Professional trick rider Decotah Jackson led a riderless horse draped in an American flag into the Charley Taylor Arena on Friday, July 18, at the Marble Falls Rodeo. The moment of silence honored missing Marble Falls Area Volunteer Fire Department Chief Michael Phillips, who was swept away by floodwaters while responding to a distress call on July 5. As of Monday, Phillips is the last known missing flood victim in Burnet County. The flag was removed after the ceremony, folded, and presented to the Marble Falls Area VFD to be given to the Phillips family. Photos by Martelle Luedecke/Luedecke Photography
A new Cow Creek bridge on RR 1431 east of Marble Falls could be completed by Sept. 19, or even sooner, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. TxDOT awarded an emergency construction contract for the rebuild on July 18 after a two-day bidding process. Construction started Monday, July 21.
The bridge, located near the Burnet-Travis county line, was destroyed during the Fourth of July weekend flood, making RR 1431 from Marble Falls to Lago Vista and Cedar Park impassable.
TxDOT awarded a $4 million contract to Hunter Industries on Friday with an emphasis on speed. The company can earn as much as $1 million in incentives for finishing the bridge up to 20 days early.
“Replacing this bridge that has served the traveling public well for the past 65 years is a top priority,” TxDOT Austin District engineer Tucker Ferguson said in a July 18 media release. “The bridge will be built to current design standards, making it higher and wider than the old structure.”
The new bridge will be 240 feet long with 12-foot travel lanes, 6-foot shoulders, and a 2-foot striped median. It will stand about 5 feet higher than the previous bridge.
VIDEO: TxDOT begins construction on new Cow Creek bridge on July 21, 2025
The old structure, built in 1960, served roughly 3,500 vehicles a day as a vital crossing on RR 1431, one of the main routes between the Highland Lakes and Austin metro areas.
With the Cow Creek bridge washed out, those traveling RR 1431 from Marble Falls to communities east of the bridge will have to take Texas 71, Texas 29, or a combination of RM 1174 and RM 1869.
For example, the drive from Marble Falls to Lago Vista is now about 47 miles and takes over an hour on an alternate route compared to the roughly 28 miles and half-hour it was on RR 1431.
“The contractor is expected to work around the clock, when possible, to accelerate construction,” according to a TxDOT media release from July 16.
State crews have been prepping the bridge site and clearing debris since floodwaters receded.
DailyTrib.com will provide updates on the project’s progression as they are made available by TxDOT.
An official Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster recovery center opened its doors Sunday, July 20, in Burnet. The center serves as a federal aid hub for Burnet County residents and businesses that suffered damages in the Fourth of July weekend flood.
The disaster recovery center is open from 8 a.m.-7 p.m. every day of the week at the Burnet Community Center, 401 E. Jackson St. As of Monday, July 21, the FEMA center is expected to remain open until Aug. 31, but that date could move up or back, depending on the community’s needs. Burnet County flood victims have until Sept. 4 to apply for federal disaster assistance.
“Realistically, if you have experienced any sort of damage throughout (the Fourth of July weekend flood), there is no reason not to come (to the disaster recovery center),” Burnet County Emergency Management Coordinator Derek Marchio told DailyTrib.com.
At the Burnet center, impacted residents can meet with officials face to face to apply for aid, get guidance on how to seek federal assistance, and more.
Burnet County was cleared for public and individual assistance through FEMA after the county was included in a presidential disaster declaration July 11 following flooding July 4-6 that caused massive damage to communities across the Texas Hill Country.
“Public assistance” refers to the aid that goes to local governments that racked up costs in overtime and repairs responding to the flood. “Individual assistance” goes to regular people whose property was damaged in the flood. Assistance can come in the form of loans or direct funds, depending on the needs of those impacted.
Flood recovery assistance is also available to small businesses through the U.S. Small Business Administration and ranchers and farmers through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Advisors will be on site at the disaster recovery center in Burnet to help guide people through available resources.
Residents can also apply for aid online.
If you are denied federal assistance, you can go through an appeals process to contest the decision. Learn more about that here.
Locally, Ark of Highland Lakes is offering resources to flood victims in Burnet and Llano counties, and the Community Resource Centers of Texas is helping displaced victims with housing until they get back on their feet.
