You might remember from school: water finds the lowest point. In Fort Bend County, the Brazos and San Bernard rivers are among the lowest points in the county, meaning they do a great job at collecting all the rain that falls and moving it to the Gulf of Mexico. The Brazos River is the 11th longest river in the USA, with 1200 river miles upstream from Fort Bend County and all that water will have to pass through us before it drains into the Gulf.
As we’re seeing this week, the Brazos River is doing what nature intended by moving millions of gallons of rain from the storms that moved through Texas yesterday. The National Weather Service hydrograph – the graphical forecast showing river levels – shows the Brazos cresting around 41.5 feet in Richmond next Tuesday.
This forecast includes the recent and expected rainfall and is still well below flood stage; we do not expect any impacts to Fort Bend County at this time. The gauge near Rosharon is forecast to crest around the same time at just over minor flood stage, which should only impact cattle in low areas within the floodplain in the vicinity of the Fort Bend/Brazoria County line. The San Bernard River forecast is similarly minor, but dropping even sooner.
Residents should still avoid aquatic activities in or near the Brazos and San Bernard rivers while they’re running high and fast, as the volume of water draining through them is higher than usual and strong currents could still sweep you away.
As always, for up-to-date information, you can check our Fort Bend County Rivers page at http://fbcoem.org/fort-bend-county-waterways-rivers/.