Weekend rains cause rivers to rise
Flooding could cut off residents along state Highway 35
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TOTAL RAINFALL
Weekend rainfall totals include:
3.88 to 4.68 inches in the Austwell area.
3.18 inches at Goliad
2.77 inches at Bloomington
2.39 to 2.39 inches at Goliad.
1.07 to 3.25 in the Victoria area.
0.57 at Port O'Connor.
Heavy weekend rains were forecast to bring minor to moderate flooding to the Guadalupe and San Antonio rivers this week.
But at least one official said he was surprised flooding isn't going to be more severe given that nearly a foot of rain fell in some places.
"It's very surprising," said Richard McBrayer, Victoria County's deputy emergency management coordinator. "We were expecting more rain to go into the watershed and come down."
The Guadalupe River was forecast to crest between 27.0 and 27.5 feet at Victoria Tuesday. The flood stage is 21.0 feet.
That is a day earlier than originally predicted, McBrayer said.
The floodwater is expected to mainly affect parts of Riverside Park and similar low areas near the river. The city planned to barricade parts of Riverside Park, including the boat ramp and Grover's Bend as the river rises.
A crest of 26.8 feet was expected Wednesday near Bloomington, which has a 20-foot flood stage. That could cut off cattle or other livestock near the river.
"People just need to adhere to caution when driving through low-lying areas," McBrayer said. "Obviously, if they are farming or ranching in the area, they need to make sure appropriate measures are taking place for the flooding."
The San Antonio River was forecast to crest near 29.9 feet Thursday at Goliad, where the flood stage is 25 feet. That could cause moderate flooding, covering much of the camp grounds at the Goliad State Park.
The Guadalupe and San Antonio rivers merge downstream from Victoria. Flooding from both is expected to cause the river to become several hundred feet across near state Highway 35, which could cut off some homes.
Jennifer Chase, with the National Weather Service, said there are a couple of reasons the river flooding wasn't worse.
"We have had tons of rain," she said. "But also keep in mind it has been very, very dry for months."
She also said the heaviest rain didn't fall directly over the Guadalupe or San Antonio rivers, reducing the severity of the flooding.
