The Llano River is expected to experience flash flooding today following heavy rainfall, prompting Flash Flood Warnings across multiple counties, including San Saba, Burnet, Llano, Menard, Gillespie, and Kerr, according to the latest press release from the National Weather Service (NWS). Lake Travis, a reservoir on the Colorado River in Texas, has been closed under a Travis County judge’s order, allowing access only to emergency personnel.
NWS Alerts Indicate Life-Threatening Conditions
1015 AM: 24 hour rainfall from the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) gauges. Large area of 2-5 inch totals with isolated totals over 9 in/near San Saba County. The San Saba River and Llano River took the brunt of the rain and are rising rapidly. #sjtwx #txwx pic.twitter.com/D5hhSjW46x
— NWS San Angelo (@NWSSanAngelo) July 13, 2025
The NWS has issued warnings for potentially life-threatening situations. They stated:
“The Llano River is already at Moderate Stage and is expected to rise further in the next hour to over 18 feet. The river may rise even higher.”
Current Flooding Situation
Flash Flood Warnings Issued
The NWS extended and issued Flash Flood Warnings for the following areas:
- San Saba County (until 11:00 AM CDT): Expected 4–7 inches of rain, with isolated areas receiving 8–10 inches, causing rapid rises in the San Saba River.
- Western Burnet and Northeastern Llano Counties (until 10:15 AM CDT): 1–5 inches already fallen, with an additional 2–4 inches anticipated per hour.
- West Central Menard County (until 11:00 AM CDT): 2–5 inches fallen, contributing to flooding on the San Saba River.
- Southwestern Gillespie and Kerr Counties (until 11:30 AM CDT): Up to 2 inches fallen, with forecasts of 1–2 inches per hour.
Flash Flood Emergency Declared
A Flash Flood Emergency has been declared for eastern San Saba County near Bend until 7:00 AM CDT, with flash flooding affecting the area due to 6–8 inches of rainfall.
Impact on Lake Travis
The Llano River, which flows into Lake Travis, is swelling from the heavy rain, marking a crest of 17.2 feet in Llano with moderate flooding, the highest since the 40.17-feet level recorded in October 2018.
The City of Austin has extended a watercraft ban on all waterways, including Lake Travis, Lady Bird Lake, Lake Austin, Barton Creek, and Bull Creek, until at least noon Monday due to rapidly rising waters and debris.
Managing Flood Waters
The water level in Lake Travis increased from 637.56 feet on July 4 to 655.35 feet by July 6, a 17.79-foot rise due to runoff from the Llano and Pedernales Rivers. The Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) has opened floodgates at the Wirtz and Starcke Dams to manage this runoff, with expectations that Lake Travis will hold floodwaters without needing to open Mansfield Dam.
The LCRA has also urged caution against boating or swimming due to debris and elevated bacteria levels.
Recent Flooding Tragedy
This warning comes just days after flooding in Central Texas claimed at least 129 lives, including 75 in Kerr County, 9 in Travis County, 8 in Kendall County, 5 in Burnet County, and 3 in Williamson County. Over 30 individuals remain missing, including 10 campers from Camp Mystic. Travis County EMS has rescued 25 people, while Burnet County conducted 18 water rescues.
