STORM2K

This is continuing coverage of the Flooding that's been going on since high Noon on Sunday... courtesy of WFAA.com and DallasNews.com
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Woman killed in North Texas floods

DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/WFAA.com) - A woman has been killed in Turtle Creek, after flood waters swept her off her feet.

She tried to hang onto a tree on Turtle Creek Blvd. but was eventually taken along with the waters.

Her friend managed to cling onto the tree and is now in Parkland Hospital in fair condition.

Large parts of North Texas saw flash flooding on Sunday afternoon, as city officials warned another severe storm could hit at midnight.

In Arlington, rising waters led to the evacuation of around 40 residents from their home, while two people had to be helped out of their vehicles. There were no injuries.

A gun range roof collapsed at the 1600 block at Mockingbird, due to the weight of the rain. One person suffered a minor head injury.

I-35 east from Mockingbird to Highline is closed off due to flooding.

South Prairie is seeing particularly heavy storms, while Dallas County is at risk from flash flooding, the National Weather Service said Sunday.

Dallas police have already received 80 calls from people threatened by the rising water and are urging people to stay at home until the rain is over.

"If you do have to go out, refrain from crossing through high water locations," a statement said.

Officials from the emergency operation center in Dallas warned that heavy rains are likely to fall from midnight onwards but would probably be over by 6 a.m. Some DART services could be canceled.

Areas also affected on Sunday by the heavy rains also include Cedar Hill State Park, University Park, Sunnyvale, Seagonville, Rowlett, Mesquite, Hutchins, Highland Park, Garland, Duncanville and Cockrell Hill.

The National Weather Service warned that excessive run-off could cause flash-flooding of small creeks, highways, underpasses and country roads.

"Do not drive your vehicle into areas where the water covers the roadway - the water depth may be too great to allow your car to cross safely," weather officials said.

"Vehicles caught in rising water should be abandoned quickly."

Forecasters said the West Fork of the Trinity River in Grand Prairie would rise about one foot above flood stage on Sunday evening due to heavy rains. It's the highest crest at that point in more than 56 years, and some lowland flooding is anticipated.

The weather service also said the Trinity River would rise above flood stage in Dallas on Sunday afternoon and crest nearly four feet above that level after midnight.

Some low-water crossings will be inundated and cattle and grazing areas will be under water, the statement said.

Dallas police said they were summoned to investigate more than 100 wrecks between 7 o'clock Saturday night and 7 a.m. Sunday.

In at least two cases, vehicles lost traction and flipped over. That's what happened to the driver of a pickup truck around 2:30 a.m. Sunday on westbound LBJ Freeway at Hillcrest Road in North Dallas. The truck landed on its side.

A couple hours later on the same highway, a car ended up on its roof near Ferguson Road in Garland, a car flipped over onto its roof. Police said no one was hurt.

Dallas police said they had received at least four reports of vehicles stalled in high water, including one car in the 2800 block of Shorecrest Drive near Bachman Lake in Northwest Dallas.

A large tree fell across several lanes of West Colorado Boulevard in Oak Cliff Sunday morning, and city workers were out with chainsaws trying to clear the debris.
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Heavy rain continues

Central, Northeast Dallas hit hardest

By HOLLY K. HACKER / The Dallas Morning News

The rain, rain didn't go away. Instead it caused trouble all over Sunday.

Thunderstorms pounded the Dallas-Fort Worth area, producing up to six inches of rain and causing flash flooding in streets, streams and yards. Police officers answered scores of calls about high water levels, and firefighters responded to numerous accidents.

Dallas police received about 80 calls about high water levels in less than an hour and a half Sunday afternoon. Most of the calls came from the central and northeast parts of town, Cpl. Max Geron said. Police recommended people stay home.

Crews with Dallas Fire-Rescue responded to about 200 accidents within the city between 7 a.m. Saturday and 7 a.m. Sunday, Lt. Joel Lavender said. In many cases, crews helped drivers whose cars were stalled or trapped by water.

Still, the weekend's traffic and wrecks were not as bad as they have been on rainy days in the past, he said.

"Fortunately, it came over the weekend and there was enough advance warning so individuals could make precautions as far as the weather is concerned," Lt. Lavender said.

Flood waters forced police to close part of White Rock Trail Sunday afternoon, but not before two people in their car were trapped briefly in the high-rising water.

"The water came in real fast and moved the car," said Faye Kpandeyenge.

Mrs. Kpandeyenge, who friends say is a kitchen worker at a nearby assisted living facility, made it out of the vehicle with a few bumps and bruises. "We just swam out," she said.

The flood waters made it difficult for other workers at the facility to get to their jobs Sunday afternoon.

"We're trying to figure out how we can go. We're stuck here," said Mavis Franklin, who works at an adjacent Alzheimer's facility. "This is a surprise. I did not expect it to be this bad."

High waters approached the front porches of homes on Springbranch Drive and forced another car to stall on Walnut Hill Lane.

A Lowe's hardware store at Inwood Road and Forest Lane had sold out of small water pumps.

Along the North Dallas Tollway Sunday, motorists had to slow down in low-lying areas, especially below overpasses. Large amounts of water collected in those portions of the tollroad. Drivers who plowed through those patches sent waves of water shooting several yards into the air and onto the windshields of oncoming traffic.

In many neighborhoods and along the DART rail line in Garland, front or back yards sprouted small lakes from all the rain.

The rain dumped three inches of water at Lawther Drive off Northwest Highway near White Rock Lake. Water also slowed the traffic along Interstate 35 and the Harry Hines Boulevard, Mockingbird and Oak Lawn Avenue exits.

Some roads in Rowlett, Garland and Sachse were closed because of water.

Only days earlier, firefighters battled wildfires in the Texas Panhandle that were exacerbated by dry conditions.

"There is no normal in Texas. It's basically extremes," said Ted Ryan, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Fort Worth. "We were in a drought, and now we have rain."

Lots of it. Dallas Love Field reported about 5 inches of rain just on Sunday, with another inch predicted to fall.

"We do see thunderstorms in the springtime. This is not necessarily unusual," Mr. Ryan said. "It's not going to happen every year, but this does happen in Texas quite often."

Mr. Ryan said the rain is expected to stop this morning, with the sun coming out in the afternoon and a high of 71 degrees. Then, a cold front is expected to move in tonight, sending temperatures overnight into the 30s. Expect highs in the 50s for Tuesday and Wednesday, and highs hovering around 60 degrees on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Rising waters in Arlington forced some people to evacuate their homes. Areas also affected by the heavy rains included Cedar Hill State Park, University Park, Sunnyvale, Seagoville, Rowlett, Mesquite, Hutchins, Highland Park, Garland, Duncanville and Cockrell Hill.

Forecasters said the West Fork of the Trinity River in Grand Prairie would rise about one foot above flood stage on Sunday evening due to heavy rains. It's the highest crest at that point in more than 56 years.

