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Austin, TEXAS — Following days of torrential rain and life-threatening flooding across the Hill Country, Lake Travis tops 100% full capacity, prompting the first Mansfield Dam floodgate release in seven years.
The surging water levels are directly impacting low-lying shoreline communities.
Local news outlets report floodwaters at Graveyard Point have already completely swallowed back patios and are pushing toward living spaces.
Last week, Central and Southwest Texas were battered by historic downpours, with up to two feet of rain falling over the Hill Country within a three-day period.
Multiple water rescues were carried out, and officials tragically reported two fatalities.
The days of relentless rain also caused the catastrophic collapse of the Farm-to-Market (FM) 481 bridge in Uvalde County.
The current state of Lake Travis remains a primary focus for water officials. According to the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA), Lake Travis is considered full for water supply purposes at 681 feet above mean sea level (MSL).
As of Tuesday morning, the water level sat at 683.65 feet MSL—roughly 2.6 feet above its full pool capacity, or approximately 105% full.
"The flood pool of Lake Travis is the area between 681 feet above mean sea level (feet msl) to the crest of the emergency spillway at 714 feet msl. The Lake Travis flood pool can store 776,062 acre-feet," LCRA states.
This indicates the lake remains roughly 30 feet below the emergency spillway crest. However, the rapidly rising water prompted the LCRA to open floodgates at Mansfield Dam on Saturday, July 18—marking the dam's first floodgate operation since 2019.
Compounding the situation, Tropical Storm Bertha continues to track through the Gulf.
Although the FOX Forecast Center said the storm is not expected to drop heavy, flood-producing rainfall on the areas still recovering from last week’s disaster, as of Tuesday morning, it is still forecast to bring gusty winds and scattered pockets of rain to parts of Texas later this week.
Stick with FOX Weather as we continue to track Bertha and its regional impacts.
Original article source: Lake Travis passes capacity after devastating Texas floods, threatening homes as Bertha moves along Gulf
Related Links:
- WATCH: FLOODED GUADALUPE RIVER RUSHES THROUGH KERRVILLE DURING FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY
- BRIDGE COLLAPSES DUE TO INTENSE FLOODING IN UVALDE COUNTY AS NONSTOP RAIN SLAMS TEXAS HILL COUNTRY
- WHAT FLOOD WATCHES, WARNINGS AND EMERGENCIES MEAN
- TROPICAL STORM BERTHA STRENGTHENS, THREATENS GULF COAST WITH HEAVY RAIN, STORM SURGE AND SQUALLS
- HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHER
