Residents across the Texas Hill Country are beginning cleanup and recovery efforts following the deadly flooding that swept through the region this week. At least two lives were lost to the floods, with over 250 rescues made. FOX Weather Correspondent Brandy Campbell is live in San Antonio with all the latest.
Austin, TEXAS — Following days of torrential rain and life-threatening flooding across the Hill Country, Lake Travis tops 100% full capacity, prompting the first Mansfield Dam floodgate release in seven years.
The surging water levels are directly impacting low-lying shoreline communities.
FILE: Looking down on Lake Travis in Austin, Texas
(Heather M Bell / Getty Images)
Local news outlets report floodwaters at Graveyard Point have already completely swallowed back patios and are pushing toward living spaces.
WATCH: FLOODED GUADALUPE RIVER RUSHES THROUGH KERRVILLE DURING FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY
Last week, Central and Southwest Texas were battered by historic downpours, with up to two feet of rain falling over the Hill Country within a three-day period.
Multiple water rescues were carried out, and officials tragically reported two fatalities.
Flooding is still a major concern across Uvalde County, Texas, where roads are still submerged and officials are telling residents to not travel unless absolutely necessary. Aerial video shows the extent of flooding across the county.
The days of relentless rain also caused the catastrophic collapse of the Farm-to-Market (FM) 481 bridge in Uvalde County.
BRIDGE COLLAPSES DUE TO INTENSE FLOODING IN UVALDE COUNTY AS NONSTOP RAIN SLAMS TEXAS HILL COUNTRY
The current state of Lake Travis remains a primary focus for water officials. According to the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA), Lake Travis is considered full for water supply purposes at 681 feet above mean sea level (MSL).
WHAT FLOOD WATCHES, WARNINGS AND EMERGENCIES MEAN
As of Tuesday morning, the water level sat at 683.65 feet MSL—roughly 2.6 feet above its full pool capacity, or approximately 105% full.
“The flood pool of Lake Travis is the area between 681 feet above mean sea level (feet msl) to the crest of the emergency spillway at 714 feet msl. The Lake Travis flood pool can store 776,062 acre-feet,” LCRA states.
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FILE: Dangerous flooding continues to inundate parts of Texas, as heavy rainfall swamped the region.
(Jeremy Timmons) -
Crockett County, Texas, flooding on Friday morning, July 17, 2026.
(Crockett County Fire & EMS/Facebook) -
Floodwaters inundate Uvalde, Texas, on Thursday, July 16, 2026.
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Flood damage at Arcadia Bridge in Kerrville, Texas, on July 16, 2026.
(FOX 7 Austin) -
Uvalde flooding on Thursday, July 16, 2026.
(FOX Weather)
This indicates the lake remains roughly 30 feet below the emergency spillway crest. However, the rapidly rising water prompted the LCRA to open floodgates at Mansfield Dam on Saturday, July 18—marking the dam’s first floodgate operation since 2019.
TROPICAL STORM BERTHA STRENGTHENS, THREATENS GULF COAST WITH HEAVY RAIN, STORM SURGE AND SQUALLS
FILE: Mansfield Dam Lake Travis Hydroelectricity Colorado River near Austin , TX in Central Texas.
Compounding the situation, Tropical Storm Bertha continues to track through the Gulf.
Although the FOX Forecast Center said the storm is not expected to drop heavy, flood-producing rainfall on the areas still recovering from last week’s disaster, as of Tuesday morning, it is still forecast to bring gusty winds and scattered pockets of rain to parts of Texas later this week.
Stick with FOX Weather as we continue to track Bertha and its regional impacts.