The weather service also said the Trinity River would rise above flood stage in Dallas on Sunday afternoon and crest nearly four feet above that level after midnight.

The calls that came into Dallas police included the following:

* Around 2:30 a.m. Sunday, a pickup truck driver was on westbound LBJ Freeway at Hillcrest Road in North Dallas when the truck lost traction and landed on its side.

* A couple hours later in Garland on the same highway, a car ended up on its roof near Ferguson Road, a car flipped over onto its roof. Police said no one was hurt.

* Dallas police said they had received at least four reports of vehicles stalled in high water, including one car in the 2800 block of Shorecrest Drive near Bachman Lake in Northwest Dallas.

* A large tree fell across several lanes of West Colorado Boulevard in Oak Cliff Sunday morning, and city workers were out with chainsaws trying to clear the debris.

Marissa Alanis, Brandon Formby, Tony Hartzel and WFAA-TV contributed to this report.
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We drove from Frisco back home to Rockwall during the middle of the heaviest rain. It was nuts. We took a side road in Rowlett where experienced flash flooding. Runoff was pouring over the road we were driving on, and into the stream next to the road. It was crazy. We weren't in danger though since the water wasn't deep. I wasn't stupid though. I let the lighter car in front of us pass through it first, before we went through it in our van.

Amazing you guys to the N of Houston are experiencing flooding conditions. I have family in Denton County and the drought had been intense. Flooding in N TX is the news story of today. I hope all is safe and dry as I watch for a developing squall line well to our W tonight.

Storms unleash flooding, danger

One woman killed after being swept away in Dallas

By HOLLY HACKER and TONY HARTZEL / The Dallas Morning News

Thunderstorms pounded the Dallas-Fort Worth area Sunday, causing flash flooding in streets, streams and yards. At least one person died Sunday after being swept away in rushing waters.

The National Weather Service in Fort Worth reported that about 7 inches of rain fell Sunday in Arlington, and more than 5 inches fell near downtown Dallas. A late-morning storm moved from Johnson County into Tarrant and Dallas counties, dumping rain at the rate of 1 to 2 inches per hour.

One woman died after being swept away in the swollen Turtle Creek near Wycliff Avenue.

According to witnesses, the woman, who was in a convertible with a friend, stopped on Wycliff Avenue at Turtle Creek Boulevard. The two got out of the car because the creek waters were rising quickly.

One woman kept slipping as the two tried to get to safety, said Sam Cathey, who witnessed the incident.

"The other woman tried to help, but she couldn't make it because the water was rushing. She lost her footing and went down the embankment," Mr. Cathey said.

At that point, the woman drifted down the creek but was able to grab a tree and hold on for several moments, Mr. Cathey said.

"She slipped off the tree and went screaming all the way to here," he said, while recounting the incident on the Avondale Avenue bridge. "It was horrible."

Witnesses tried to reach the women, but the fast water didn't let them get close enough.

When Mr. Cathey first saw the women, the water was as high as the top of the car's wheels, but the water came very fast. By the time rescuers arrived, the water was up to the vehicle's windshield.

The second woman was pulled out of the water. She was listed in fair condition at Parkland Memorial Hospital.

Dallas Fire-Rescue found the body of a woman in her mid-20s around 5:45 p.m. Sunday in the 2900 block of Cedar Springs Road. It was less than a mile from where the woman was swept away.

Rescue crews had another unconfirmed report of a body in Turtle Creek, but searches were called off because of darkness Sunday evening.

"If we need to come, we will again Monday morning," said Dallas Fire-Rescue Capt. Paul Martinez.

Ordinarily Turtle Creek is pretty calm, Mr. Cathey said, but the banks spread 20 to 30 feet on each side.

Dallas police officers and firefighters responded to hundreds of accidents and calls about high water. They evacuated homes in West Dallas because of rising waters, estimated at up to five feet high.

The rain is expected to stop mid-morning today, with the sun coming out this afternoon and warming things up into the low 70s.

The weekend rain put the Dallas-Fort Worth area above its normal rainfall levels. Prior to Sunday, the area had received almost 7 inches of rain in 2006, an inch above normal, said meteorologist Dan Dixon of the weather service.

White Rock area

On Sunday afternoon, Dallas Fire-Rescue sent five swift water rescue boats to save passengers of four vehicles stuck in rushing water on Peavy Road near White Rock Lake. When crews arrived, some of the vehicles had started to drift, said battalion Chief Greg Stoy.

Nearby homeowners on Creekmere Drive and Tipperary Drive were faced with flooded homes. "The current was so strong, the motorboats couldn't keep up with it," Chief Stoy said.

The crews had to inch themselves forward, moving an anchored emergency line.

Signs on Peavy Road warned drivers of high water. It had receded by 4:30 p.m., but left a blanket of mud and debris on the road.

In less than four hours Sunday afternoon, Dallas police received more than 240 calls about people in danger. The department's first shift of employees was held over to help. The department also called in a SWAT unit to assist with the call load. Most of the calls came from the central and northeast parts of town, Cpl. Max Geron said. Police recommended that people stay home.

Dallas Fire-Rescue responded to about 200 calls for help between 7 a.m. Saturday and 7 a.m. Sunday, Lt. Joel Lavender said. In many cases, crews helped drivers whose cars were stalled or trapped by water.

Still, the weekend's traffic and accidents were not as bad as they have been on rainy days in the past, he said.

"Fortunately, it came over the weekend, and there was enough advance warning so individuals could make precautions as far as the weather is concerned," Lt. Lavender said.

Floodwaters forced police to close part of White Rock Trail on Sunday afternoon, but not before two people in their car were trapped briefly in the high-rising water.

"The water came in real fast and moved the car," Faye Kpandeyenge said.

Mrs. Kpandeyenge, who friends say works at a nearby assisted living facility, made it out of the vehicle with a few bumps and bruises. "We just swam out," she said.

Flooding made it difficult for other workers at the facility to get to work Sunday afternoon.

"We're trying to figure out how we can go. We're stuck here," said Mavis Franklin, who works at an adjacent Alzheimer's facility. "This is a surprise. I did not expect it to be this bad."

Damage near Love Field

The roof on the DFW Gun Range in the Love Field area collapsed underneath the weight of water. Employees say that about 2 p.m. Sunday, they heard what sounded like thunder when the roof began to fail, causing an exterior brick wall to give way. The wall fell on cars parked outside the building in the 1600 block of Mockingbird Lane.

About 10 people were in the gun range and protected by a wooden structure during the incident. One person, who was outside, suffered a minor cut to the head.

Dallas Love Field reported about 5 inches of rain through Sunday afternoon, with another inch predicted to fall. There were also reports that much more fell in parts of the city.

High waters approached the front porches of homes on Springbranch Drive in Lake Highlands and forced another car to stall on Walnut Hill Lane.

A Lowe's hardware store at Inwood Road and Forest Lane sold out of small water pumps.

