Llano County schools and roads close due to heavy rain
Water rushes over the Llano City Dam on the morning of Sept. 4 after a night of heavy rain. The city received more than 6 inches of rain in 12 hours. Rain gauges across Llano County registered an average of 3.19 inches between Tuesday and Wednesday morning. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
Llano schools closed on Sept. 4 after heavy rains the day before flooded the Llano River. Low water crossings in Llano County were impassable in some locations Wednesday morning, including the Kingsland Slab Road (County Road 307).
Llano Independent School District campuses are expected to reopen and return to regular hours on Thursday.
Also in response to the rain, Llano County Judge Ron Cunningham lifted the county’s burn ban just after 10 a.m. Wednesday. Burnet County lifted its ban at 11 a.m.
The Lower Colorado River Authority’s 32 rain gauges in Llano County measured an average of 3.19 inches of rain between 9 a.m. Tuesday and 9 a.m. Wednesday.
The rain was heavily concentrated in the county’s center, with the city of Llano receiving over 6 inches between noon and midnight on Tuesday.
The Llano River briefly reached flood stage at around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, rising over 10 feet. The river surged from 114 cubic-feet per second at 1:40 p.m. Tuesday to 21,000 cfs by 7:30 p.m.
Sandy Creek, which is usually dry, reached flood stage at 5:55 a.m. Wednesday, hitting 12 feet on an LCRA flood gauge.
The floodgates of Wirtz Dam on Lake LBJ and Max Starcke Dam on Lake Marble Falls were partially opened on Tuesday to accommodate the rising Llano River and Sandy Creek. As of 10 a.m. Wednesday, the gates remained partially open.
According to National Weather Service forecasts, Llano and Burnet counties will see slight chances for thunderstorms on Thursday, Sept. 5. Clear skies are expected later in the week.