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 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 Hebert said there are three things that must happen before the mandatory evacuation orders are rescinded: the river must start to come down; the residual rainwater behind the levy needs to get over the levy and into the river; and as the river goes down, it must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."
Posted 3:45 p.m. Aug. 30
A review of river level gauges in Sugar Land show Oyster Creek continuing to flood its banks where it crosses Hwy. 6 near Cullinan Park, though water levels there have dropped since peaking on Monday.
The information supplied by Sugar Land to the Harris County Flood Warning System shows that the creek overflowed its banks there on Saturday afternoon. Water levels there were dropping as of mid-day Wednesday, but are still at flood levels.
Earlier today Fort Bend County Judge Robert Hebert said in a video release that the National Weather Service has reduced its projected crest of the Brazos River to 56 feet, an amount of water the county’s levies are designed to handle. Hebert said in the message that with a crest of 56 feet, there should be little danger of water flowing over or around the levees.
Two other gauges in Sugar Land show those waterways having reached their peaks over the weekend but never flooded, according to the information.
A gauge in the Amil Gates off of Hwy. 6 between Brooks Street and University Boulevard shows water levels came close at different times on Sunday and Monday to flooding before they dropped, according to HCFWS.
A gauge in a ditch draining into Oyster Creek northeast of Hwy. 6 and Hwy. 90 shows that while water levels there did increase, they stayed several inches below the top of that ditch’s banks. Water levels there have stayed constant since late Tuesday.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cNnA2kFtVs#action=share
