Severe Weather Alert: Liberty County braces for heavy rains Thursday

As Liberty County grapples with ongoing flooding caused by recent storms, a new deluge looms on the horizon. The forecast for Thursday, May 16, predicts heavy rain and severe storms, posing a continued threat to the region.

With an astonishing 23 inches of rain in Liberty County recorded from May 1-15 – surpassing a third of the area’s typical yearly precipitation (an estimated 61 inches annually) – this additional weather event could exacerbate the existing crisis, according to the Liberty County Office of Emergency Management (LCOEM).

Bill Hergemueller, LCOEM director, says that residents can likely expect between an additional 1-3 inches of rain on Thursday, assuming the weather forecasts are accurate.

“We are asking people to take precautions now and watch the weather tomorrow. Get stocked up now if you need to, so you will be prepared,” he said. “We have asked people to get away from the river. That’s what we are worried about most is if the Trinity River comes back up. The flooding has already done a lot of erosion along the riverbanks, taking out a portion of the FM 787 bridge over the Trinity in Romayor and the road leading into the New River Lake Estates.”

Depending on where the rain falls will play a big part in decision-making about upping the release from the Lake Livingston Dam.

“If we get the rain they are expecting, the river will come back up a little bit. If we get rains like we got earlier this month, while the river is already out of its banks, then that water will have nowhere to go,” he said.

According to Hergemueller, he has asked Trinity River Authority about its plans to up the discharge rate at the Lake Livingston Dam and was told that if the area doesn’t see substantial rain on Thursday, the rate should continue to trend downward. However, if the rainfall is heavy above the dam, TRA could possibly once again increase the discharge rate. Currently, as of 3 p.m., Wednesday, May 15, the discharge rate is 70,321 cubic feet per second.

In anticipation of the storm and because of the ongoing need in New River Lake Estates, located off of FM 787 near Romayor, the Liberty County Office of Emergency Management has arranged for a Red Cross delivery of supplies to the community of approximately 60-80 residents.

To keep up with the latest information, follow the Liberty County Office of Emergency Management on Facebook or watch for weather updates on BluebonnetNews.com.