DALLAS — As heavy rainfall continues to drench North Texas, the Trinity River in Dallas rose nearly 6 feet over the flood stage Monday, according to data from the National Weather Service.
Already the Fort Worth area of the Trinity has overflowed its banks and flooded Forest Park Boulevard, the city of Fort Worth announced on social media.
Water levels in Dallas reached 35.83 feet at 2 p.m. Central time Monday, beyond the 30-foot flood stage indicating of minor flooding. Early Monday, the river had reached 18 feet in Dallas, a rapid rise from 12 feet Sunday. The NSW originally predicted the river to peak at 34 feet around 7 p.m.
The NWS expects the river’s water levels to return to 15 feet by Wednesday.
Water levels of 40 feet cause major flooding for the Dallas location, which occurred most recently in May 2015 when the Trinity River reached 42 feet following storms.
The Trinity reached 34 feet in June 2021, according to NWS data. The river has peaked at 40 feet or above six times in the last 20 years.
According to the NWS, the current flood stage means minor flooding in agricultural lands, low-lying areas, and low-water crossings near the river.
The Trinity River in Fort Worth came within a foot and a half of the flood stage at the West Fork location, but had not reached minor flooding as of 2 p.m., according to the NWS.
The Dallas water utility department said in a written statement Monday the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has implemented its emergency response plan, and no levee segments are cause for concern at this time.
“The Dallas Levee System, which includes approximately 22 miles of levee and associated pump stations, is performing as intended,” the group said.
In early June, the Corps of Engineers and the city of Dallas broke ground on a $223 million project to improve the Trinity River floodway. The work includes raising some sections of the levees, renovating pump stations and building a new one to improve drainage in Ledbetter and Eagle Ford.
Authorities are monitoring the construction sites to ensure there are no adverse impacts, the city said in its statement.
The weekend’s heavy rainfall follows a summer marked by drought. The NWS recommends area residents:
—Stay home, if possible.
—Remain alert for floods around small creeks and streams and urban streets, highways and underpasses as areas susceptible to flash floods.
—Never drive through flooded roadways.
—Call 311 to report street flooding.
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