Updated 5:18 p.m. Sept. 1 Several evacuation orders in Fort Bend County have been updated. Click here for the latest information.
Updated 10:12 a.m. Sept. 1

The Brazos River crested this morning at 55.18 feet and is now down to 55.10 feet, County Judge Robert Hebert said during a Friday morning update.

"We have a defined inundation area now; it’s not going to get bigger, it’s going to get smaller," he said. "You can travel freely in the county, as long as it’s dry."

Residents are still urged to check the county's road closure list to make sure their route is safe. Evacuation orders do remain in place this morning, but Hebert said the county will work continuously to remove mandatory evacuation order as quickly as it can.

"If you’ve moved out in response to the evacuation order, watch closely," he said. "Your area may be released sooner or later, it depends on how the water goes down. That’s good news; we’re starting to dry out."

 
Updated 3:40 p.m. Aug. 31 The Texas A&M Engineering department and Fort Bend County officials collected the following drone footage yesterday of the Brazos River.  The Brazos River levels at the Richmond bridge continue to rise; as of Thursday afternoon they are at 55.07 feet with projected crest of 56 feet on Friday.
Updated 6:45 p.m. Aug. 30 During a press conference Wednesday evening, Fort Bend County Judge Robert Hebert confirmed two individuals died today near the Weston Lakes subdivision when their car was carried off the road by high water. Although rescuers were there quickly, they were unable to extract them from the car in time, Hebert said.

“When the call came in today at 12:40 [p.m.], the car in the water, the response was made by the Fulshear fire chief and a rescue team from Arizona,” Hebert said. “People who live elsewhere that you don’t know are out there trying to make sure we survive this. We tip our hat to them and tip our hat to sheriff, constables, municipal police, and all those other folks working on a local basis to protect theirs as we work through this flood.”

The county’s focus today remains on rescuing people, Hebert said. Most of the rescues and evacuations today were non-life threatening situations, he said, but it raised the county’s total of rescues and evacuations to 5,205. Hebert urged residents if they have an emergency or personal matter to respond to, move around with great care. For road closures, click here.

As of 5:15 p.m. today the Brazos River was at 54.15 feet, Hebert said. The current crest prediction remains at 56 feet, which would be the highest county record. Hebert said there are three things that must happen before the mandatory evacuation orders are rescinded: the river must start to come down; the residual rainwater behind the levy needs to get over the levy and into the river; and as the river goes down, it must reach a level which leaves access roads free of water.

“We’ve had rumors out there because in many areas of the county the flooding caused by rainwater has subsided,” he said. “The rumors are, ‘It’s dry at my place, so you can go back to your home.’ I want to remind the public that evacuation orders are all in place. None have been amended or rescinded and can only be amended and rescinded by the county judge.”

Updated 3:11 p.m. Wednesday

Evacuation orders remain in place throughout portions of Fort Bend County on Wednesday as the Brazos River continues to rise. However, County Judge Robert Hebert provided an update Wednesday and said the river level is expected to crest at 56 feet—down from 57.5 feet—at the Richmond bridge early Friday morning, which he said is well within the design capabilities of the levies.

Fifty-six feet still exceeds the record set in 2016 during the Memorial Day floods, and Hebert said many streets in the county that have never seen water from the Brazos River will receive water when the river reaches its crest, such as Plantation Drive, Sienna Parkway and University Boulevard. Portions of the roadways may be out of service when the river reaches 56 feet, Hebert said.

Updated 1:30 p.m. Tuesday

The National Weather Service has lowered the projected crest height of the Brazos River to 57.5 feet. The river was at 51.87 feet at 9:15 a.m. this morning. The river is projected to crest on Thursday.

Updated 9:54 p.m. Monday

Check this link for the latest evacuation routes and mandatory evacuations. There are more than 100 road closures throughout the county, including the Grand Parkway.

Updated 11:45 p.m. Sunday

Click here to see a map with areas affected by mandatory and voluntary evacuation orders for levee districts near the Brazos River. Residents are urged to wait until Monday to determine whether to leave.  

Updated 11:05 p.m. Sunday

 

Updated 8:13 p.m. Sunday

Updated 2:01 p.m. Sunday

Fort Bend County Judge Robert Hebert has upgraded the voluntary evacuation order for certain residents in low-lying areas surrounding the Brazos River to a mandatory evacuation order, according to the county's office of emergency management.  

Updated 9:45 a.m. Sunday

The city of Richmond issued mandatory evacuations for flood prone areas on Saturday. The mandatory evacuations are effective at noon today. There is a shelter open at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Richmond and further shelters will be opening as needed, according to the city. A list of the mandatory evacuation locations include the following areas: -100 block through 800 block Riveredge (Brazos River side) -18 Avenue A -28 Avenue A -800 and 900 blocks of Strange Drive -700 and 800 blocks of Greenwood -1300 block of Newlin -400 and 500 blocks of Kosler -1200 block through 1500 block of Edgewood -1200 and 1300 blocks of Herman -100 block through 500 block of Damon -100 block through 500 block of Grayless -100 block through 300 block of Avenue A -100 block through 300 block of Avenue C -600 block of Lindemann Circle  
Officials in Fort Bend County are preparing for the possibility the Brazos River may reach major flood levels late Sunday and into early next week. The National Weather Service is forecasting the Brazos River reaching an elevation of several feet above flood stage on Sunday night. On Saturday, Fort Bend County Judge Robert Hebert announced a voluntary evacuation order for certain residents in low-lying areas surrounding the Brazos River. Local officials are urging those who were affected by either of the recent Memorial Day floods to make preparation to remove all persons, pets, and livestock out of flood-prone areas. “Harvey has placed us in a familiar position,” Hebert said in a release. “Last year’s floods showed how quickly the Brazos River can impact lives and property in our county and this powerful storm is threatening many of our residents in the same areas. Therefore, I am issuing a voluntary evacuation for the potentially affected areas along the Brazos [River] and a mandatory evacuation for areas along the San Bernard river.” In Richmond, George Park is closed until further notice, according to the city. For more details, click here.