Record Texas Floods of 1921

[LemmeOut]

With the flooding that occurred in Central Texas last night I thought I would post some information about the record rainfall that fell in my hometown, and current town, of Thrall. This isn't to take anything away from the people affected now but rather to put it in a different perspective. My grandfather was 7 when these floods occurred and he talked about it on occasion when the creeks would rise. He told stories of families that were completely wiped out and others sitting on the roof of their house as they floated down the river. The San Antonio area also had major flooding but didn't have a such rain.

On September 9 and 10, 1921, the remnants of a hurricane moved over Williamson County. The center of the storm became stationary over Thrall, dropping a storm total of 39.7 inches of rain in 36 hours.[5]

The 24-hour rainfall total ending 7 AM on September 10, 1921 (38.2 inches) at a U.S. Weather Bureau station in Thrall remains the national official 24-hr rainfall record.

Eighty-seven people drowned in and near Taylor, and 93 in Williamson County. Thrall rainfall was 23.4 inches during 6 hours, 31.8 in. during 12 hours, and 36.4 in. during 18 hours.[6] This storm caused the most deadly floods in Texas, with a total of 215 fatalities.

[4wheels]

Yea well global warming did not exist back then.. <snark>

Floods come and go, droughts come and go. That is how the planet is designed. The climate changes. It's supposed to.

Everyone should have flood insurance. A storm can become stationary - a front could sit next to a low pressure system and just train water right over your house for a month.

Thanks for the post - it's good to remind us all this happens and has happened before.

[BowOnly81]

Pretty scary stuff!

[JustinJ]

The good thing is now we have lakes built for flood control. I can't imagine what North Texas would look like after all these rains if it weren't for Texoma, Ray Roberts, Lewisville Grapevine, Lavon and Ray Hubbard. Heck, it was actually a good thing all the lakes were so low and had enough room for all the water. Imagine if had started raining like this and all the lakes were full.

[Pigkilln]

Alvin Tx July 25 1979 43" in 24 hours

[W-O]

Alvin Tx July 25 1979 43" in 24 hours

I lived on an island for 2 days during that one.

[LemmeOut]

Reading about this flood from 1913 was pretty interesting. How far apart are the Brazos and Colorado Rivers at the point they describe where they became one?

he flood of 1899 was bad, but apparently the flood of 1913 was worse.

1913 - 7 AM Dec 1 to 7 AM Dec 5, 1913 - Widespread heavy rain with 15.50 in. center at San Marcos, 13.80 in. at Bertram, 13.60 in. at Somerville, 11.80 in. at Waco, 11.70 in. at Kaufman - Obviously a classic El Nino year - rainfall totals 20 to 25 in. had fallen in the previous 3 months in the area, and water stood in the fields between storms.
Very likely a long wave stalled over west Texas or New Mexico Dec 1-5 and sent a series of storms around its southern periphery.
The Colorado and Brazos Rivers merged below IH-10 to the Gulf because of the very widespread heavy rain, no flood-control reservoirs on the Colorado or Brazos River, and debris dams on the Colorado and Brazos Rivers.
The Colorado River dam was from river mile 28 above Bay City to river mile 52 just below Wharton - The dam wasn't successfully blasted out by the Corps of Engineers until between 1925 and 1929.
There were 180 drownings - Water was waist deep in downtown Bay City - The Colorado River went over the right bank above Columbus and made an island of the town.
Brazos River -
near Highbank - 42.0' Dec 1913
near Bryan (State Hwy 21) - 61' Dec 5, 1913
near Hempstead - 66.1' Dec 8, 1913
at Richmond - 61.2' Dec 10, 1913
at Rosharon - 56.4' - Dec 11, 1913

Colorado River -
at Bastrop - 53.3' Dec 4, 1913
at Smithville - 47.4' Dec 4, 1913
above LaGrange - 56.4' Dec 5, 1913
at Columbus - 51.6' Dec 6, 1913 (river split above town and made into island)
at Wharton - 51.9' Dec 8, 1913
near Bay City - 56.1' Dec 10, 1913
The flood of 1913 was the worst because this area received a lot of rainfall at a time when the Brazos was in flood The level of the Brazos was 56.4ft in 1913 with water covering everything. The Brazos and Colorado joined. The water level was 56.3ft in 1992 but the flooding was only near the Brazos.

[Shake N' Bake]

The good thing is now we have lakes built for flood control. I can't imagine what North Texas would look like after all these rains if it weren't for Texoma, Ray Roberts, Lewisville Grapevine, Lavon and Ray Hubbard. Heck, it was actually a good thing all the lakes were so low and had enough room for all the water. Imagine if had started raining like this and all the lakes were full.

That's a good point!

[Sackett]

]

The 24-hour rainfall total ending 7 AM on September 10, 1921 (38.2 inches) at a U.S. Weather Bureau station in Thrall remains the national official 24-hr rainfall record.

Not to diminish your terrible flood story with loss of life, but the actual 24-hour rainfall total record belongs to Alvin, TX at 43 inches.

[offroadodge]

how about Lake Travis up 18' yes FEET in less than a week...as of last night. expected to go higher today

[LemmeOut]

Not to diminish your terrible flood story with loss of life, but the actual 24-hour rainfall total record belongs to Alvin, TX at 43 inches.

I didn't write it, I just copy and pasted it from a website about historic Texas floods so no worries. Whoever pit it on that site probably did the same thing.

[Bowtech32]

how about Lake Travis up 18' yes FEET in less than a week...as of last night. expected to go higher today

I guess lake Travis will not need that giant block of ice after all

[cwittttt]

Wow. How could I miss a fellow TBHer in my hometown of thrall!? I thought I was the only one. In a town of 800 people you think we would've run across each other!

[Ironman]

Alvin Tx July 25 1979 43" in 24 hours

I remember that. Thought the Gulf was going to become bigger.