Lake Jackson, Richwood still dealing with high water

LAKE JACKSON, Texas – A voluntary evacuation remained in place Wednesday in parts of Lake Jackson and neighboring Richwood as rising water from Bastrop Bayou overflowed onto roads and threatened homes.

The City of Lake Jackson’s Public Works Department staffed a makeshift pump that was engineered to clear water from the bayou, which naturally flows into area ditches.

“The bayou is taking on a lot of river water, and that’s pushing naturally against our drainage system and that water is coming to us,” said Modesto Mundo, assistant city manager for the city of Lake Jackson.

The bayou has taken in excess water from the Brazos River, which has flooded communities throughout Brazoria County. So far, officials in Lake Jackson said the city has not been affected as badly as other communities.

“We’re holding steady,” Mundo said.

A voluntary evacuation was imposed for the Northwood subdivision. Streets are under water, but homes remained dry as of noon Wednesday. Residents told KPRC that they’re confident the water will not rise any further.

"We just have to live with a little high water, take our time with it, be safe. We'll be OK," said Amy Cross.

In fact, city officials said street flooding in the Northwood community was part of what’s considered a “secondary drainage plan.”

Mundo said streets were engineered to accommodate excess water from the bayou. The city also capped manhole covers in the subdivision for the time being to allow city pumps to catch up with the influx of water from the Brazos River.

Both the Brazos River and Oyster Creek have held steady, which was good news for residents in the area.

In neighboring Richwood, city officials issued a curfew Wednesday for two communities affected by street flooding: Audubon Woods and Glenwood Bayou. Both neighborhoods have restricted vehicle travel from dawn until dusk, as of 1 p.m. Wednesday.

City officials advised residents who need to make emergency appointments during that time period to contact Richwood City Hall at 979-265-2082.

Officials in Richwood said water flow appeared to be slowing down, but they anticipate more water in the coming days.