Rain in Austin/Lake Travis, Lake Levels ?

[Ratickle]

I turned on the weather channel to check on tomorrow's weather. They were talking about how a place close to Auatin had 5.5 inches of rain in one hour! I called Mobilemercman. He was on his way to see Griswald because there was a call that the creek, (dry at lunch) was running into the marina with docks (which had been on dry land for months), trees, tires, etc were all washing down and smashing boats etc. Hw sent me a couple short phone vids of crap washing by. I guess it's quite the mess. Maybe, at this rate. the lake will be full by the Saturday Poker Run????

[Ratickle]

Rain may continue into weekend
An El Nino connection?
Updated: Thursday, 13 Sep 2012, 7:17 PM CDT
Published : Thursday, 13 Sep 2012, 4:55 PM CDT

Jim Spencer
AUSTIN (KXAN) - After nearly a month-long dry spell, rain and thunderstorms spread across Central Texas Thursday.

Extraordinarily torrential rain was reported over parts of the Hill Country. An LCRA rain gauge on the Pedernales River at Johnson City recorded 4.27 inches of rain in one hour. That is considered a once-in-100 year one-hour rainfall rate. 5 inches fell in one hour and 10 minutes.

7.15 inches fell in three hours 5 miles southwest of Leander. Many locations near Marble Falls, Horseshoe Bay, Round Mountain and Johnson City received 4-5 inches of rain or more.

The cold front triggering the rain is expected to move slowly to the Texas coast Friday, but an upper level, low-pressure system will hang back over West Texas, continuing to produce periods of lighter rain and a few thunderstorms into the weekend.

The main storm system is forecast to move across the state Sunday, bringing an end to the rainfall.

The Hydrometeorological Prediction Center is forecasting general rainfall totals of 1 to 3 inches across the KXAN viewing area through Sunday. Isolated 4-inch totals will be possible.

While there may be a few strong thunderstorms and some minor flooding, the severe weather threat is minimal.

The last measurable rain in Austin fell on Aug. 18.

[Griswald]

click here for some video (http://www.kvue.com/news/Rain-hits-Austin-area-fills-Lake-Travis-169748326.html)

The lake won't fill up from this event at all. So far, only 4" rise as of this morning. We're 47' below full pool. It will take a massive rain event over several days to have any dramatic impact, but we'll take what we can get!

[Ratickle]

Well, full yet?????:sifone:

[Griswald]

same

[Bobcat]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRO7PxiIkeg

[phragle]

Raindrops keep falling on my head
And just like the guy whose feet are too big for his bed
Nothin' seems to fit
Those raindrops are falling on my head, they keep falling

So I just did me some talkin' to the sun
And I said I didn't like the way he' got things done
Sleepin' on the job
Those raindrops are falling on my, head they keep falling


But there's one thing I know
The blues he sends to meet me won't defeat me
It won't be long till happiness steps up to greet me

Raindrops keep falling on my head
But that doesn't mean my eyes will soon be turnin' red
Crying's not for me
Cause I'm never gonna stop the rain by complainin'
Because I'm free
Nothing's worrying me.

[Ratickle]

JONESTOWN — Scott Legendre was sitting down to dinner in his Lake Travis boathouse with his fiancee, Marianne Lowitzer, on Thursday night when the floodwaters hit.

"We had just put the food on the plate, and we looked out the window. ... Around the bend, about 200 yards away, we saw the entire marina smashing into the cliff side," Legendre said Friday.

Within seconds, the marina crashed into Legendre's boathouse — where he lives on Lake Travis in Jonestown — and began pushing it down the lake. Legendre grabbed his pet parrot, and he and Lowitzer jumped into his johnboat and made for shore.

"It crashed the entire docks into my boat and started washing us away with it," Legendre said.

74357



74356




Deluge does little to help Lake Travis, but more rain expected this weekend (http://www.statesman.com/news/local/deluge-does-little-to-help-lake-travis-but-2458361.html)

[Griswald]

the boat ramp where I was filming those docks go by is in the upper left of the before picture.

[Serious News]

A potent late-spring storm system is producing rounds of showers and heavy thunderstorms over Central Texas Memorial Day.

As of Monday morning, the area that feeds into Lake Buchanan has received widespread rainfall totals of 3-5″. The Lake Travis inflow basin has seen rain amounts between 0.75-3″, and Lake LBJ has seen 1-3″.

But what impact has this welcome rainfall had on the Highland Lake levels?