Find more links to flood aid resources on the Burnet County government website.
“(The flood) really helped to showcase the community spirit that exists here in Burnet County,” Marchio said.
Agendas for Highland Lakes governments are posted 72 hours before a meeting so are not always ready by the time this story is published. Check the links for more information.
Monday, July 21
Burnet Consolidated Independent School District Board of Trustees
6 p.m. regular meeting
BCISD Board Room, 208 E. Brier St. in Burnet
On the agenda:
- set date for public hearing on proposed tax rate
- approve compensation plan amendment for teachers, librarians, and nurses
Tuesday, July 22
Burnet County Commissioners Court
9 a.m. regular meeting
Second-floor courtroom, Burnet County Courthouse, 220 S. Pierce St. in Burnet
- consider the formation of Emergency Services District No. 10
- discussion and possible action on hiring legal counsel for transmission line talks
Burnet County Commissioners Court
10 a.m. (after regular meeting) budget workshop
Second-floor courtroom, Burnet County Courthouse, 220 S. Pierce St. in Burnet
- discussion of 2025-26 county budget
Burnet City Council
5 p.m. regular meeting
Council Chambers at City Hall, 2402 U.S. 281 South in Burnet
- discuss ambulance purchases
- discuss getting FEMA relief
Granite Shoals City Council
6 p.m. regular meeting
Council Chambers at City Hall, 2221 N. Phillips Ranch Road in Granite Shoals
The agenda was not posted at the time of this article’s publication.
The Fourth of July flood in the Highland Lakes highlighted the importance of disaster awareness as well as the number of ways residents can get crucial information when things go wrong.
Stay alert via the following notification systems:
ACROSS THE REGION
Residents of Burnet and Llano counties can register with Warn Central Texas, a free emergency notification system that serves 10 Central Texas counties. The system lets users customize their alert settings and delivery methods, including automated phone calls, texts, or emails. Alerts cover natural disasters, including floods, fires, and evacuations; boil water notices and other public safety incidents; missing child reports; and more.
Warn Central Texas sent out immediate alerts during the recent flood as well as the 2½-day boil water notice from the city of Marble Falls.
Sign up for Warn Central Texas here.
BURNET COUNTY
Visit the Burnet County Office of Emergency Management webpage for information about the county’s emergency responses or contact the office at 512-715-5262 or dmarchio@burnetcountytexas.org. Residents can also follow the Burnet County Government Facebook page for immediate updates during disasters.
LLANO COUNTY
Visit the Llano County Office of Emergency Management webpage for information about Llano County emergency responses or contact the office at 325-247-2039 or gbennett@co.llano.tx.us. Residents can also follow the Llano County Office of Emergency Management Facebook page for immediate updates during disasters.
CITY-SPECIFIC ALERTS
Marble Falls—Residents can sign up for alerts through the municipal notification system here. These notifications include critical disaster information as well as city reports and events. The system was recently in action during the boil water notice, sending out alerts by phone and email when it was put in place Tuesday afternoon and when it was lifted Friday morning.
Residents can also follow the city on Facebook or visit its website for information during emergencies and updates on events and projects.
Granite Shoals—Residents can sign up for an emergency alert system through Everbridge, which provides city-specific notifications such as major weather warnings, public works projects, and updates on events and activities. Alerts are delivered via phone call, text, or email, depending on the user’s preferences.
Sign up for the Granite Shoals alert system here.
Residents can also follow the city on Facebook or visit its website for information during emergencies and updates on events and projects.
Burnet—Residents have access to the Voyent Alert system, which provides city-specific alerts via text, email, or phone call. Voyent can also be downloaded as a phone application.
Sign up for Burnet’s alert system here.
Residents can also follow the city on Facebook or visit its website for information during emergencies.
For the first time since around 2005, Lake Buchanan is 100 percent full. On Wednesday, July 16, 2025, the Highland Lakes reservoir topped out at about 1,020 feet above mean sea level, its maximum capacity, after rising more than 17 feet following the Fourth of July flood. As a reservoir, Buchanan is not designed to be full forever but to pass water downstream to Inks Lake, Lake LBJ, Lake Travis, and beyond. For now, though, locals are enjoying the high water, as seen in these photos taken Friday, July 18. Staff photos by Dakota Morrissiey
Private nonprofit organizations in Burnet and Llano counties impacted by the Fourth of July weekend flood are eligible for low-interest federal disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration, the SBA announced in a July 17 media release.
