Damp isn’t the word for it. The consistent rain showers hitting the area for the last two weeks have saturated the soil and sent water levels rising, so the Lower Colorado River Authority is opening more floodgates on the swollen river. This time it’s the Tom Miller Dam at the bottom of Lake Austin, and more dumping could follow.
After opening the floodgates on Buchanan Dam at Lake Buchanan and Mansfield Dam at Lake Travis last week, the LCRA thought the problem had been dealt with, but they didn’t count on the continuing downpour. By 5pm Monday, most areas had received an inch of rain, although meters at Mary Quinlan Park recorded three inches. According to National Weather Service stats, that’s more than Austin’s total rainfall for the whole of June last year.
LCRA meteorologists expect the same levels every day through Thursday. They warn that, if the weather keeps up, they could have to open the Wirtz Dam on LBJ and Starcke Dam on Lake Marble Falls with “little or no warning.” Residents are reminded to keep an eye on flood levels and tie up or beach anything that could float away: They’re also recommending drivers do the sensible thing and not risk going through a puddle that could really be a pond.
On the somewhat positive side, this deluge has meant the LCRA could fire up the hydroelectric turbines in the dams fitted with them – unusual for this time of year.
This article appears in June 22 • 2007.
