PARKER COUNTY, Texas — With more rain expected over the next 48 hours, homeowners in flood-prone Horseshoe Bend are bracing for flooding.
"I'm having my stuff ready to load on my trailers, and my motor home ready to go to get up on higher ground," Charlie Walker said on Wednesday night.
Walker has lived on the tip of the bend along the Brazos River for 20 years. He knows the drill. "The river giveth and the river taketh away. It can do that anytime any day," said Walker.
Aside from runoff and the torrential downpours, county officials are betting that the Brazos River Authority upstream decides to open a third gate at Possum Kingdom Lake to alleviate pressure there.
That will almost ensure Horseshoe Bend floods, according to Parker County Judge Pat Deen. "If anything, you've got a day to get out at the latest. I would say to get out right now," said Deen.
The county has already brought in swift water rescue teams on standby. The authority is posting updates to its Facebook page, stating on Wednesday it isn't clear yet when a third gate release will be necessary.
Both Deen and Walker expect it to happen Thursday if the rain remains steady. It usually takes around 24 hours for the water to start flooding the Horseshoe area.
Walker says he'll likely stay put to keep an eye on his property, while watching the current pick up speed. "It's a really pretty spot," he said. "It's clocked in at about 50 miles an hour [...] I've only left one time."