Nonprofits in all counties affected by the severe storms, straight-line winds, and flooding that began July 2 may apply. Along with Burnet and Llano counties, that includes Coke, Concho, Kerr, Kendall, Kimble, Mason, McCulloch, Menard, San Saba, Tom Green, and Williamson counties.
Applicants may be eligible for a loan amount increase of up to 20 percent of the physical damage, verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes, according to the media release. Eligible mitigation improvements could include insulating pipes, walls and attics, weather stripping doors and windows, and installing storm windows to help protect property and occupants from future damage caused by any disaster.
The deadline to return applications for physical property damage is Sept. 4, 2025. The deadline to return economic injury applications is April 6, 2026.
“One distinct advantage of SBA’s disaster loan program is the opportunity to fund upgrades reducing the risk of future storm damage,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA, in the release. “I encourage businesses and homeowners to work with contractors and mitigation professionals to improve their storm readiness while taking advantage of SBA’s mitigation loans.”
The loan amount for private nonprofits can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 3.625 percent and terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.
To apply online, visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on disaster assistance. Those who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
UPDATE, 9:20 A.M. FRIDAY, JULY 18: The city of Marble Falls has lifted its boil water notice. The city announced the lifting of the notice at 9 a.m. Friday on its website.
PREVIOUS STORY: Marble Falls was put under a boil water notice on the afternoon of Tuesday, July 15, amid issues with water treatment in the city following days of heavy rains and flooding on the Colorado River.
The notice was still in effect as of Wednesday morning and could remain so until Thursday or Friday, according to city officials.
“I think what will happen is we will test in a day or two and we’ll be able to (end the boil water notice),” Marble Falls City Manager Mike Hodge said at a City Council meeting Tuesday night. “It’s taken us, in the past, anywhere from 48 to 72 hours.”
An alert sent out by the city on Tuesday afternoon said the water treatment plant had failed to meet Texas Commission on Environmental Quality standards for appropriate turbidity levels, leading to a mandatory boil water notice.
Turbidity refers to the clarity of water and how much material is suspended in it. While turbidity on its own is not always an indicator of danger, it can mean that filtration is not happening properly within the treatment system, which might allow harmful bacteria, viruses, or parasites to pass through.
The high turbidity of the Marble Falls water has been attributed to the debris, mud, and material churning in Lake Marble Falls due to flooding and rain that began over the Fourth of July weekend.
“(The water in Lake Marble Falls) is like chocolate milk, and the fact that we can turn that into clear drinking water is phenomenal. But we can’t continue to do that day in and day out for weeks at a time,” Hodge explained.
Marble Falls residents using city water are cautioned to thoroughly boil it before consumption, including drinking, cooking, and ice making, until the notice is lifted.
Call the city with questions at 830-798-6260.
The city of Meadowlakes, which also gets its water from Lake Marble Falls, is not under a boil water notice and has safe turbidity levels. This could be due to the city’s raw-water intake being beneath the lakebed, meaning it is filtered through sand and gravel before it reaches the intake itself.
The Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center is warning WhatsApp users about a fraud scheme that accuses potential victims of participating in money laundering and demands a “fine” to get them out of trouble. The fraudsters are using the names of the FCIC and its director to make their scheme seem legitimate, according to a July 17 media release from the center.
Verified cases have been reported in the Austin and San Marcos areas.
The FCIC never collects fines and rarely interacts with members of the public, according to the release. In fact, law enforcement in general will never solicit any type of payment in lieu of arrest. Any correspondence asking for payment is likely to be fraudulent, and residents are cautioned to never send money if they’ve received a similar correspondence or interact with the scammers. Potential victims should keep any communications they receive and report the incident to local law enforcement, who can then contact the FCIC.
The Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center, located in Tyler, is staffed by law enforcement officers and intelligence analysts who investigate organized financial crimes, including credit card skimming and shimming that attack fuel dispensers, ATMs, and point-of-sale terminals, as well as many other types of financial crimes.
Visit the FCIC’s website for more information and resources.