Trouble on I-35E

Interstate 35E service roads near Market Center Boulevard became impassible. Some drivers abandoned their vehicles in the water, which covered curbs. Other motorists meandered around them, slowly moving through the flooded area.

By the time a quilt show ended at Market Hall on Sunday afternoon, patrons had to wade to their cars. Many treaded through knee-deep water to find their vehicles stuck in the water.

Medieval Times, the restaurant that features jousting knights on horseback, had to cancel its 5 p.m. show, for which more than 800 people had reserved seats. The restaurant is off Interstate 35 at the Market Center exit. "There was no way for anybody to get into the parking lot," manager Ivan Jasso said.

Market Center Boulevard was closed from about Harry Hines to Interstate 35E. High waters made it impossible to see the curbs. A BMW and Chevrolet Cavalier were left at an intersection. Water covered their bumpers.

The portion of Oak Lawn Avenue under Harry Hines was also badly flooded, covering abandoned cars. Firefighters blocked the entrance to that portion of Oak Lawn.

Drivers heading east on Fitzhugh Avenue past Avondale Avenue had to turn around and head back. Once they came over a hill, they quickly saw that Turtle Creek had flooded the roadway and trapped an SUV.

Along the Dallas North Tollway, motorists had to slow down on low-lying areas, especially below overpasses. Large amounts of water collected in those portions. Drivers who plowed through those patches sent waves of water shooting several yards and onto the windshields of oncoming traffic.

In many neighborhoods, including along the DART blue rail line, yards sprouted small lakes from all the rain.

The rain dumped 3 inches of water at Lawther Drive off Northwest Highway, near White Rock Lake.

Suburban storms

Some roads in Rowlett, Garland and Sachse were also closed by water.

In Collin County, Wylie spokesman Mark Witter said officials participated in nine rescues. He said the people rescued were in vehicles in low-lying areas near Lake Ray Hubbard. Most of these were in the southeast part of town, but some were outside the city limits, he said. No one was injured.

Mr. Witter said a shelter would be opened if needed. Both Wylie's and the county's emergency operation center were opened.

Celina police Cpl. Phil Ryan marveled at the amount of rain that fell in Collin County, but said he knew of no major problems there.

"We have a lot of creeks out here ... luckily they were so low," he said. "I think we're OK."

Rising waters in Arlington forced some evacuations. Forecasters expected the West Fork of the Trinity River in Grand Prairie would rise about one foot above flood stage on Sunday evening. It's the highest crest at that point in more than 56 years.

The weather service also said the Trinity River would crest nearly four feet above flood stage after midnight.

'No normal in Texas'

Only days earlier, firefighters battled wildfires in the Texas Panhandle exacerbated by dry conditions.

"There is no normal in Texas. It's basically extremes," said Ted Ryan, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Fort Worth. "We were in a drought, and now we have rain."

"We do see thunderstorms in the springtime. This is not necessarily unusual," Mr. Ryan said. "It's not going to happen every year, but this does happen in Texas quite often."

The calls that came into Dallas police included the following:

Dallas County Sheriff's Sgt. Darrell Watson said a single-car accident prompted authorities to close several lanes on westbound Interstate 20, but most reports involved flooding, not accidents.

Around 2:30 a.m. Sunday, a pickup on westbound LBJ Freeway at Hillcrest Road in North Dallas lost traction and landed on its side.

A couple hours later on the same highway, a car ended up on its roof near Ferguson Road in Garland, a car flipped over onto its roof. Police said no one was hurt.

Dallas police said they had received at least four reports of vehicles stalled in high water, including one in the 2800 block of Shorecrest Drive near Bachman Lake in Northwest Dallas.

A large tree fell across several lanes of West Colorado Boulevard in Oak Cliff Sunday morning, and city workers were out with chainsaws trying to clear the debris.

Staff writers Brandon Formby, Stella M. Chávez, Jon Nielsen and Marissa Alanis contributed to this report, which contains material from The Associated Press and WFAA-TV (Channel 8).
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Overflowing creek surges into Arlington apartments

By MARISSA ALANIS / The Dallas Morning News

ARLINGTON, Texas - Rising water from an Arlington creek flooded an apartment complex, forcing the evacuation of nine buildings, representatives of the American Red Cross said Sunday.

The flooding from Johnson Creek began shortly before 2 p.m. when waters spilled over into Glenbrook Townhomes in the 600 block of West Pioneer Parkway.

Resident Ashley Irving was watching a movie with her husband when she noticed the rising water.

"So I went to go look out through the back window, and the creek was a foot high at our back door," Mrs. Irving said.

Mrs. Irving and her husband quickly rounded up their cats and grabbed their engagement and wedding rings.

"When I opened the door, the water came pouring in."

About a foot and a half of water filled Mrs. Irving's apartment. She said her couch was ruined and some electronics were damaged.

About 60 residents were displaced, said Jeanne Shuffler, a spokeswoman with the American Red Cross, Chisholm Trail Chapter. The electricity was shut off in nine buildings, or about 53 units.

"They did it because of concern for the residents' safety."

At 6 p.m., Arlington police said 75 to 80 residents were evacuated from the Willow at Shady Valley Apartments off Pioneer Parkway in west Arlington.

"This is an area, when torrential rains come in, that has these type of issues," said Arlington police Lt. Blake Miller.

Residents who don't have a place to stay were taken to the Dottie Lynn Recreation Center. Mrs. Shuffler said most displaced residents found a place to stay.

The American Red Cross will begin damage assessment today.

Mrs. Irving said she was glad everybody was OK.

"I mean, it could've been a whole lot worse than it was," she said.

'It all happened so fast'

By TONY HARTZEL / The Dallas Morning News

Jordan and Ladenia Wassel stood in their flooded home on Peavy Road on Sunday thinking that they should've kept the flood insurance they canceled last year.

Water stains marked the walls several feet high in their home near White Rock Lake. Although the Wassels' house has a history of flooding, Sunday's incident marked the first time in a number of years that water had rushed into the home.

Mr. Wassel took his son outside Sunday morning to watch the drainage channel behind the home. The next thing they knew, water was rushing in.

"When we saw it get up to the top, it then started rushing back up the street. That's when we knew we were in trouble," Mr. Wassel said.

"It all happened so fast," his wife added.

The Wassels and their friends spent Sunday evening searching for generators to help with the cleanup.

Mr. Wassel said he had just gotten new carpet in the house and furniture for his boys and realizes he now faces another major home renovation.

"But it's just property damage. It's nothing that can't be fixed," Mr. Wassel said.

Drought isn't over just yet

From The Dallas Morning News

The good news: The weekend rains will help fight the drought in North Texas, said Dan Dixon, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Fort Worth.

The bad news: So much rain fell so quickly that a large amount of it ran off.

"Initially, when we were having the lighter rain, that's very good for the drought, because it falls so gently it'll soak into the ground," Mr. Dixon said.

As for Sunday's rain, "This certainly does help the drought situation, but it's not going to alleviate it completely."

