Real Estate Photographer in Llano, TX

LLANO COUNTY, Texas — A new round of heavy rain over an already-saturated watershed is expected to send a moderate to major flood surge down the Llano River Friday, according to CBS Austin meteorologist Avery Tomasco.

At 2:30 a.m. Friday, Tomasco said a corridor of heavy rain was moving slowly through the Llano River watershed west of Mason County, adding to swells of floodwater the river was already carrying downstream.

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Because the ground was already saturated, Tomasco said, most of the additional rain was expected to run off directly into the river rather than soak into the soil. Now that the rain has ended, one more pulse of water will still need to work its way through the Highland Lakes system over the next day or two.

Tomasco said that 2 to 4 inches of rain had caused the South Fork of the Llano River to rise 20 feet Friday morning, a surge that could send more than 60,000 cubic feet per second into Junction. The Johnson Fork, which enters the river from the southeast, was pushing an additional 25,000 cubic feet per second toward Junction, on top of roughly 16,000 cubic feet per second already flowing through the town, he said.

The combined flow means the Llano River could see a "moderate to major flood" through Friday morning and afternoon in Mason and Llano counties.

Tomasco said the rise would likely require more extensive floodgate operations at Wirtz and Starcke dams as soon as Friday night or Saturday morning to manage the incoming water.

RELATED | Lake Travis set to fill for first time in 7 years due to Hill Country floods

According to the latest updates from the CBS Austin Weather Team, the Llano River crested in Junction just before Major Flood Stage this afternoon.

The flood surge will reach Mason County later Monday evening with a preliminary forecasted crest at 25.7 ft, in Moderate Flood Stage.

In Llano, the river is expected to crest at 2 a.m., with a depth of 25 ft, which is Major Flood Stage. But without knowing exactly how much water is flowing downstream from the Johnson Fork and the Llano, meteorologists say it's difficult to determine what flood stages we could see in Mason and Llano counties. Some of the river forecasts have underestimated river flood levels downstream Friday afternoon.

Tomasco said that could mean Lake Travis rises into its flood pool, which in turn could require floodgate operations at Mansfield Dam at some point this weekend.

Llano County Judge Rob Hardy told CBS Austin that proactive measures have been taken to limit the impact of another water swell in the area.

"The LCRA, Lower Colorado River Authority, has been very proactive in opening gates. And actually, what you're seeing out there—the water is actually lower than its average depth right now because they were very proactive yesterday and dropped it several feet," Hardy said.

It grew by 43 between 2024 and 2025. Changes in population can reflect birth and death rates, immigration patterns, regional shifts, and even the overall health of the economy. The 0.18% annual increase was primarily driven by people moving from other states.

In the decade between 2015 and 2025, Llano County, TX’s population grew by 16.3%.

+43

Source: US Census Bureau

Since 2000, Llano County, TX’s population increased 21 out of 25 years. The largest increase occurred between 2009 and 2010, when Llano County, TX gained 1,000 residents. Its largest decline occurred between 2019 and 2020 when there were 479 fewer residents.

Annual population change, 2001–2025

What contributes to population change in Llano County, TX?

A county’s population is influenced by three factors:

Components of population change from previous year, 2011–2025

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Methodology

USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

Page sources

USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.

The Brief

LLANO COUNTY, Texas - In Llano, a rising river brings back memories of last year’s deadly flooding.

That same water is now making its way toward Lake Travis, which is on track to fill for the first time in seven years.

What they're saying:

When heavy rain sent the Llano River surging once again, one resident turned to his drone to get a bird’s-eye view of the powerful current.

As the drone rose above the Llano River, it revealed a scene Oscar Pocasangre remembers: a river swollen by floodwaters and a community once again keeping a close eye on the water.

Pocasangre flew this same drone after last year’s deadly flooding. On Friday, he sent it back into the sky to see just how this latest flood compared.

"In comparison, I mean it looks about the same, just maybe a couple feet lower this time," Pocasangre said.

The Llano resident said his fascination with weather keeps him watching.

"It's a beautiful thing. It's nature. It's natural. You can't control it and so just the storm, the intensity of everything, it's definitely something that has always interested me," Pocasangre said.

But, he knows the impact flooding can have on communities along the river.

"I've seen actual boat houses just being ripped out and, you know, boats, jet skis flowing down the river. A lot of destruction. Water might look calm on the surface, but you never know what's under that. All the debris flowing through, and it's extremely dangerous," Pocasangre said.

The Pedernales River flows directly into Lake Travis. The lake is currently at 86 percent full as of July 16, the LCRA said. But the LCRA expects water levels to rise 5-7 feet overnight due to the heavy rainfall and controlled releases. Travis County officials are urging people to stay away from the water for now.

He said he also worries about what the water could mean for the bridge over the Llano River.

"Yeah, we can go to Marble Falls, where most of the big grocery stores are that way, but we also have a small hospital here, and so if the bridge gets affected, then crossing over would be kind of detrimental to the Llano community because nobody could get across the bridge and that's the main access, the main bloodline to the city," Pocasangre said.

Dig deeper:

While the floodwaters bring destruction, they are also bringing something Central Texas hasn’t seen in years: a full Lake Travis.

The Lower Colorado River Authority has opened up multiple floodgates at Wirtz Dam and Starcke Dam to move water from the Llano River downstream through Lake LBJ and Lake Marble Falls into Lake Travis.

At the same time, floodwaters from the Pedernales River are also feeding into Lake Travis.

As a result, Lake Travis has risen dramatically and is expected to be full for the first time in seven years.

"While it is destructive, it also helps," Pocasangre said. "Finally, the lakes are getting up there."

At this point, the Llano River remains the biggest concern with more floodwater still moving downstream. A flood warning remains in effect until Sunday, July 19.