Posted: Wed, 17 Oct 2018 07:57 PM - 30,355 Readers

By: KVUE

Officials said Wednesday afternoon that in the next 24 hours, a total of eight floodgates could open at Mansfield Dam at Lake Travis. That would break a record set in 1957.

Four floodgates are currently open at Mansfield Dam on Lake Travis and officials said Wednesday afternoon they expect that four more are likely to open within the next 24 hours. The Lower Colorado River Authority said they encourage everyone to take immediate action to protect people and property on Lake Travis, on Lake Austin, on Lady Bird Lake and further downstream.

The most floodgates ever opened on Mansfield Dam was six in 1957. Five were opened in 1991. Mansfield Dam has 24 floodgates total.

"This is an historic flood," LCRA said Wednesday.

In the past week, LCRA said Lake Travis has captured more water than the City of Austin uses in four years.

When asked if people should evacuate their Lake Austin homes, LCRA said they should "take precautions."

According to KVUE meteorologists, Lake Travis is 134 percent full at nearly 699 feet. The maximum height Lake Travis can reach is 714 feet before the water goes over the Mansfield Dam spillway. The closest Lake Travis has been to the maximum height was in 1991 when it reached 710 feet. The water has never in recorded history reached 714 feet. KVUE meteorologist Erika Lopez said the lake began rising rapidly due to filtering of floodwaters from the Llano River. Floodgate operations at Mansfield Dam have the potential to change with more rain in the forecast for the Austin-area, Chief Meteorologist Albert Ramon said.

Sometime after 6 a.m. Tuesday, the Llano River crested at 39.9 feet: more than 10 feet above the flood stage. That's the highest height the river has been since 1997 and is the second highest crest in recorded history. The highest crest for the Llano River was in 1935 at 41.5 feet.

• 6:00 pm: Lake Travis has reached 134 percent full.
  
  
• 5:00 pm: Lake Travis has reached 133 percent full.
  
  
• 4:30 pm: Llano County officials gave flood updates during a press conference. Officials said the family of the woman who was found along the Llano River has been notified, but they did not identify her because her death is still being investigated. Officials said since the Llano County and Kingsland water systems were compromised during the flooding, they will be handing out water at points of distribution. Kingsland residents can pick up water bottles at the community center and Llano County residents can pick up water at the junior high school located on Highway 71.
  
  
• 3:45 pm: Lake Travis sits at its sixth-highest height in history. Lake Travis could reach the No. 1 spot by Friday.
  
  
• 3:30 pm: A Flash Flood Watch has been issued for Williamson, Hays and Travis counties until 7 p.m. Thursday.
  
  
• 1:30 pm: Four floodgates have opened at Mansfield Dam at Lake Travis, and at a press conference, LCRA said they are currently projecting that four more floodgates will need to open at the dam in the next 24 hours. They encourage everyone to take immediate action to protect people and property on Lake Travis, on Lake Austin, on Lady Bird Lake and further downstream. Water from Lake Travis will reach Bastrop in one day and it will take five days to get to the Gulf.
  
  
• 11 am: Lake Travis has reached 131 percent.
  
  
• 10:15 am: The first confirmed death resulted from the Llano flooding. A woman's body was found at a low water crossing in Llano, officials said at a press briefing Wednesday morning. Officials are advising residents in Llano to stay in their homes and to avoid the roadways due to flooding and debris.
  
  
• 8:10 am: A flash flood warning has expired for parts of Burnet and Travis counties due to a decline in the rate of the water rising over the last several hours, according to the National Weather Service. Burnet County
  
  
• 8 am: San Gabriel Park has reopened, however, Lower Park Road remains closed, Georgetown police said. Blue Hole will remain closed until further notice, the department said.
  
  
• 7:35 am: A mandatory evacuation was issued for residents of The Island, a condominium along the lake, in Lago Vista. City authorities said the power would be shut off as a safety precaution. People who live in low water areas were told to be aware of the voluntary evacuation procedures. Lago Vista High School's Performing Arts Center is open to evacuees as a temporary evacuation location.
  
  
• 7:14 am: Lake Travis is 129 percent full and is expected to rise to 700 feet by mid-day. Floodgate operations at Mansfield Dam could change with more rain expected in the forecast, Chief Meteorologist Albert Ramon said.
  
  
• 6:30 am: Lake Travis is 128 percent full at 695.81 feet, according to Meteorologist Erika Lopez.
  
  
• 5:11 am: Flash flood warning extended for Travis and Burnet counties until 8 a.m.
  
  
• 5 am: Flash flood warning for Lake Travis and Burnet County expires.
  
  
• 3:26 am: Lake Travis is 126 percent full. It's the highest it has been since June 2016.

*  Story Contributed by: KVUE