland, were caught in the water and rescued as they clung to a tree. The Kingsland Volunteer Fire Department rescued the two as other agencies were in route.
Weekend rain amounts in the Highland Lakes again were concentrated to southeastern Llano County and southern Burnet County.
The highest local three-day total was 3.5 inches 8 miles south of Oatmeal. Marble Falls received 1.76 inches, Wirtz Dam 1.78, Kingsland 0.95, Burnet 0.66, and Llano 0.83.
Storage levels in lakes Buchanan and Travis are up to 1,450,862 acre-feet, an increase of 27,521 acre-feet of water from Sept. 21. The lakes are currently 72 percent full.
Lake Buchanan remains steady at a level of 1,011.26. Lake Travis is up almost 2 feet to 658.22.
Looking ahead, more rain is forecast in the area beginning Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service. The high on Tuesday in Marble Falls could reach 90 degrees before a 50 percent chance of rain knocks it down to 84. After that, a 30 percent chance of rain is expected for Marble Falls through Sunday with highs hovering from 80-84 degrees.