Wildfires force evacuations from Grand Canyon
Digest more
In just 48 hours, Canyon Lake jumped nearly 10 feet, climbing from 881.33 feet on Saturday, July 5, to 888.57 feet by Monday, July 7, according to Water Data for Texas. That 7.24-foot rise marks one of the sharpest short-term increases in recent years and reflects the scale of the rainfall event.
The France Canyon Fire reached 34,943 acres on Saturday with fire officials saying the fire is at 90% containment.
Devastating floodwaters traveled through Kerrville and surrounding communities this past weekend, eventually making their way into the reservoir known as Canyon Lake.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports Canyon Lake's water capacity has increased to 63%, up from 43% just a week ago.
Heavy rains and deadly flooding continue to wreak havoc across the Texas Hill Country, putting Canyon Lake and surrounding communities on high alert. The recent storm has caused significant rises in river levels and ongoing flood threats along the Guadalupe River.
Explore more
Canyon Lake’s surface elevation has risen by more than 11 feet since the July 4 floods, resulting in the highest lake levels in almost two years.
Central Texas counties are on alert as the Guadalupe River floods, particularly impacting Canyon Lake, a low-lying area vulnerable to rising water levels.
The Grand Canyon's North Rim in Arizona also closed Thursday because of a wildfire on adjacent Bureau of Land Management land near Jacob Lake. The Coconino County Sheriff's Office said it helped evacuate people from an area north of Jacob Lake and campers in the Kaibab National Forest nearby.
Deer Creek remains under a water boil notice.