Posted: Fri, 23 Oct 2009 05:49 PM - 10,043 Readers

By: Steve Alberts

Boat docks and expensive power boats -- battered and bruised -- were no match for rushing water from heavy rains that swelled Lake Travis Friday.

"We’re seeing one damaged dock after another," said Alvah Buck, Spiller Boat Docks.

Buck and Stewart Kerly Friday were retrieving docks that broke away during Thursday’s storm and were pushing them back up river where they belong.

"We're just trying to wrestle up some docks and get them back where they go. Some of them moved 10 to 12 miles downriver," Buck said.

Buck says at least two marinas on the lake broke away from their mooring during the storm, causing a lot of damage. One was floating in the middle of the lake.

From mile marker 33 to the Pedernales River, the damage to boats and docks is visible and extensive. Docks are destroyed, tangled in debris and lodged on banks.

There was damage to power boats, too. Buck estimates there were 40 damaged boats.

"It's bad. There are some docks that you would think would move that didn't move, and other docks that you don't think would move are 10 to 12 miles downriver," said Buck. "We've only moved two, and we've got at least 12 more."

Damage is estimated in the millions of dollars.