KAUFMAN COUNTY, Texas — The levees holding the bulging East Fork Trinity River through Kaufman County held overnight as river levels, already considered “major flooding,” rose more than two feet.
KAUFMAN COUNTY, Texas — The levees holding the bulging East Fork Trinity River through Kaufman County held overnight as river levels, already considered “major flooding,” rose more than two feet.
Yesterday, May 30, 2015, Lake Lavon was releasing at a rate of approximately 24,000 cubic feet of water per second into Lake Ray Hubbard which was releasing approximately 20,000 cubic feet per second into the East Fork Trinity River, according to a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers report. Today, Ray Hubbard is releasing approximately 33,000 feet per second.
In the area nearest Lake Ray Hubbard, the river is toppling the levee in several places, according to Kaufman County Office of Emergency Management Coordinator Steve Howie. Flooding in this area has forced the closure of Lawson Road and has flooded the horse arena and auction house, the River Bottom Arena.
County officials were initially concerned if the East Fork Trinity River reached a stage of 20 feet or more through Combine, Texas, the earthen levees would breach or be toppled in several locations. The river’s flood stage in this area is 18 feet. On Saturday night, the river was measured at 20.64 feet which rose overnight to 22.51 feet at last measure 8 a.m. Sunday.
The National Weather Service (NWS) in Fort Worth, Texas, is forecasting the stage to crest at 24 feet Sunday evening. The NWS said they would continue the ongoing Flood Warning in the area and would issue a Flash Flood Warning in the event the levees fail or are toppled.
In Rosser, the stage has increased overnight from 36.71 feet to 38.82 feet. Flood stage is 31 feet. The river stage is expected to crest just above 42 feet by Tuesday afternoon. The NWS estimates the levees in the area shouldn’t topple until 43 feet however, county officials spoke to long-time residents of the area who indicated the river begins toppling the levees at 42 feet.
“The river is not expected to crest until Tuesday, so hopefully we will have plenty of time to assess the height of the river compared to the height of the levee as it continues its slow rise through Tuesday,” stated the NWS on Sunday morning.