According to the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA), Lake Buchanan has held relatively steady thus far – but is expected to rise between 2-6 inches through the day Monday.

Lake Travis has already risen 1-2 inches Monday morning, and the LCRA expects the lake to rise another 2 inches through the day Monday.

While these lake level rises are welcome news during the severe, ongoing drought – Lake Buchanan remains 26 feet below its May average and Lake Travis is 46 feet below its monthly average. Both lakes are 2 inches lower than they were a week ago.

Recent heavy rainfall during our wettest month of the year has provided more soil moisture and lowered fire danger, the LCRA says that rainfall totals have not yet been high enough to produce significant runoff. The LCRA adds that repeated, heavy rainstorms would be needed to significantly raise storage levels.

http://kxan.com/2014/05/26/heavy-rains-wet-soil-but-do-little-for-lakes/

[Serious News]

Updated: 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, May 27, 2014

With rainfalls totals at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and Camp Mabry breaking records set in 1968, the Austin area is now surprisingly above the normal year-to-date typical rainfall totals.

Before this latest storm moved through the area, meteorologists had measured a year total of 11.7 inches of rain to fall so far this year at the airport — an amount slightly above the expected year-to-date total of 11.57 inches.

In the past week, the Austin area has between 3.5 and 4 inches of rain fall. The area high was 8.2 inches of rain that fell east of Mason, according to the Lower Colorado River Authority.

That has created a slight increase to lake levels, but the LCRA said Tuesday morning the area would need continued prolonged rain events to counteract the prolonged drought. As of May 20, all of Travis, Williamson and Hays counties remained in various stages of drought ranging from moderate to severe, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor’s office.

http://www.statesman.com/news/weather/flood-advisory-in-effect-for-area-until-7-am/nf7mm/

[Serious News]

Rainfall pelted parts of the U.S. Southwest, including in Texas from El Paso to Houston. In Plainview, about 45 miles north of Lubbock, 4½ inches of rain was reported over 24 hours ending at 2 p.m. CDT Thursday.

"We are getting moisture from Odile," said Cory Van Pelt, a National Weather Service forecaster in New Braunfels. "We also got a lot of Gulf of Mexico moisture that came in, a combination of the two."

The Austin area received 5 to 7 inches of rain early Thursday, said Van Pelt. About 40 miles north of Austin, near Jarrell, a weather service observer measured almost 1½ inches of rain fell within 30 minutes after 4 p.m.

http://news.msn.com/us/search-to-resume-for-texas-deputy-missing-in-flood

[Serious News]

Amazing, ties the highest level since July 9, 2011. 7' of rise in one day.

80075

[Serious News]

Yesterday it ended at 647.57, up 10' in one day. Today up over another foot already, more rain in the forecast.

[Serious News]

Currently at 655.58 feet. Up 20' in three days, 33 feet this year so far.

[Serious News]

Wow

Today's Level
80081

January 1 2015 Photo
80082

Today's Photo, same location.
80083

[Serious News]

658.78 currently.

[Coolerman]

This rain and storms are getting old. Every night, again and again.... My first summer down, but glad to here from local texans that this isn't normal.

[Serious News]

662.34 current level.

80088

[Serious News]

665.03

[Serious News]

665.99 Less than a foot rise for a change.

[Serious News]

Rising Lake Travis has both positive and negative impact

Full story with video: http://kxan.com/2015/06/01/rising-lake-travis-has-both-positive-and-negative-impact/

LAKE TRAVIS, Texas (KXAN) — The debris is starting to clear from Lake Travis, and boats and jet skis torn from docks are now finding their way back home. Still, bits and pieces are not where they are supposed to be.

“If it hadn’t have been for the wind, we’d be great,” said Chris Leach, VIP Marina manager. “The wind is what did the most damage to our marina.”

The rising levels have been a welcome sight to all, but recent storms also caused damage on the lake. Strong winds twisted and tore apart the walkways to the marina, even tearing up concrete. Metal posts were bent from the force of the wind.

As for the water levels, that’s a different story.

“The water’s the best thing that’s happened,” said Leach. “The fact that we can move our marina back in and we’re closer to shore, it’s more easily accessible to us.

“…That walkway for our shuttle boat, that was sitting on the ground, now it’s underwater,” said Leach, pointing to a dock in the water.

Mason Nichols, who docks a boat at the marina, could not believe how much the lake had risen.

“It used to be all cliffs in the back right here, and now it’s all underwater,” he said.

Nichols also predicted a busier summer on the lake.

