Flooding in Texas, July 28 to 30, 2004

The most significant heavy rainfall and flooding event of the month occurred on July 27-30. During this period a strong, slow-moving upper level system moved through Texas, producing multiple rounds of thunderstorms along and near a quasi-stationary front in north Texas and southern Oklahoma during the two-day period on July 27-29.Rainfall totals for the 48-hour period ending at 6:00 am CST on July 29 reached 2 to 4+ inches in a wide swath that included most of western north Texas and south central Oklahoma. The hardest hit areas included the Brazos River basin in Knox and Baylor counties, and parts of the Wichita and Little Wichita River basins in Knox, Baylor, Archer, and Clay counties.Storm total precipitation amounts of 4.5 to 7+ inches were observed in the southern halves of these three Texas counties, and some rainfall totals up to 10 inches were reported. Some of the highest totals measured included: Westover, TX - 9.15 inches; Goree, TX - 8.50 inches; Red Springs 1E, TX - 8.3 inches; Scotland, TX - 8.12 inches; Benjamin 4W, TX - 7.79 inches; Seymour, TX - 7.50 inches; Millers Creek Reservoir - 7.12 inches; Archer City, TX (coop site) - 6.62 inches; and Knox City - 6.0 inches. Unofficial storm total amounts of 10 inches were reported in the Archer City and Bomarton, TX areas.The subsequent heavy runoff produced by these rains generated flash flooding and riverine flooding in western north Texas and flash flooding in south central Oklahoma. Minor to moderate rural flooding occurred along the Brazos River in Knox and Baylor counties on July 28-30 after the Brazos River basin received rainfall amounts of 2 to 3+ inches. The Brazos River at Seymour, TX crested at 14.9 feet, 2.9 feet above flood stage, at 10:30 pm CST on July 29, and remained above flood stage from 12:00 pm CST July 28 to 12:00 am CST on July 30.Moderate to major rural flooding occurred along the South Wichita River in Knox County near Benjamin, TX on July 28-29. The South Wichita River crested at 16.8 feet, 4.8 feet above flood stage, at 11:45 am CST on July 28, and remained above flood stage from 5:00 am CST on July 28 to 9:00 am CST on July 29. This flood crest was the third highest crest of record at the USGS gage site.Further downstream below the confluence of the South Wichita River with the Wichita River, moderate to major rural flooding occurred along the Wichita River in Baylor County near Seymour, TX and just upstream of Lake Kemp on July 28-29. The Wichita River crested at 16.84 feet (flood stage unknown) at 11:45 am CST on July 28. This flood crest was the fifth highest crest of record at the USGS gage site. The heavy runoff from the Wichita and South Wichita Rivers was beneficial for the Wichita Falls area as the reservoir levels at Lake Kemp rose several feet.The Little Wichita River basin in Archer and Clay counties also saw significant rises during late July. The reservoir levels increased at both Lake Kickapoo and Lake Arrowhead. Moderate to major flooding occurred along the Little Wichita River in Archer County between Lake Kickapoo and Lake Arrowhead near Archer City, TX on July 28-30. The Wichita River crested at 25.21 feet (flood stage unknown) at 2:00 pm CST on July 29. This flood crest was the tenth highest crest of record at the USGS gage site.Minor rural flooding occurred along the Little Wichita River in Clay County near Henrietta, TX on July 29. The Little Wichita River crested at 18.5 feet, 1.5 feet above flood stage, at 2:30 am CST on July 29, and remained above flood stage from 6:00 pm CST on July 28 to 3:00 pm CST on July 29.Numerous highways and roads in Knox, Baylor, Archer and Clay counties were closed by floodwaters during the event, and a list of some of these roads/locations by county follows:Knox CountyU.S. Highway 82 (just west of Benjamin, TX)U.S. Highway 277 (just east of Goree, TX)Texas State Highway 222 (1 mile west of Knox City, TX)Texas State Highway 6 (5 miles north of Knox City, TX)Baylor CountyU.S. Highway 82 (1, 3, and 7 miles west of Seymour, TX)U.S. Highway 183/283 (5 miles south of Seymour, TX)U.S. Highway 277 (west of Dundee, TX)Farm-to-Market Road 1152 (2-3 miles southwest of Bomarton, TX)Farm-to-Market Road 2070 (4 miles north of Bomarton, TX)Texas State Highway 114 (several location between Seymour and Westover, TX)Archer CountyTexas State Highway 79 (4 miles south of Archer City, TX)Texas State Highway 25 (northwest and east of Archer City, TX)Texas State Highway 174 (near Windthorst, TX)Farm-to-Market Road 210 (west of Archer City, TX)Farm-to-Market Road 2178 (10 miles southwest of Archer City, TX)Farm-to-Market Road 2581 (5 miles southeast of Archer City, TX)U.S. Highway 281 (near Scotland, TX)Farm-to-Market Road 172 (near Scotland, TX)Clay CountyTexas State Highway 79 (near Byers, TX)Farm-to-Market Road 171 (near Byers, TX)Farm-to-Market Road 172 (between Bluegrove and Lake Arrowhead, TX)