Bastrop County Long Term Recovery Team

09/21/2026

Our county has seen its share of disasters and severe weather events, and we know how quickly conditions can change. Choosing this month to make sure you have everything you need to shelter in place or evacuate could make all the difference when an emergency happens. Take time to check your emergency supplies, update your family disaster plan, know your evacuation routes, and make sure everyone in your household knows what to do.

Preparedness doesn’t have to happen all at once. Start today. Make a plan. Build your kit. Be ready. Bastrop County Long Term Recovery Team can help you start the conversation. Follow this link to create your family disaster plan today! https://www.bcltrt.org/family-disaster-plan

09/04/2026

𝟭𝟱 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿
𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟭 𝗕𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗽 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘅 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀

Fifteen years ago, the Bastrop County Complex Fires forever changed our community. For those who lost homes, belongings, pets, and pieces of family history, the memories of those days remain.

But so does the extraordinary way Bastrop County came together. Neighbors helped neighbors. First responders worked tirelessly. Volunteers, churches, nonprofits, businesses, and local governments stepped forward to help families rebuild.

The Bastrop County Long Term Recovery Team grew from that spirit of service, and the lessons of 2011 continue to guide our work today.

On this 15th anniversary, we remember what was lost, honor those whose lives were changed, and thank all who served then and continue to serve today.

We remember. We honor. We prepare. And we continue the work.

09/03/2026

09/03/2026

September is National Preparedness Month, and today the Bastrop County Long Term Recovery Team was glad to join the Bastrop Regional Chamber of Commerce Monthly Membership Luncheon!

Our Executive Director, Sheila Lowe, hosted an informational table where attendees could pick up preparedness resources, learn what to include in a go bag, create a Family Disaster Plan, and find out how to volunteer with BCLTRT.

We also appreciated hearing from James Altgelt with the Bastrop County Office of Emergency Management, who shared valuable information about communication during disaster response, a topic that continues to be one of the most important pieces of preparing for and responding to emergencies in our community.

And congratulations to Steve C**n, Executive Director of Troops Need Roofs, winner of our Emergency Go Bag giveaway! 🎒🎉

Thank you to everyone who stopped by our table, asked questions, scanned a QR code, or simply took a moment to think about preparedness.

Preparedness starts before the disaster. Let’s get Bastrop County ready! 💙

09/01/2026

07/20/2026

𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗣𝗢𝗦𝗧 𝗜𝗦 𝗡𝗢 𝗟𝗢𝗡𝗚𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗢𝗦𝗧 𝗨𝗣 𝗧𝗢 𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗣𝗢𝗦𝗧. 𝗣𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗚𝗢 𝗧𝗢 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗣𝗢𝗦𝗧 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗧𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝗔𝗧 𝟵:𝟬𝟬 𝗔𝗠 - 𝟬𝟳/𝟮𝟭/𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲.

𝟬𝟳/𝟮𝟬/𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝟳:𝟬𝟬 𝗣𝗠 – 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘 # 𝟳
𝗖𝗢𝗟𝗢𝗥𝗔𝗗𝗢 𝗥𝗜𝗩𝗘𝗥 𝗦𝗜𝗧𝗨𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘 - 𝗙𝗟𝗢𝗢𝗗𝗚𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦

Good evening. The forecast for the Colorado River continues to be updated regarding the impacts of the Colorado River in Bastrop County as a result of the floodgate operations being conducted by the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) and the City of Austin. As of this time, the Colorado River is forecast to crest in Bastrop at 14.90 feet Tuesday afternoon and in Smithville at 11.50 feet late Tuesday night / early Wednesday morning. The forecast is slightly higher than this morning’s forecast for both the Bastrop and Smithville locations.

Flows downstream will be higher and faster than usual while the floodgates are open. People downstream should secure boats, docks and other property, and keep an eye on conditions.

𝗔𝗻𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘄𝗶𝗺 𝗼𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁-𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀, 𝗮𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗱𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿. 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝘆𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘃𝘆 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘄𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝗺𝘂𝗿𝗸𝘆, 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗻𝘁, 𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀.

As of 6:05 PM this evening, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) official forecast for the Colorado River at 𝗕𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗽 shows the following information:

9:00 PM Monday (07/20) 14.6 feet / 13,500 cfs

12:00 AM Tuesday (07/21) 14.6 feet / 13,500 cfs
6:00 AM Tuesday (07/21) 14.8 feet / 13,800 cfs
12:00 PM Tuesday (07/21) 14.9 feet / 14,000 cfs
6:00 PM Tuesday (07/21) 14.7 feet / 13,700 cfs

12:00 AM Wednesday (07/22) 13.9 feet / 12,400 cfs
6:00 AM Wednesday (07/22) 13 feet / 11,100 cfs
12:00 PM Wednesday (07/22) 12.5 feet / 10,300 cfs
6:00 PM Wednesday (07/22) 12.3 feet / 10,000 cfs

12:00 AM Thursday (07/23) 12.2 feet / 9,900 cfs

As of 6:09 PM this evening, the NOAA official forecast for the Colorado River at 𝗦𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗵𝘃𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲 shows the following information:

9:00 PM Monday (07/20) 10.8 feet / 12,900 cfs

12:00 AM Tuesday (07/21) 11 feet / 13,300 cfs
6:00 AM Tuesday (07/21) 11.2 feet / 13,700 cfs
12:00 PM Tuesday (07/21) 11.4 feet / 14,000 cfs
6:00 PM Tuesday (07/21) 11.5 feet / 14,200 cfs

12:00 AM Wednesday (07/22) 11.5 feet / 14,200 cfs
6:00 AM Wednesday (07/22) 11 feet / 13,300 cfs
12:00 PM Wednesday (07/22) 10.4 feet / 12,200 cfs
6:00 PM Wednesday (07/22) 9.9 feet / 11,300 cfs

12:00 AM Thursday (07/23) 9.6 feet / 10,800 cfs

This forecast is for the Cities of Bastrop and Smithville; however, we anticipate the river will rise and crest in the same manner across all of Bastrop County.

𝗔𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀, 𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗳𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝘀.

Real-time rainfall and river data can be found: https://hydromet.lcra.org/.
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𝟬𝟳/𝟮𝟬/𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝟵:𝟬𝟬 𝗔𝗠 – 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘 #𝟲
𝗖𝗢𝗟𝗢𝗥𝗔𝗗𝗢 𝗥𝗜𝗩𝗘𝗥 𝗦𝗜𝗧𝗨𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘 - 𝗙𝗟𝗢𝗢𝗗𝗚𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦

Good morning. The forecast for the Colorado River continues to be updated regarding the impacts of the Colorado River in Bastrop County as a result of the floodgate operations being conducted by the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) and the City of Austin. As of this time, the Colorado River is forecast to crest in Bastrop at 14.3 feet early Tuesday morning and in Smithville at 10.8 feet Tuesday morning. The Bastrop location forecast is slightly lower than last evening’s forecast and the Smithville location forecast is a little higher than last evening’s forecast.

Flows downstream will be higher and faster than usual while the floodgates are open. People downstream should secure boats, docks and other property, and keep an eye on conditions.

𝗔𝗻𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘄𝗶𝗺 𝗼𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁-𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀, 𝗮𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗱𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿. 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝘆𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘃𝘆 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘄𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝗺𝘂𝗿𝗸𝘆, 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗻𝘁, 𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀.

As of 7:45 AM this morning, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) official forecast for the Colorado River at 𝗕𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗽 shows the following information:

12:00 PM Monday (07/20) 13.6 feet / 12,000 cfs
9:00 PM Monday (07/20) 14.2 feet / 12,900 cfs

12:00 AM Tuesday (07/21) 14.3 feet / 13,000 cfs
6:00 AM Tuesday (07/21) 13.7 feet / 12,100 cfs
12:00 PM Tuesday (07/21) 11.7 feet / 9,250 cfs
6:00 PM Tuesday (07/21) 8.4 feet / 5,170 cfs

12:00 AM Wednesday (07/22) 5.5 feet / 2,420 cfs
6:00 AM Wednesday (07/22) 3.6 feet / 957 cfs
12:00 PM Wednesday (07/22) 7.9 feet / 4,570 cfs
6:00 PM Wednesday (07/22) 7.8 feet / 4,450 cfs

12:00 AM Thursday (07/23) 5.9 feet / 2,710 cfs

As of 7:48 AM this morning, the NOAA official forecast for the Colorado River at 𝗦𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗵𝘃𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲 shows the following information:

12:00 PM Monday (07/20) 9.3 feet / 10,300 cfs
9:00 PM Monday (07/20) 10.4 feet / 12,200 cfs

12:00 AM Tuesday (07/21) 10.6 feet / 12,600 cfs
6:00 AM Tuesday (07/21) 10.8 feet / 12,900 cfs
12:00 PM Tuesday (07/21) 10.6 feet / 12,600 cfs
6:00 PM Tuesday (07/21) 9.6 feet / 10,800 cfs

12:00 AM Wednesday (07/22) 7.9 feet / 8,130 cfs
6:00 AM Wednesday (07/22) 5.4 feet / 4,650 cfs
12:00 PM Wednesday (07/22) 3.2 feet / 1,840 cfs
6:00 PM Wednesday (07/22) 3.4 feet / 2,060 cfs

12:00 AM Thursday (07/23) 5.1 feet / 4,230 cfs

This forecast is for the Cities of Bastrop and Smithville; however, we anticipate the river will rise and crest in the same manner across all of Bastrop County.

𝗔𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀, 𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗳𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝘀.

Real-time rainfall and river data can be found: https://hydromet.lcra.org/.
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07/14/2026

The National Weather Service uses different flood alerts to communicate the level of risk. Understanding what each one means can help you make informed decisions before, during, and after severe weather.

We encourage everyone to have multiple ways to receive weather alerts and to make a family emergency plan before severe weather strikes.

https://warncentraltexas.org/
https://www.atxfloods.com/
https://www.bcltrt.org/family-disaster-plan

Remember the differences between a Flood Watch and a Flash Flood Warning. A Flood Watch means conditions are favorable for Flash Flooding whereas a Flash Flood Warning means dangerous Flash Flooding is imminent or expected shortly.