“I think a lot of boat traffic is going to be on the water,” he added. “So, everyone needs to be safe, because that means more boats, more problems.”

Leach said an insurance assessor was heading out to the marina Monday to take a look at damage and loss. Only a few boats were damaged from the storms

[Serious News]

http://youtu.be/nZtNJXO4IZ4

[Ratickle]

It looks to be at 667.21 currently, really slowing down. But, if it goes up to 668, it will be at the highest level the lake has been since November 30 of 2010. 681.00 is considered full. On September 19th of 2013 it was all the way down at 618.58.

[Serious News]

Highest level since November 19, 2010.

80143

80144

[Serious News]

http://youtu.be/sJJHv0itBzg

[Serious News]

Versus before the May rains


http://youtu.be/woNFFSTycPw

[Ratickle]

That's pretty cool running the video's at the same place on the lake at the same time.

[Serious News]

Lake Travis on the Colorado River upstream from Austin saw its water level jump more than 45 feet in the past month, with the lake's surface growing from 9,200 acres to 16,300 acres.

[Ratickle]

Well, it looks like the Lake Travis watershed will be hit by a Tropical Storm with severe flooding danger, up to 10" of rain, over the next three days!!

[Serious News]

Less than 10' from full!

80191

[phragle]

Then there was the lake erie water level last weekend... I need to get the boat out and shake it down before BT but Im afraid to dunk it with all the trees, dock parts and junk in the water.....

The main dock there has floating docks for the boats... the floating docks are about 2' above the water with the main dock about 3' above those....

8019280193

[Ratickle]

Damn!!!!:eek:

[phragle]

Damn!!!!:eek:

Your telling me.... I just put a drive together for the Avanti and I need to make a good test run tomorrow before I start packing stuff for BT..... Im scared chitless to run it because there is so much crap in the water. Whole trees, docks, firewood, all kinds of crap floating around. My friend Spence with the helicopter flew over and said there is so much more than you can see....

[fund razor]

Your telling me.... I just put a drive together for the Avanti and I need to make a good test run tomorrow before I start packing stuff for BT..... Im scared chitless to run it because there is so much crap in the water. Whole trees, docks, firewood, all kinds of crap floating around. My friend Spence with the helicopter flew over and said there is so much more than you can see....

I was out before the last round of storms and the 6 inches of rain or whatever we had. It was too much debris THEN. And that was like two weeks ago. I started up the Maumee and came off plane just after Bayview. Now there is wood in the water from every property and every dock from Ft. Wayne to Toledo in that water. Entire trees with rootballs.Telephone poles. Pallets. Entire docks. A stray boat here or there. I heard north cape has a debris pile instead of a beach.
(Sorry for the hijack, we now return to our regularly scheduled Texans.)

[Ratickle]

Lake Erie, Lake Travis, they both start with Lake and have an I in their name. How could that possibly be a hijack?

[phragle]

And hen there is the pond behind my parents house.....

[Ratickle]

You'll have to rename it Lake Phragleli to stop this from being a hijack......

[Serious News]

Lake Travis is past full!!


81159

[Ratickle]

When I was chatting with Jim, Mobilemercman, he was hoping the lake would never get full because he was afraid they'd start releasing the water again to subsidize the rice farmers. Looks like he was correct.

BURNET COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) – It has been years since Paula Haynes could hear the lapping waves of Lake Buchanan from her back porch.

The deep-blue Central Texas reservoir is back and almost brimming for the first time since 2008. Haynes said she’s finally enjoying the scene that lured her to the area: warm wind whipping over the clear water, swooping pelicans, chirping songbirds, boaters striping white wakes in the distance.

But Haynes, and others, fear the recent return of those simple pleasures could be short-lived. The Lower Colorado River Authority decided in early March it would resume releasing water for coastal agriculture for the first time in four years.

“Ever since 2012 … all our neighbors have been praying for rain,” Haynes said. “It finally comes, and then to our surprise the LCRA is going to turn around and give it to the rice farmers again.”

Gauging the lake levels, weather and other factors, LCRA leaders have agreed to release up to 202,000 acre-feet of water from lakes Travis and Buchanan through mid-summer. That’s enough to fill Lake Austin nine times over (an acre-foot of water is about 325,000 gallons). The river authority could decide to release a second 76,500 acre-foot batch later in the year, depending on conditions. The water releases could be smaller than those maximum amounts, according to the LCRA.

