Henry Burke
On the morning of July 4, the country of Texas Hill received record rainfall, approximately eight inches in four hours in Hunt, Texas. The deluge caused the Guadalupe River to overcome its banks and claim 130 lives. National attention was in Camp Mystic near Kerville, where 27 children and staff died. Is there any engineering solution to minimize loss of life due to river floods? As an engineer who has worked in many heavy construction projects, so I see the problems.
The United States Geological Survey has a Hunt measurement station, so we know the typical river flow throughout the year: about 10 to 20 cubic feet per second (CFS) at this station. At 22:00 on July 2, the flow was 6 CFS, but only two days later the flow was 120,000 cfs. This absolutely bewildering flow led to the disastrous flood on the Guadalupe River, when July 4 increased by 26 feet in 45 minutes.
There have been great Flash floods before the country of Texas Hill, in 1987, in 1991, in 1997, in 1998 and in 2002. Strong rain, rocky soil and steep land combine to create these devastating events.
The southern fork of Guadalupe, along which is the Mystic Camp, begins in the south -west of Kerr county and flows north -east for 27 miles until it meets the northern fork of Hunt. At this point, the combined forks become the Guadalupe River. The northern fork of the river rises in the western part of the county, flowing east for 29 miles until it merges with the south fork and flows for approximately 250 miles in the Gulf of America.
There are several possible engineering options.
Like all rivers, the riverbed of the Guadalupe river can only bring so much water. To minimize floods, engineers often expand it so that they can carry more water downstream. River channeling often includes removal of trees and shrubs that partially block the flow of water. This work has already been carried out by the recent action of the flood.
Another measure is to widen and deepen the channel. This is achieved by digging or drag –Lo. Once again, the floods have searched most of the loose material, but there may be places where the riverbed should be widened or drediced.
Although they would commit the appearance of the river, I think flood walls could also help. They should be built in selected places along the north and south forks, reinforced by concrete about 2 feet high. A flood wall that anyone higher would make the campers reach the river.
Larger prey is needed
The Guadalupe River system has several dams, but they are downstream of the hunting. Many of these under Kerrville were built in the 1920’s and 1930’s, and they are in poor condition, although some have been repaired. There are no major dams at the two forks, but there are several low prey designed to form small lakes. This South Fork and North Fork area of the Guadalupe River needs larger prey. They would provide the greater protection, allowing flooding waters to be stored safely in the reservoirs after a rainy event and released at appropriate times.
I propose to study the potential of two dams, near the headwaters of each fork, both heights of a roller compacted concrete with a ridge elevation of 2,100 feet above sea level. The two prey must include flooding doors and concrete slopes with Tain doors. Aside the river in these places, sufficient water would be caught with several tributaries to reduce the floods downstream.
The riverbed is substantially higher in the region around the mystical camp than in the Dowry sections of the Guadalupe. It leaves 1,290 feet on the elevation of the prey proposed in the country of Texas Hill to the dam of Canyon, which forms Lake Canyon, on the river. This height of 224 feet has a ridge elevation of 974 feet above the middle level of the sea and the elevation of the 943 feet slope.
Civil engineers should also look for possible damnity locations throughout the two forks. Cypress Creek is emptied at the southern fork of the Mystic Camp, and an additional uprising of this cove should be built.
There are many environmental and financial reasons to allow the Guadalupe River to remain as it is, but human life cannot be replaced. The engineering solutions would allow the campers to keep near the river at much less risk.
