Officials Opening Additional Flood Gates Near Llano and Kingsland

LLANO, TX -- The Burnet County Sheriff's Office has been notified by Lower Colorado River Authority, which operates the dams in the area, that they will be opening additional flood gates on Buchanan Dam.

This will cause flooding of waterfront areas downstream of Buchanan Dam including areas on Inks Lake and the Colorado River arm of Lake LBJ.

Residents in those areas should make preparations and be aware of rapidly rising water. Reverse 911 notifications to affected areas are going out currently.

According to the LCRA, flood operations are underway at all of the dams along the Highland Lakes – Buchanan, Inks, Wirtz, Starcke, Travis and Tom Miller.

Flooding rains and historic inflows into the lakes this week are causing fast, high flows throughout the Highland Lakes. Anyone nearby should be extremely careful.

LCRA opened four floodgates at Buchanan Dam beginning at 10 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 16, at the rate of one an hour for four hours.

Two of the floodgates are in the 14-gate section and two are in the16-gate section.

Lake Buchanan is forecast to rise to 1,018 to 1,020 feet msl and then be gradually drawn by flood releases to 1,018 feet msl over the following day or two.

Because of the dangerous conditions on the lakes, LCRA has closed lakes Buchanan, Inks, LBJ, Marble Falls and Travis until further notice.

LCRA began opening floodgates at Mansfield and Tom Miller dams at noon on Oct. 16.  

One floodgate was opened at noon, a second floodgate was opened at 2 p.m., a third floodgate was opened at 4 p.m. and a fourth floodgate was opened at 7p.m.  

LCRA is making controlled releases from the flood pool of Lake Travis to manage river levels downstream of Mansfield Dam.

Lake Travis is expected to rise to 695 to 700 feet msl by mid-day Wednesday, October 17th and may continue to rise with additional rain.

Operations at Mansfield Dam may change with additional rainfall or runoff, upstream or downstream of Mansfield Dam.