Many Central Texans have blamed the LCRA’s 2011 water release for downstream farmers, coupled with epic drought, as major contributors to the low lake levels that slammed businesses and tourism in recent years. In 2011, LCRA sent more than 433,000 acre-feet to agriculture users below Austin, according to LCRA data. Only in the past year have lake levels recovered significantly.

In response to the possibility of prolonged drought and a steadily ballooning Central Texas population, last year LCRA rejiggered its water management plan. The plan’s latest iteration is more conservative in the amount of water that can be released, said John Hofmann, LCRA executive vice president for water.

Under the new water management plan, LCRA now weighs the amount of water in the lakes, along with the potential impact of future weather and historic weather patterns, including 2011, which was the driest single year in recorded Texas history, Hofmann said.

“We have the awesome responsibility of trying to manage a shared resource that people up and down this river depend on for their livelihood,” Hofmann said. “Those reservoirs were built to tame the Colorado River, to manage floods, to make water supplies available for the heart of the state of Texas and for providing hydroelectric generation.”

Myron Hess, with the National Wildlife Federation, said his organization focuses primarily on environmental issues, but it also recognizes the value the rice farms provide, for instance, to migratory waterfowl. Beyond agriculture, he said a healthy flowing river helps Matagorda Bay’s freshwater needs and fish species in the Colorado River, he added.

“One of my big concerns is that over time in Austin, as demands continue to grow, there is going to be less and less water available for the environment,” Hess said. “The issue of water management is a contentious one. It is always scary to see lake levels drop, but that is the way the system was created.”

The new plan is more conservative, according to LCRA documents. Nevertheless, Lake Buchanan residents still fret about the return of drought and a shrunken, nearly inaccessible waterfront.

Following 2011, Highland Lake tourism was hit hard by the ever-shrinking lake, particularly in Tow, a town at the northern end of Lake Buchanan. In optimal conditions, the brimming lake fills sloughs along Tow’s edge. Boaters can dock in their backyards. At its worst, Tow residents have lost sight of the lake’s edge.

Those low lake levels exacerbated the relationship between Lake Buchanan residents and rice farmers to the south.

Haynes, and others, said they felt the downstream rice farmers have held outsized influence, and received bargain prices on water, compared to Central Texans.

But those farmers have suffered, too, since receiving the last shipment of water in 2011. The LCRA held back on releasing water for four years.

From Bastrop to La Grange and down to El Campo and Matagorda, businesses along the lower stretch of the Colorado have been hard hit, said Kirby Brown, a board member of Lower Colorado River Basin Coalition, which advocates for stakeholders south of Austin that use Highland Lake water.

“It’s tough. People are laid off. People didn’t go to work; fields were fallow for four years. A lot of those guys lost their businesses, the rice businesses, their farms,” Brown said. “We had a lot of implement dealers, local banks in those small communities closed…it was just a lot of different folks that were affected: the guys at the gas station, guys who fly the planes to put fertilizer out.”

Brown said a new reservoir being constructed in Wharton County should help. LCRA expects to complete the Lane City Reservoir in 2018. It will hold about 90,000 acre-feet of water.

Just as the residents of Lake Buchanan worry about the release of water and a depleted lake, so do Brown and downstream farmers worry about being cutoff.

“All of these things are all part of the whole that we have to look at and talk about and consider the impacts to everyone,” Brown said.

http://kxan.com/2016/03/17/rising-lake-buchanan-brings-new-concerns-for-residents/

[Serious News]

Possible flooding now.

Flood plain residents brace for lake level surge

While many area residents and lakeside businesses are rejoicing at Lake Travis’ return to full capacity, Lakeway resident Mike Albrecht and his companion Shirley Powers are gradually moving their belongings into storage, just in case the water creeps past their small retaining wall and up into their home.

“As the lake is coming up incrementally, we’re taking incremental steps to evacuate,” said Albrecht, whose home is less than 75 feet from the water’s edge. “We’re kind of at the mercy of Mother Nature and the (Lower Colorado River Authority).”

Of the dams controlled by the LCRA, Mansfield Dam is the only one built to temporarily hold floodwaters in order to protect the Austin area and further downstream.

On top of the lake’s full capacity of 681 feet, 33 feet of floodwater can be stored on top of that, for a total of 714 feet.

“There’s a history of incredible and very catastrophic flooding that’s occurred in the Colorado River basin,” said John Hofmann, LCRA executive vice president of water. “We want to protect Austin and downstream and mitigate the effects of flooding … if you look at where we are right now, we’re a little bit into flood storage – barely over 681. We’re slowly but surely, through our normal releases, keeping that down to 681. But if we’re sitting at 681 and having a 20-inch rain event upstream in the Pedernales watershed … that’s a different scenario.”