A cold front was expected to move in overnight, bringing an end to the rain and sending temperatures into the 30s, said Ted Ryan, a weather service meteorologist. He said to expect a high today of 70, and highs in the 50s for Tuesday and Wednesday. A slow warming trend, with highs hovering around 60 degrees, is expected on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Relenetless rain heads east

From WFAA.com Staff

Flood waters were beginning to recede around North Texas Monday morning.

At least one death was blamed on the relentless weekend storms. A woman died Sunday afternoon after being swept away in Turtle Creek in Dallas.

A woman's body also washed ashore at Lake Ray Hubbard on Sunday, but it was not known whether the incident was weather-related.

At least one ramp on Interstate 35E at Regal Row was closed because of high water on Monday morning. A number of other intersections around the city were also under water.

A number of homes were flooded in Dallas and Arlington, and about 100 people at an Arlington apartment complex had to be evacuated.

Woman drowns in Turtle Creek

In Dallas, a woman was killed in Turtle Creek after flood waters swept her off her feet.

She tried to hang onto a tree on Turtle Creek Blvd., but was eventually taken along with the waters.

Her friend managed to cling onto the tree and was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital in fair condition.

Flood problems

Large parts of North Texas saw flash flooding on Sunday afternoon, as city officials warned another severe storm could hit at midnight.

In Arlington, rising waters led to the evacuation of around 40 residents from their home, while two people had to be helped out of their vehicles. There were no injuries.

A gun range roof collapsed at the 1600 block at Mockingbird due to the weight of the rain. One person suffered a minor head injury.

Interstate 35E east from Mockingbird to High Line was closed off due to flooding.

South Grand Prairie saw particularly heavy storms, while Dallas County was at risk from flash flooding, the National Weather Service said Sunday.

Dallas received dozens of calls from people threatened by the rising water and urged residents to stay at home until the rain subsided.

"If you do have to go out, refrain from crossing through high water locations," a statement said.

Officials from the emergency operation center in Dallas warned that heavy rains are likely to fall from midnight onwards but would probably be over by 6 a.m. Some DART services could be canceled.

Areas also affected on Sunday by the heavy rains also include Cedar Hill State Park, University Park, Sunnyvale, Seagonville, Rowlett, Mesquite, Hutchins, Highland Park, Garland, Duncanville and Cockrell Hill.

The National Weather Service warned that excessive run-off could cause flash-flooding of small creeks, highways, underpasses and country roads.

"Do not drive your vehicle into areas where the water covers the roadway - the water depth may be too great to allow your car to cross safely," weather officials said.

"Vehicles caught in rising water should be abandoned quickly."

Forecasters said the West Fork of the Trinity River in Grand Prairie would rise about one foot above flood stage on Sunday evening due to heavy rains. It's the highest crest at that point in more than 56 years, and some lowland flooding is anticipated.

The weather service also said the Trinity River would rise above flood stage in Dallas on Sunday afternoon and crest nearly four feet above that level after midnight.

Some low-water crossings will be inundated and cattle and grazing areas will be under water, the statement said.

Dallas police said they were summoned to investigate more than 100 wrecks between 7 o'clock Saturday night and 7 a.m. Sunday.

In at least two cases, vehicles lost traction and flipped over. That's what happened to the driver of a pickup truck around 2:30 a.m. Sunday on westbound LBJ Freeway at Hillcrest Road in North Dallas. The truck landed on its side.

A couple hours later on the same highway, a car ended up on its roof near Ferguson Road in Garland, a car flipped over onto its roof. Police said no one was hurt.

Dallas police said they had received at least four reports of vehicles stalled in high water, including one car in the 2800 block of Shorecrest Drive near Bachman Lake in Northwest Dallas.

A large tree fell across several lanes of West Colorado Boulevard in Oak Cliff Sunday morning, and city workers were out with chainsaws trying to clear the debris.

Flood waters draining away

By KIMBERLY DURNAN and LINDA LEAVELL / DallasNews.com

Storms that dumped nearly 8 inches of rain on some parts of Dallas had moved out by Monday morning, and traffic conditions had returned to normal aside from some isolated street flooding.

Alan Moller, a National Weather Service meteorologist, said the chances were slim that more rain would fall Monday. But new weekend rainfall totals showed the magnitude of the event, with 7.89 inches recorded at Dallas Love Field, 5.85 inches at Dallas Executive Airport, and 4.21 inches at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.

Moller said the results were significant for North Texas, as the rain imbues the ground with moisture, diminishes the fire threat and refills the dwindling lakes and reservoirs.

“That is a healthy, healthy dose of rainfall. No doubt it’s going to help the drought conditions, at least temporarily,” Moller said. “These rainfall events we’ve had are just multimillion-dollar-type events. They’re going to help.”

D/FW Airport, the region’s official recording station, has logged 10.46 inches since Jan. 1, quite a bit above the 6.27 inches that would be the norm. But Moller warned that it was not enough to call an end to the prolonged drought that has plagued the region since early 2005.

Sunday’s flash flooding turns streets into rivers and some low-lying areas into lakes. One woman died after being swept away in the swollen Turtle Creek near Wycliff Avenue. Although she has been identified, her name was not being released by the Dallas County medical examiner’s office as of early Monday.

Nancy Leggio, executive producer of Traffic Pulse, said the water mostly had receded, although a few intersections still were closed. Flooding was being reported on Regal Row between Texas 183 and Irving Boulevard, and Lake June Road at U.S. 175.

“Everything else is pretty much back to normal,” Leggio said. “I expected all hell to break loose this morning, but it’s pretty quiet.”

All roads around D/FW Airport have reopened and no flight delays were reported.

About 50 displaced North Texas residents spent the night in American Red Cross shelters in Arlington, Grand Prairie, Dallas and Wylie. The shelters will remain open throughout the day but may be consolidated depending on need, spokeswoman Anita Foster said.

“We are going to start damage assessment this morning and decide how to help families determine whether it’s safe to go back home,” Foster said.

The Red Cross also will distribute cleaning supplies, such as mops and bleach, for flood victims.

“If people want to help the families affected by the flooding, the best way to do that is with financial contributions to the Red Cross,” Foster said. “It’s more efficient when we can purchase in bulk.”

I think the water restrictions for my area will be lifted after this rain event.

Of course, that still doesn't keep us immune from wildfires.

Flood cleanup begins

By KIMBERLY DURNAN and LINDA LEAVELL / DallasNews.com

At the Glenbrook Townhomes in Arlington, where about 50 families had to flee as the water from Johnson Creek began seeping into their homes, the yellow tape still was strung across the doors Monday morning.

Property supervisor Ralph Lewis said 44 units sustained considerable damage, while nine were likely to be fixed more easily. Although the residents hadn’t returned yet, contractors were expected to begin arriving to begin the repair work.

Johnson Creek runs along part of the back end and through the middle of the complex.

“It wasn’t our drainage,” Lewis said of the Sunday afternoon flooding. “When (the creek) backed up, it backed up onto the property.”

