AUSTIN—The Lower Colorado River Authority has installed $300,000 worth of high-tech gauges to better monitor flood-prone rivers and streams in Central Texas.
The LCRA on Tuesday announced work was completed on the five gauges in Bastrop and Travis counties. It's part of the LCRA's Hydromet system of more than 270 automatic weather and river gauges. The equipment provides forecasters with updates on river stages, rainfall totals, temperature and humidity.
Flooding last fall in Texas claimed seven lives, with victims in the Austin, San Antonio and Houston areas. Flooding in parts of Central Texas during 2015 Memorial Day weekend left more than two dozen people dead.
The new gauges are in the Colorado River near Webberville, Utley and Upton, plus in Dry Creek near Elroy and Walnut Creek near Rockne.