AUSTIN — Note: This blog is no longer being updated as of Thursday, Oct. 19. Stay up to date with the latest weather coverage, here.
The Lower Colorado River Authority, also known as the LCRA, is holding off on opening four more additional floodgates at the Mansfield Dam on Thursday as they continue to monitor the dangerous and continuous rate of rising water levels at Lake Travis in the Austin-area.
Currently, there are four floodgates open at Mansfield Dam, and the LCRA was considering Wednesday opening four additional gates to make it a total of eight out of 24 floodgates open.
Following the devastating flooding of the Llano River Tuesday, floodwaters have been filtering into the Highland lakes over the past two days, which includes Lake Travis. Thursday evening, Lake Travis measured at 143 percent full with a height of 702.98 feet, making it the fifth highest level on record.
RELATED:
The highest height Lake Travis can reach before the water spills over the Mansfield Dam is 714 feet. Lake Travis has never in recorded history gotten that high before.
Lake Travis is expected to rise steadily over the next 24 hours. The LCRA projects that it could rise between 705 to 710 feet above mean sea level by Friday. That would put Lake Travis close to meeting the record height of 710 feet, set back in 1991.
The LCRA said it's still possible that they will need to open four additional gates, but they will discuss that option over the next several days. In the past week, the LCRA said Lake Travis has captured more water than the City of Austin uses in four years.
If the LCRA opens eight floodgates, it would break the record of six total floodgates that was set back in 1957. In 1991, when Lake Travis reached 710 feet, only five gates were opened. They will notify the public on LCRA.org and on social media if those gates are to be opened. A siren will go off before each gate is opened.
PREVIOUS WEATHER BLOG
Thursday, Oct. 18
10:00 p.m.: Lake Travis measured at 143 percent full with a height of 702.98 feet.
8:45 p.m.: Flood Warning issued for the Llano River. Minor flood stage is expected by Friday afternoon.
5:15 p.m.: Lake Travis measured at 142 percent full with a height of 702.32 feet.
4:30 p.m.: Austin Water reports Longhorn Dam is back to six out of seven gates open.
3:00 p.m.: Flash Flood Watch has been extended until Friday evening for the Austin metro and Hill Country, Chief Meteorologist Albert Ramon reports.
1:30 p.m.: Westbound Cesar Chavez Street near the Lamar Boulevard bridge is down to one lane due to water on the road from Lady Bird Lake. Crews said they don't know when the lane will open again.
11:30 a.m.: Austin Water crews told KVUE's Rebeca Trejo that all seven floodgates are now open at Longhorn Dam at Lady Bird Lake.
11:21 a.m.: In response to potential severe weather and the additional floodgates that may open at Mansfield Dam at Lake Travis, the Austin-Travis County Emergency Operations Center has been activated.
The county is asking residents to remember to "turn around, don't drown," to make an emergency plan for you and your family, to prepare an emergency supply kit and to sign up for official emergency alerts here.
9:58 a.m.: LCRA said Lake Travis is well into its flood pool and is projected to rise between 705 to 710 feet above seal level by Friday.
9:50 a..m.: Lake Travis is 140 percent full at 701.55 feet. It's the fifth highest height in recorded history for the lake.
5 a.m.: Lake Travis is 138 percent full at 700.82 feet. As it rises a little less than a foot more, it will be at its fifth highest height in recorded history.
PHOTOS: Marble Falls near flooded Llano River sees flooded roadways
NEED TO KNOW
As of 8:15 a.m. Thursday, a flash flood watch is in effect for Travis, Williamson, Blanco, Burnet Gillespie, Hays, Llano, Mason and Hays County.
According to the National Weather Service, additional rainfall amounts of one to two inches of rain is possible with some isolated spots receiving up to four inches of rain.
RELATED:
This creates dangerous conditions for parts of Central Texas with the region already saturated from recent rainfall. The NWS said additional rainfall has the potential to create more rapid runoff, which could prompt rising river levels and flash flooding.
The Lower Colorado River Authority said they encourage everyone to take immediate action to protect people and property on Lake Travis, on Lake Austin, on Lady Bird Lake and further downstream.
SCHOOL, BUSINESS DELAYS
All Llano ISD campuses will return to regular scheduling Friday, Oct. 19.
The following schools and businesses are delayed Thursday:
- Llano ISD will have a two-hour delay. Buses will also run on a two-hour delay and no breakfast will be served.
ROAD CLOSURES
Here are all of the road closures for Thursday, Oct. 18.
Travis County
- Bullick Hollow due high water on the road: from FM 2769 to Oasis Hollow
Llano
- W. Sandstone at Flag Creek
- RR 2241 at Wright's Creek
- CR 102 Scott's Slab at Llano River
- RR 2241 at Little Sandy Creek
- RR 2241 at Little Llano River
Marble Falls
- Between Ave. U & Industrial Blvd.
- 400 - 700 block Avenue T: Between 4th St. & 7th St.
- 1400 block Nature Heights Dr: Between US-281 & Commerce St
Horseshoe Bay
- Hi Circle N @ Slickrock Creek
- Hi Mesa @ Slickrock Creek: Hi Mesa West of Purple Sage
- Dew Drop @ Tiger Creek: Dew Drop near Thanksgiving Mountain Rd
Kingsland
- Llano river crossing at 3404 closed (Slab road) due to rains upstream
By 7 a.m. Thursday, ATXFloods.com showed that 89 crossings were closed across Central Texas.
‘Historic flood’: How flooding has impacted Central Texas
SHELTERS OPEN FOR EVACUEES
Lago Vista evacuees can visit the Lago Vista High School Performing Arts Center for help. It's been set up as a temporary shelter.
If you live in Llano County, two shelters are open for people. The Llano County Office of Emergency Management said the John Kuykendall Arena & Events Center at 2200 W Ranch Road 152 and Lutie Watkins Memorial United Methodist Church at 800 Wright St.are both taking in evacuees.
Llano County Office of Emergency Management said shelters are being set up at the 1st Baptist Church and Inmans Kitchen in Llano. The Kingsland Community Center is also taking in evacuees.
Llano High School opened at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday for evacuees.
If you need to be evacuated, officials recommend contacting the Llano Police Department.
Granite Shoals evacuees are asked to head to the 1st Baptist Church, located at 505 south Phillips Ranch Road.
In Meadowlakes, evacuees can seek shelter at the City of Meadowlakes City Hall. Shelters in place are also available at First Baptist Church Marble Falls and the Burnet Community Center. The City of Meadowlakes and Pecan Valley are not accessible at this time.
The flood response shelter located at Marble Falls Middle School is now closed. Community members can refer to the City of Marble Falls Emergency Alert Center for shelter and residential updates.
MORE INFORMATION
Click here for the flood operations report from LCRA.
Click here for more information on water levels being released from various dams compared to previous days.
Click here for historical water information from Lake Travis.
This is a breaking news story. KVUE will update this story as more information becomes available.