Although the American Red Cross opened four shelters to serve about 50 displaced residents, it already had closed those in Arlington and Wylie by Monday morning.

Anita Foster, a Red Cross spokeswoman, said teams will scour flood-damaged neighborhoods throughout the area Monday.

“We are going to start damage assessment this morning and decide how to help families determine whether it’s safe to go back home,” Foster said.

Each family with flood damage will be given cleanup kits that include items such as bleach and squeegees.

“If people want to help the families affected by the flooding, the best way to do that is with financial contributions to the Red Cross,” Foster said. “It’s more efficient when we can purchase in bulk.”

By Monday morning, the storm system had moved into East Texas. Other than some isolated street flooding, traffic conditions returned to normal.

Damage estimates were not immediately available, but the cleanup was expected to be extensive. Storms dumped nearly 8 inches of rain on some parts of Dallas.

Texas Oasis landscaping company in Dallas fielded calls all weekend from people who needed emergency drainage or wanted to devise a better way to remove water from their property in the future.

“They are asking us to come out and rescue their house so they don’t flood again,” project manager Thomas Foraker said.

Some options are gutters, gravel-filled trenches known French drains, and underground pipes. However, Foraker wanted residents to understand that the weekend’s rainfall was unusual.

“The drainage systems in the streets and in many landscaped areas are designed to handle so many inches an hour and not designed to handle this kind of rain,” he said.

George Nickol, a manager of North East Texas Lawn and Fence in Richardson, said last week’s pleasant weather reminded homeowners that it would be a good time to get some work done in their yards. But the heavy rain has put the landscaping on hold, he said.

“We just have to put everything off until it stops raining and until it absorbs a little bit,” Nickol said. “I had a bunch of work planned today but it’s just too wet. … It just leaves a mess.”

The good news is that “there’s no such thing as too much” rain for the grass, especially because a lot of people have not been watering all winter, he said.

Alan Moller, a National Weather Service meteorologist, said chances were slim that more rain would fall Monday. But new weekend rainfall totals showed the magnitude of the event, with 7.89 inches recorded at Dallas Love Field, 5.85 inches at Dallas Executive Airport, and 4.21 inches at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.

Moller said the results were significant for North Texas, as the rain imbues the ground with moisture, diminishes the fire threat and refills the dwindling lakes and reservoirs.

“That is a healthy, healthy dose of rainfall. No doubt it’s going to help the drought conditions, at least temporarily,” Moller said. “These rainfall events we’ve had are just multimillion-dollar-type events. They’re going to help.”

D/FW Airport, the region’s official recording station, has logged 10.46 inches since Jan. 1, quite a bit above the 6.27 inches that would be the norm. But Moller warned that it was not enough to call an end to the prolonged drought that has plagued the region since early 2005.

Sunday’s flash flooding turns streets into rivers and some low-lying areas into lakes. One woman died after being swept away in the swollen Turtle Creek near Wycliff Avenue. Although she has been identified, her name was not being released by the Dallas County medical examiner’s office as of early Monday.

Dallas Fire-Rescue Lt. Joel Lavender said emergency workers also had received unconfirmed word about a male in a brown jacket floating down Turtle Creek about the same time Sunday afternoon as the woman was swept away.

Workers will monitor flooded areas until the city dries out, Lavender said.

“We are still in the rescue business as far as high water is concerned to make sure we don’t have another episode like yesterday,” he said. “We are just going to monitor conditions, respond as needed and be prepared to deal with rescues.”

Nancy Leggio, executive producer of Traffic Pulse, said the water mostly had receded, although a few intersections still were closed. Flooding was being reported on Regal Row between Texas 183 and Irving Boulevard, and Lake June Road at U.S. 175.

“Everything else is pretty much back to normal,” Leggio said. “I expected all hell to break loose this morning, but it’s pretty quiet.”

No flight delays were reported at D/FW Airport.

On Sunday night, the rain started to erode a retaining wall downstream from the White Rock Lake spillway near Garland Road.

Barricades were placed near the wall, and engineering officials will assess structural damage Monday morning, Dallas police Sgt. Gil Cerda said.

Ron Shindoll, the city of Dallas' district manager for flood control, told WBAP Radio (820 AM) on Monday morning that the water still was rushing over the spillway, but its structural integrity seems sound.

“It’s pretty spectacular still,” Shindoll said of the water. “It’s likely to be flowing over the spillway for a few days now.”

Monday was expected to be windy with highs in the lower 70s. The rest of the week will be much cooler, with highs in the 50s and lows in the 30s. A freeze was possible Tuesday night or early Wednesday.

Dallas Morning News staff writers Tanya Eiserer and Jeff Mosier contributed to this report.

SMU student killed in flooding

By KIMBERLY DURNAN and LINDA LEAVELL / DallasNews.com and WFAA ABC 8

Storms that dumped nearly eight inches of rain on some parts of Dallas moved out by Monday morning, and other than some isolated street flooding, traffic conditions returned to normal.

An SMU student was killed Sunday when she and a companion were trapped in floodwaters along Turtle Creek in Dallas.

Xin Du, from Shanghai, China, had been with a friend in a red convertible trying to make it through the high water. When the car filled with water, the women bailed out, hanging onto trees waiting to be rescued.

Du, 23, was working toward a Ph.D. in molecular and cell biology. In a statement SMU said professors described Du as an excellent student with a strong spirit.

Mark Lovvorn was able to toss a rope to the woman who survived the floodwaters.

"I have a young daughter," he said. "I didn't really have to think about it; I jumped down there."

"If she had of let go of the tree she would have been a couple miles down that creek."

Dallas Fire-Rescue Lt. Joel Lavender said emergency workers also had received unconfirmed word about a male in a brown jacket floating down Turtle Creek about the same time Sunday afternoon as the woman was swept away.

Workers will monitor flooded areas until the city dries out, Lavender said.

“We are still in the rescue business as far as high water is concerned to make sure we don’t have another episode like yesterday,” he said. “We are just going to monitor conditions, respond as needed and be prepared to deal with rescues.”

At the Glenbrook Townhomes in Arlington, where about 50 families had to flee as the water from Johnson Creek began seeping into their homes, the yellow tape still was strung across the doors Monday morning.

Property supervisor Ralph Lewis said 44 units sustained considerable damage, while nine were likely to be fixed more easily. Although the residents hadn’t returned yet, contractors were expected to begin arriving to begin the repair work.

Johnson Creek runs along part of the back end and through the middle of the complex.

“It wasn’t our drainage,” Lewis said of the Sunday afternoon flooding. “When (the creek) backed up, it backed up onto the property.”

One resident of 1800 Blk Southpark Drive saw a tree come crashing down on her roof.

"All I could think of is 'I hope this is covered by insurance,' said Diru Rolfes. "My son is in third grade, so he thought this was pretty cool."

"It was like somebody pulled the plug out of a bath tub," said Arlington resident Bill Farley, who saw his fence float into a neighbor's backyard.

