Flooding rains continued in the Brazos Valley into Thursday (May 2).
Brazos County’s emergency management coordinator (EMC) says the Navasota River is expected to reach major flood stage sometime between Friday and Saturday. The Brazos River is not expected to reach flood stage.
EMC Michele Meade also reported as of Thursday afternoon, flooding has closed the following Brazos County roads…Sulphur Springs Road over Peach Creek, Democrat Road over the Navasota River, Weedon Loop over Wickson Creek, Elmo Weedon over Wickson Creek, Long Trussel over the Navasota River, and Edge School House Road over Little Cedar Creek.
That contributed to the governor expanding his disaster declaration to 59 counties. The expanded area includes Brazos, Burleson, Robertson, Milam, and Washington counties. The original declaration included Grimes, Madison, Leon, Walker, and Montgomery counties.
Friday morning (May 3), the TxDOT Bryan district office announced Highway 30 reopened in Grimes and Walker counties after being closed Thursday due to high water. And Thursday afternoon, the Robertson County sheriff’s office announced Highway 7 was closed at the Navasota River bridge.
The closure of Highway 30 in Grimes County blocked access to Twin Oaks Landfill. That meant the city of College Station could not complete its regularly scheduled trash pickup. A city statement says weather permitting, collection routes that were not completed Thursday will be collected on Friday.
Multiple school districts cancelled classes on Thursday, including Madisonville, Normangee, Iola, North Zulch, Leon, Centerville, Buffalo, and Anderson-Shiro.
Sam Houston State University-Huntsville and TWC were closed Thursday. As of 10:30 a.m. Thursday, SHSU-COM was open at this time. Visit shsu.edu/katsafe for updates.
The mayor of Huntsville issued a disaster declaration for the city due to severe weather on Thursday and last weekend that has included flooding, damaging winds, and tornado activity that has resulted in downed trees and multiple days of power outages among other things.
A reminder of the message “turn around, don’t drown” took place Thursday morning outside the office building where Bryan Broadcasting is located. To the north of Crystal Park Plaza/Guaranty Bank building, a vehicle went into the flooded drainage ditch. The driver got out safely and there were no passengers.
The National Weather Service reported 2.62 inches at Easterwood Airport as of 1 p.m. Thursday.
As of 10:30 a.m. Thursday, here is a list of rainfall reports from WTAW listeners. Text your amount to 979-695-1620.
After the rain ended on Thursday afternoon:
4.5 inches off Highway 30 near Bird Pond Road in the College Station area
4.28 inches in the Cross community in northern Grimes County
4.1 inches in the Carter’s Crossing area of southeast College Station
3.9 inches in the Blackjack community east of Hearne
3.7 inches on Forsthoff Road south of Kurten
3.5 inches east of Chappell Hill
3 inches NNW of Easterwood Airport
2.95 inches in the Pebble Creek neighborhood of College Station
2.62 inches at Easterwood Airport
Before the rain ended Thursday afternoon:
(8 a.m. Thursday) 5.5 inches at Camp Creek in Robertson County
(10 a.m. Thursday) 4.5 inches three miles north of Anderson
(6 a.m. Thursday) 2.5 inches Highway 30 near the former Smitty K’s building
(6 a.m. Thursday) 2 inches Tiffany Park neighborhood in Bryan
(7 a.m. Thursday) 1.8 inches at FM 1179 and Riverstone in Bryan
(7 a.m. Thursday) 1 inch Greens Prairie & Wellborn Roads in College Station
From WTAW’s Facebook page: