Another High Water Mark Sign Unveiled in Texas

The 40th high water mark sign in the United States was unveiled in Victoria, Texas, on March 19, 2010.  This marks the 2nd high water mark sign to be displayed in Texas and the 1st for the West Gulf River Forecast Center (WGRFC) in Ft. Worth and the National Weather Service (NWS) Forecast Office in Corpus Christi.  The sign commemorates the record 500 year flood on the Guadalupe River which occurred on October 20, 1998. 

Victoria City Engineer John Johnston; Honroable Mayor Will Armstrong; Fire Chief Vance Riley; Greg Shelton, WGFRC; and John Metz, WCM; unveil High Water Sign in Victoria, TX.

Moisture from two Pacific hurricanes combined with a stalled frontal boundary over central Texas to produce up to 30 inches of rainfall over the headwaters of the Guadalupe River.  During the height of the flood the river rose to a level of 34.04 feet inundating Riverside park and parts of downtown Victoria.  The peak flow reached a record shattering 466,000 cfs which was three times the previously observed record set back in 1936. 

Texas proposed and actual high water signs.

This high water mark sign project was a joint effort between the Victoria Office of Emergency Management, the U.S. Geologic Survey, the WGRFC in Ft. Worth, and the NWS Forecast office in Corpus Christi.  The sign is part of a campaign to raise public awareness of local flood history and was unveiled during Flood Safety Awareness Week 2010.  Floods are one of the most deadly natural disasters, and more people have lost their lives due to flooding than lightning or tornadoes.  Most flood-related deaths and injuries could be avoided if people who come upon areas covered with water followed this simple advice. Just Turn Around Don't Drown©® 
The sign is located in Riverside Park which is a popular high  traffic area and should receive great visibility.   Two additional locations are in the works for South Texas including Three Rivers, and Laredo.