Any number of factors might go into allowing the lake level to rise past 681 feet. The LCRA might also take advantage of Lake Travis’ flood reservoir capacity if it’s already flooded downstream, and officials feel that they can’t afford to exacerbate the problem with waters rushing down the Pedernales, Hofmann said. And residents at the water’s edge need to be cognizant of that fact, Hofmann said.

“That’s what that (extra capacity) is for,” Hofmann said.

Entire Story http://www.statesman.com/news/news/local/flood-plain-residents-brace-for-lake-level-surge/nqw4F/

[Serious News]

Now it's on flood stage, over-full.

81276

[Ratickle]

Chatting with Mobilemercman lately. Travis had been down to where some of the ramps couldn't even be used. Then the past couple weeks they had some major rain and it raised up almost 10'.

Now today Jim is saying they have had epic rains upstream and boats are going over dams and the lake has raised a bunch just today!!

[Ratickle]

https://youtu.be/Z_QKMoYWN0w

Forecasters are telling people along the Llano River in Central Texas to seek higher ground after more than 10 inches of rain fell in less than 48 hours.

https://youtu.be/Z_QKMoYWN0w

[Ratickle]

https://youtu.be/6s5j7ZLCkHI

https://youtu.be/6s5j7ZLCkHI

[Ratickle]

https://youtu.be/ObdPxVeFAKY

https://youtu.be/ObdPxVeFAKY

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

Colorado river is flowing like it hasn't since 1935. All flood gates are open at two dams above Travis. Travis is now full with flood gates releasing there as well. Water is still flowing in big time. This is far from over.

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

The dam vid just above is Starke dam flowing into Travis. About 15 feet is rushing over dam. Travis overruns at 710 0r 714. It has never done that before. All highland lakes are closed to traffic. Seems like you would not have to ban watercraft but, there has been stupid Kayakr's seen in the river.

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

https://youtu.be/uyH5mx5xEIE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyH5mx5xEIE

There is usually a 70 foot transition from top level to bottom.

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

The bridge above looks like the 2900 road over llano river. It washed away a few hours ago.

[Ratickle]

That's a lake rise.

85939

[Ratickle]

The bridge above looks like the 2900 road over llano river. It washed away a few hours ago.


https://youtu.be/7vIieOnEzzU

https://youtu.be/7vIieOnEzzU

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

Projecting 695 tomorrow
Every dam above Travis has flood gates open and flooding will continue for a few more days

[Ratickle]

Holy crap!! New all-time record?

85940

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

No, but getting close. its been to 701 and 706? in the last ten years.

Goes over the top spillway at 714

[rschap1]

WOW
That is just incredible to see.
Hope everyone stays safe...and the kayakers wise up too ! ! !

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

Going to 710 tomorrow. Still raining up river. Causing major problems for many people.

Saw on news last night a man was on Lake Marble Falls securing his stuff and ended up in water. He went over the starke dam and was heard calling for help in Spicewood. 15 or 20 miles down. Amazingly he was rescued. Only good news I've heard.

[Ratickle]

It appears to finally be slowing down, but over 700' this morning.

Flood stage is 681.

85942

[Ratickle]

Top 10 highest Lake Travis flood levels

1.Dec. 25, 1991 - 710.44 ft.
2.May 18, 1957 - 707.38 ft.
3.June 25, 1997 - 705.11 ft.
4.Feb. 9, 1992 - 704.68 ft.
5.July 6, 2007 - 701.51 ft.
6.Oct. 18, 2018 - 701.13 ft. (as of 7 a.m.)
7.Nov. 25, 2004 - 696.70 ft.
8.July 7, 2002 - 693.50 ft.
9.June 14, 1987 - 693.48 ft.
10. June 16, 2016 - 692.69 ft.

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

https://hydromet.lcra.org/

Shows the entire basin and all inflow rates. Water still coming down river. Projected to go as high as 710 by tomorrow.

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

https://floodstatus.lcra.org/

Boat load of info here. Shows individual dam heights and flow.

[Ratickle]

85944

[Ratickle]

Looks like the rate of rise has slowed way down. But, it's raining there still.

[Ratickle]

Hopefully it's done going up now.

[Ratickle]

Actually came down a tad today......

[Ratickle]

Looks like they may have a repeat of the issue coming their way by Thursday or Friday with the leftovers of another hurricane.