Sunday’s flash flooding turned streets into rivers and some low-lying areas into lakes. One woman died after being swept away in the swollen Turtle Creek near Wycliff Avenue. Although she has been identified, her name was not being released by the Dallas County medical examiner’s office as of early Monday.

A gun range on Mockingbird Lane collapsed due to the weight of the water on the roof but there were no serious injuries

"There was a big shudder. It sounded like a big boom. At first, I thought it was thunder or lightning. Then somebody said we should get everybody out of the facility... we had shooters on the range when it collapsed," said instructor Mark Murray.

Although the American Red Cross opened four shelters to serve about 50 displaced residents, it already had closed those in Arlington and Wylie by Monday morning.

Anita Foster, a Red Cross spokeswoman, said teams will scour flood-damaged neighborhoods throughout the area Monday.

“We are going to start damage assessment this morning and decide how to help families determine whether it’s safe to go back home,” Foster said. Each family with flood damage will be given cleanup kits that include items such as bleach and squeegees.

“If people want to help the families affected by the flooding, the best way to do that is with financial contributions to the Red Cross,” Foster said. “It’s more efficient when we can purchase in bulk.”

Damage estimates were not immediately available, but the cleanup was expected to be extensive.

Bob Carle, a senior hydrologist for the National Weather Service, said the Trinity River in Dallas peaked around 3:15 a.m. Monday at 41.12 feet. The highest recorded level at the downtown gauge in recent years was 47.10 feet during major floods in May 1990.

The west fork of the Trinity River in Grand Prairie should drop below flood stage of 30 feet Monday evening, but the river’s main channel near downtown Dallas is not expected to recede until late Tuesday afternoon, he said.

Carle said ongoing North Texas development has led to a faster flow of water into creeks and streams that feed into the Trinity’s various forks.

"Areas where there were grasslands before have been turned to concrete and blacktop, and now the water will run off to the nearest creek or stream more quickly," Carle said.

But Carle said the nearly 8 inches of rain that fell in some parts of the region would have overwhelmed the river under any circumstance.

John Jadrosich, a spokesman for the Trinity River Authority, said floods have infiltrated a wastewater line along the river’s Elm fork, which runs through parts of western Dallas County and eastern Tarrant County.

He said crews were responding to fix manhole covers that were dislodged from openings along the line, allowing the floodwaters in. Residents in the area should not be affected, he said.

"It's an undesirable situation," Jadrosich said. "(But) there is so much rainwater already in the sewer line that the net impact is not significant."

Texas Oasis landscaping company in Dallas fielded calls all weekend from people who needed emergency drainage or wanted to devise a better way to remove water from their property in the future. “They are asking us to come out and rescue their house so they don’t flood again,” project manager Thomas Foraker said.

Some options are gutters, gravel-filled trenches known French drains, and underground pipes. However, Foraker wanted residents to understand that the weekend’s rainfall was unusual.

“The drainage systems in the streets and in many landscaped areas are designed to handle so many inches an hour and not designed to handle this kind of rain,” he said.

George Nickol, a manager of North East Texas Lawn and Fence in Richardson, said last week’s pleasant weather reminded homeowners that it would be a good time to get some work done in their yards. But the heavy rain has put the landscaping on hold, he said.

“We just have to put everything off until it stops raining and until it absorbs a little bit,” Nickol said. “I had a bunch of work planned today but it’s just too wet. … It just leaves a mess.”

The good news is that “there’s no such thing as too much” rain for the grass, especially because a lot of people have not been watering all winter, he said.

Alan Moller, a National Weather Service meteorologist, said chances were slim that more rain would fall Monday. But new weekend rainfall totals showed the magnitude of the event, with 7.89 inches recorded at Dallas Love Field, 5.85 inches at Dallas Executive Airport, and 4.21 inches at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.

Moller said the results were significant for North Texas, as the rain imbues the ground with moisture, diminishes the fire threat and refills the dwindling lakes and reservoirs.

“That is a healthy, healthy dose of rainfall. No doubt it’s going to help the drought conditions, at least temporarily,” Moller said. “These rainfall events we’ve had are just multimillion-dollar-type events. They’re going to help.”

D/FW Airport, the region’s official recording station, has logged 10.46 inches since Jan. 1, quite a bit above the 6.27 inches that would be the norm. But Moller warned that it was not enough to call an end to the prolonged drought that has plagued the region since early 2005.

Nancy Leggio, executive producer of Traffic Pulse, said the water mostly had receded, although a few intersections still were closed. Flooding was being reported on Regal Row between Texas 183 and Irving Boulevard, and Lake June Road at U.S. 175.

No flight delays were reported at D/FW Airport.

Ron Shindoll, the city of Dallas' district manager for flood control, told WBAP Radio (820 AM) on Monday morning that water still was rushing over the White Rock Lake spillway, but its structural integrity seems sound.

“It’s pretty spectacular still,” Shindoll said of the water. “It’s likely to be flowing over the spillway for a few days now.”

Monday was expected to be windy with highs in the lower 70s. The rest of the week will be much cooler, with highs in the 50s and lows in the 30s. A freeze was possible Tuesday night or early Wednesday.

Dallas Morning News staff writers Tanya Eiserer, Alan Melson and Jeff Mosier contributed to this report.

Officials assess flood damage

By KIMBERLY DURNAN and LINDA LEAVELL / The Dallas Morning News

A portion of the retaining wall along the spillway on the south end of White Rock Lake collapsed early Monday, notching another mark on the growing list of damage left behind by heavy weekend rains.

The wall's failure caused part of a grassy area along the East Dallas lake’s popular hike-and-bike trail to wash away.

Ron Shindoll, Dallas' district manager for flood control, said the collapse did not affect the integrity of the dam that holds the lake. However, it led to the closure of an adjacent parking lot along Garland Road, which had been full of onlookers Sunday afternoon watching torrents of water rush over the spillway.

Shindoll said the wall will have to be rebuilt after lake levels return to normal.

“It will be a park department project once the weather gets better,” Shindoll said.

Monday was expected to be windy with highs in the lower 70s. The rest of the week will be much cooler, with highs in the 50s and lows in the 30s. A freeze was possible Tuesday night or early Wednesday. The next chance for rain was a slight one on Thursday.

Bob Carle, a senior hydrologist for the National Weather Service, said the Trinity River in Dallas peaked around 3:15 a.m. Monday at 41.12 feet. The highest recorded level at the downtown gauge in recent years was 47.10 feet during major floods in May 1990.

The West Fork of the Trinity River in Grand Prairie should drop below flood stage of 30 feet Monday evening, but the river’s main channel near downtown Dallas is not expected to recede until late Tuesday afternoon, he said.

Carle said ongoing North Texas development has led to a faster flow of water into creeks and streams that feed into the Trinity’s various forks.

"Areas where there were grasslands before have been turned to concrete and blacktop, and now the water will run off to the nearest creek or stream more quickly," Carle said.

