LCRA flood operations to continue
Although local skies should remain mostly sunny, waterfront residents and travelers need to remain on alert along the Highland Lakes.
A ridge of high pressure, strengthening across Texas will create sunny skies and temperatures in the 80s, here, mostly through Saturday, according to Bob Rose, Lower Colorado River Authority chief meteorologist. However, the National Weather Service issued a Sever Weather Alert for Tuesday, April 26, that could have renewed showers extending to the upstream territory of the Colorado River.
The LCRA opened a floodgate on Mansfield Dam Monday morning, April 25. The river authority has cautioned that unscheduled releases from the Highland Lakes dams may occur suddenly and unexpectedly at any time due to emergency hydroelectric generation or other reasons.
Fishermen, drivers and people in low-lying areas need to be especially cautious throughout the area and especially near dam spillways and floodgates.
Last week, the entire lower Colorado River basin from well above Lake Buchanan to Matagorda Bay received a great deal of rain. The rain in the Highland Lakes watershed has been more than lakes Buchanan and Travis can safely hold without allowing levels to rise significantly higher in to the flood pool on Lake Travis.
Assuming no additional rainfall, LCRA anticipates about 90,000 acre-feet of water will flow into Lake Buchanan over the next week. Lake Buchanan is currently being managed to a maximum storage level of 1,018 feet at mean sea level (msl), while upgrades to the floodgates are underway. To safely and gradually move this additional water downstream through the Highland Lakes, LCRA reports the following planned steps over the next few days:
Buchanan Dam (which creates Lake Buchanan): Hydroelectric generation and floodgate operations will continue. This will allow Lake Buchanan to remain at or near a maximum storage level of approximately 1,018 feet above mean sea level.
Inks Dam, on Monday morning reported water was about 1.5 feet over the spillway.
Wirtz Dam (which creates Lake LBJ) and Max Starcke Dam (which forms Lake Marble Falls): Passing inflows with hydroelectric generation at Wirtz and Starke dams will continue.
Mansfield Dam (which creates Lake Travis): One floodgate is open at Mansfield Dam as of 8 a.m this morning, April 25. The hydroelectric generation that began Thursday, April 21, will also continue. This will allow water to flow downstream from Lake Travis at a rate that can be safely passed through Austin and downstream communities. LCRA anticipates the gate will remain open for at least 48 hours.
Tom Miller Dam (which creates Lake Austin): Hydroelectric generation and floodgate operations will continue. LCRA is increasing the floodgate flow at Tom Miller Dam to accommodate the increase flow entering Lake Austin upstream from Mansfield Dam and allow floodwaters in the river below Austin to subside in the lower basin. Discharges from the Highland Lakes will reach the lower basin in five to seven days, and will not contribute to current flooding in the area.
The Colorado River is falling from Bastrop to Wharton, but these areas have been subject to flooding. When flash flooding occurs, avoid unnecessary travel, and do not drive into flooded roadways. Remember "Turn around, don't drown."
