Flash Flooding and Flood in Texas, June 1 to 2, 2006

Nearly 12 inches of rain fell across west-central Corpus Christi during the late night hours of May 31st and the early morning hours of June 1st. The flooding began at roughly 2345 CST on May 31st and continued through roughly 0615 CST on June 1st. The Corpus Christi International Airport recorded a 24 hour rainfall total of 11.47", establishing a new all time 24 hour precipitation record. Numerous city streets became flooded, along with a seven mile stretch of Highway 44 (from the Corpus Christi International Airport to F.M. 1694), North Padre Island Drive (Highway 358) and a section of Interstate 37 (near Corn Products Road). Numerous cars became stranded in high water. There was one indirect fatality when a 51 year old woman abandoned her flooded vehicle and began walking on the shoulder of Highway 358. The woman was struck and killed by a van exiting Highway 358. Many high water vehicle rescues were performed by the Corpus Christi Fire Department, including rescues on I-37, Highway 44 and Highway 358. Several people were also evacuated from their homes, which included homes near Manchester Avenue and I-37.Other areas in the city that flooded included, but were not limited to, homes near Clarkwood Road and Highway 44, homes in the Las Colonias subdivsion near Greenwood Avenue and Saratoga, sections of Old Brownsville Road near Saratoga and several roads and neighborhood between Highway 44 and I-37Dollar estimates on the damages are rough, conservative estimates and are likely underestimated. See episode narrative below for further details on the event.The flash flooding also complicated efforts to contain an oil spill, intially caused by lightning, at the Valero Refinery. More info on this oil spill can be found below, in the lightning event.

Lightning struck a waste oil tank at the Valero Bill Greehey Refinery between 100 and 130 AM CDT. The lightning strike resulted in a fire as well as an oil spill. The fire destroyed the large oil storage tank and part of the pipe rack behind it, used to offload oil from ships. The oil spilled into a containment dike. The heavy rainfall, as well as well as water used to put out the fire, caused the oil to spill over the containment dike and into the Corpus Christi Ship Channel. Valero estimated roughly 63,000 gallons of an oil water mix (roughly 1500 barrels) spilled into the ship channel. The Corpus Christi Ship Channel was closed for several days while the oil was cleaned up.Dollar estimates on the damage that occurred to the tank and pipe rack, as well as the cost of the oil and cleanup, were unknown at the time of this publication.See episode narrative below for further details on the event.

Heavy rainfall rainfall since May 28th had left portions of Victoria County saturated. As heavy rainfall began falling again during the early morning hours of June 1st, several city streets in the city of Victoria, as well as several Farm to Market Roads and County Roads throughout Central Victoria County, became flooded and impassable.See episode narrative below for further details on the event.

Heavy rainfall of nearly 12 inches caused the Oso Creek at Corpus Christi to reach 25.56 feet during the mid afternoon hours of the 1st, resulting in major flooding in the basin. Property and some buildings along Oso Creek at F.M. 763 were flooded. This was the sixth highest crest ever recorded along Oso Creek.

Between 4 and 6 inches of rain fell in Rockport, leaving some city streets flooded, including Market Street at Business 35.

Widespread heavy rainfall led to flash flooding along several roads in the Port O'Connor and Magnolia Beach areas. Several roads were impassable but to large trucks.See episode narrative below for further details on the event.

An epic flash flood event across much of Kleberg County began in the late evening on the 1st and continued through much of June 2nd. 14.52 inches of rainfall was recorded by a volunteer NWS observer 2 miles east of Ricardo. Satellite precipitation estimates indicated up to 20 inches of rainfall may have fallen just east of the volunteer observer's location. Many Farm to Market and County Roads were flooded as well as U.S. 77 at Ricardo and several streets in Kingsville. About 30 residents in a flood plain along F.M. 1717, southeast of Kingsville, had to be evacuated for their safety from the rising water.Dollar estimates on the damages are rough, conservative estimates and are likely underestimated. See episode narrative below for further details on the event.

Heavy rainfall fell across all of Kleberg County and a portion of Southern Jim Wells County during the early morning hours of June 2nd. Several Country Roads became flooded and impassable, including a large section of C.R. 428, west of Premont.See episode narrative below for further details on the event.

Heavy rainfall left most city streets impassable, with two feet of water covering many of them.