But Carle said the nearly 8 inches of rain that fell in some parts of the region would have overwhelmed the river under any circumstance.

John Jadrosich, a spokesman for the Trinity River Authority, said floods have infiltrated a wastewater line along the river’s Elm Fork, which runs through parts of western Dallas County and eastern Tarrant County.

He said crews were responding to fix manhole covers that were dislodged from openings along the line, allowing the floodwaters in. Residents in the area should not be affected, he said.

"It's an undesirable situation," Jadrosich said. "(But) there is so much rainwater already in the sewer line that the net impact is not significant."

Texas Oasis landscaping company in Dallas fielded calls all weekend from people who needed emergency drainage or wanted to devise a better way to remove water from their property in the future.

“They are asking us to come out and rescue their house so they don’t flood again,” project manager Thomas Foraker said.

Some options are gutters, gravel-filled trenches known French drains, and underground pipes. However, Foraker wanted residents to understand that the weekend’s rainfall was unusual.

“The drainage systems in the streets and in many landscaped areas are designed to handle so many inches an hour and not designed to handle this kind of rain,” he said.

George Nickol, a manager of North East Texas Lawn and Fence in Richardson, said last week’s pleasant weather reminded homeowners that it would be a good time to get some work done in their yards. But the heavy rain has put the landscaping on hold, he said.

“We just have to put everything off until it stops raining and until it absorbs a little bit,” Nickol said. “I had a bunch of work planned today but it’s just too wet. … It just leaves a mess.”

The good news is that “there’s no such thing as too much” rain for the grass, especially because a lot of people have not been watering all winter, he said.

Alan Moller, a National Weather Service meteorologist, said new weekend rainfall totals showed the magnitude of the event, with 7.89 inches recorded at Dallas Love Field, 5.85 inches at Dallas Executive Airport, and 4.21 inches at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.

Moller said the results were significant for North Texas, as the rain imbues the ground with moisture, diminishes the fire threat and refills the dwindling lakes and reservoirs.

“That is a healthy, healthy dose of rainfall. No doubt it’s going to help the drought conditions, at least temporarily,” Moller said. “These rainfall events we’ve had are just multimillion-dollar-type events. They’re going to help.”

D/FW Airport, the region’s official recording station, has logged 10.46 inches since Jan. 1, quite a bit above the 6.27 inches that would be the norm. But Moller warned that it was not enough to call an end to the prolonged drought that has plagued the region since early 2005.

Sunday’s flash flooding turns streets into rivers and some low-lying areas into lakes. One woman died after being swept away in the swollen Turtle Creek near Wycliff Avenue.

On Monday, Southern Methodist University confirmed that the victim was Xin Du, a 23-year-old student from China who came to the university in January 2006 and was working toward a Ph.D. in molecular and cell biology.

Dallas Fire-Rescue Lt. Joel Lavender said workers were monitoring flooded areas until the city dried out.

“We are still in the rescue business as far as high water is concerned to make sure we don’t have another episode like yesterday,” he said. “We are just going to monitor conditions, respond as needed and be prepared to deal with rescues.”

Nancy Leggio, executive producer of Traffic Pulse, said the water mostly had receded, although a few intersections still were closed. Flooding was being reported on Regal Row between Texas 183 and Irving Boulevard, and Lake June Road at U.S. 175.

Dallas Morning News staff writers Alan Melson, Jeff Mosier and Emily Ramshaw contributed to this report.

Arlington residents cleanup, again, after flood

ARLINGTON, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Residents in one area of Arlington have once again found their homes flooded after waters rose Sunday.

Crews evacuated about 100 people in the area and it wasn't the first time dangerous waters hit the spot.

Parts of Arlington near Shady Valley Golf Club flooded back in 2004, and after that engineers decided the best solution might be to buyout homeowners because of flooding danger.

However, it never happened.

Diane Norman was one among many who rebuilt after the flood of 2004, but she said she can't handle that again.

"Financially and emotionally I can't go on not knowing what's going to happen to me," she said. "...If the city of Arlington doesn't buy me out I lose everything on this house."

Norman's home was among seven on Shady Valley Drive targeted by the city for a buyout because of the repeated flooding, but money for the buyout hasn't been appropriated.

Neighbors on either side of Norman left after the last flood and the houses have sat vacant, which has sunk Norman's property value even more.

The high dollar homes were built a half century ago when Rush Creek didn't seem like a threat and city building codes were looser. But as one city map showed, the hundred year flood plain swallows up the houses and many more.

Glen Nita Stagner's home flooded but she isn't even in the buyout zone. Stagner lived in the home for 36 years and it was the second time her home has flooded in the past 18 months.

"I don't know what I'm going to do," she said.

Water rose 6 feet in her backyard.

"Luckily I've got flood insurance and that'll help me out in that regard but that won't keep the floods from coming to us again," she said.

An apartment complex nearby that has seen two floods in three years also isn't in the buyout zone.

Many homeowners try to keep themselves safe through flood insurance, but they believe floods are getting worse because of new development upstream.

Destiny Johnston, 7, was one of the many rescued by Arlington firefighters Sunday.

"Well, I was really freaked out at first when it was about 6 inches from out door," she said. "I was like, 'Okay, we're going to get damaged in somehow but we're not going to die."

Johnston and her mother's town home narrowly escaped flooding.

Many residents have started the cleanup process, which included Mike Pryor who found his carpet ruined after the flood.

"When it's a flood we consider it black water [and] it means it's contaminated and the carpet all has to come out," he said.

While many cope with ruined carpet and personal items, some see it as the price of living in the area.

"It's Texas [and] you get Texas-sized weather," said Kimberly Davison.

Jim Douglas and Yolanda Walker contributed to this report

Pump-levee system a concern

By HOLLY K. HACKER and EMILY RAMSHAW / The Dallas Morning News

DALLAS, Texas - Sunday's relentless storms nearly overwhelmed Dallas' antiquated drainage system, forcing leaders to confront the need for expensive repairs.

"We had higher [storm water] elevations than I've seen in my career," said Ron Shindoll, Dallas' district manager for flood control and an employee of the division since 1979.

"The sumps just didn't have the ability to pump it fast enough."

Some officials said they believe many flooded streets, damaged homes and other problems might have been averted with a better system of sumps and pump stations to siphon water out of neighborhoods and into the Trinity River.

"It's a huge problem," Dallas City Council member Ed Oakley said after touring the flood damage. "We're 25 years behind on the improvements we need."

The city has a $500 million backlog of flood-control maintenance and repairs, Dallas officials said.

City Council members hope to put up to $300 million of these repairs in the 2006 bond program, which could total up to $1.5 billion and come before voters in November. At town hall meetings across the city over the last two months, residents have repeatedly listed flood control and creek erosion as their top concerns.

The weekend's thunderstorms unleashed up to 10 inches of rain on the Dallas-Fort Worth area, causing flash floods that trapped cars, blocked roads, forced evacuations and led to one woman's death. Xin Du, a graduate student at Southern Methodist University, died after she was carried away by floodwaters near Wycliff Avenue and Turtle Creek Boulevard in Highland Park.

In Dallas, pumps had returned most city drainage ditches to near-normal elevations by Monday afternoon. But flooding and high water levels outside the levees in West Dallas would probably remain for two to three days, Mr. Shindoll said.

Historically, rainwater flowed directly into the Trinity River. Levees were built for flood protection in the late 1920s. Over the next three decades, sumps and pump stations followed, designed to collect runoff outside the levees and funnel it into the river.

Over the last few decades, development – and the replacement of permeable dirt with concrete – has increased Dallas' water runoff, making sump operations less reliable. Deteriorating equipment and sediment buildup have reduced capacity and pumping efficiency, heightening flood risks in parts of downtown, Oak Cliff, West Dallas, South Dallas and the M Streets in Old East Dallas.

"If we can take anything away from this, it's that we recognize the importance of flood-control projects that we don't necessarily think about every day," said council member Angela Hunt, whose district includes flood-prone East Dallas and Turtle Creek.

Across Dallas, city employees spent Monday cleaning up, from street and sanitation workers clearing debris to 311 operators fielding frantic phone calls, like one about a retaining wall that collapsed by the White Rock Lake dam, spilling water on a parking lot. Another caller reported that a Mercedes-Benz had floated onto a neighbor's East Dallas lawn.

Flood damage was reported in Heritage Village in Old City Park and in offices at Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center. And at Love Field, officials said flooding in and around the airport was the worst they'd seen. Within an hour Sunday afternoon, a foot tunnel and several storerooms flooded.

The problems resumed Monday, when telephone and reservations systems were knocked out of service, and air conditioners shorted due to flood damage. But the airport remained open.

In Mesquite, some streets flooded, Deputy City Manager Carol Zolnerowich said. Some parks – most of which are in floodplains – were littered with debris and mud, but no damage to park facilities was reported.

In Balch Springs, four new retention ponds captured storm runoff and helped prevent major flooding, city officials said.

Overall, though, cities around Dallas County said the damage could have been a lot worse, said Robie Robinson, Dallas County's homeland security director.

Water rose to nearly four feet Sunday afternoon on the lower level of the Renaissance Dallas hotel on Stemmons Freeway near Wycliff Avenue. Hotel general manager Tim Sullivan said no public areas were affected, but hotel staff escorted guests – many of whom were in town for the NCAA Tournament and a quilting convention – to a ballroom about 6 p.m. over fears that the hotel's power would fail as offices and other operating areas flooded.

"We had almost a slumber party," Mr. Sullivan said.

Heavy downpours surprised some Wylie residents with water rushing into homes, and making low-lying streets impassible. Wylie EMS rescued nine vehicles Sunday after the heaviest part of the thunderstorm dumped water onto southeastern Collin County.

Monday morning, city employees began cleaning up and assessing the severity of the damage, especially to flooded homes on the southeastern side of town, Wylie EMS Capt. Robert Ballard said.

Rescue crews and city leaders weren't the only ones staying busy Monday. Those in the landscaping and home repair businesses took a lot of calls, too.

Dan Hargrave, president of the North Texas chapter of the Foundation Repair Association, said several customers reported drainage problems and water in their homes.

"They're calling frantically about it," said Mr. Hargrave, who owns Hargrave Custom Foundation Repair in Wylie.

Several clients called ValleyCrest Landscape Development in Dallas on Monday, residential manager Dan Sauerwein said. "Because it hasn't rained in so long, people have forgotten to check their drains and make sure they haven't created a situation that would stop water or cause another problem," he said. "A lot of what we're seeing is people just haven't maintained their downspouts and gutters."

Meanwhile, the Better Business Bureau serving Dallas and northeast Texas reminded consumers to beware of "storm troopers" – contractors who pour into town after a storm and charge high prices for shoddy work, or leave jobs unfinished.

Insurance agents were busy Monday, too.

Many callers reported that their cars had flooded, said Joe McCormick, spokesman for the Texas office of Allstate Insurance.

But it's too soon to know how much damage the storms caused, based on insurance claims, said Jerry Johns, spokesman for Southwestern Insurance Information Service, a nonprofit insurance information group.

Homeowners must buy flood insurance separately – it's not part of the standard homeowner policy.

"The fact is that a flood can occur, well, just about anywhere," Mr. McCormick said. "I think we found that out this past weekend."

Staff writers Kevin Krause, Tiara M. Ellis, Alan Melson, Jim Getz and Richard Abshire contributed to this report.

Leaky dam could threaten homes

By DON WALL / WFAA ABC 8

KAUFMAN COUNTY, Texas — An earthen dam protecting the Meadowwood Park subdivision in Kaufman County was in danger of breaching Tuesday morning.

The Terrell Fire Department said the dam, located south of Terrell in Kaufman County, is at the base of a 10-acre private lake. Several large homes built on the acreage downstream from the lake may be in jeopardy.

Water was bubbling up from underneath the dam's concrete spillway in three different places.

Engineers were at the dam site to review its integrity.

Emergency managers in Kaufman County assured homeowners that if the dam does break, no homes in the immediate vicinity would be flooded, but there could be a danger downstream.

"We're concerned about it because it is leaking," said Kathy Paget, Kaufman County Emergency Management coordinator. "There's a few houses—trailer houses—that are in a low-lying area that if this does break, through a total breach, that they may be flooded."

Paget said sheriff's deputies notified residents of the potential danger on Tuesday morning. No evacuations had been ordered.

Heavy rains fell over a wide area of North Texas during the weekend. The National Weather Service said Terrell recieved more than five inches of precipitation on Saturday and Sunday.

The Meadowwood Park subdivision is located about three miles south of Interstate 20 on FM 2578.
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Live Dallas/Ft. Worth Traffic Reports from Traffic Pulse

Alligators on loose after flood

By DON WALL / WFAA ABC 8

Local wildlife experts say the alligators - that's right - the alligators which live here in North Texas - could have moved to new habitats because of the floods.

Over the last couple of years they've been spotted in Grand Prairie, Lewisville Lake, and far South Dallas.

Channel 8 News videotaped an alligator in the gravel pits of Grand Prairie last year, and there were more.

Now the gravel pits have overflowed, and the alligators go with the flow.

Right now, it's giving them a lot more space to swim in, so now they can go from gravel pit to gravel pit by swimming instead of walking over land.

Valerie McKinney lives in an area called the Bottoms, next to the Palmetto-Alligator Slough Preserve - where there have been frequent sightings.

"I wouldn't want 'em in my house," she says.

"A couple years ago a man and his dog were out here fishing. The man fell asleep and when he woke up, the dog was gone, and the dirt was scratched all around him," said James King.

He saw the alligator tracks.

"They put a chicken in a trap, next day we went over there and the chicken was gone."

He and his wife Georgia are keeping watch.

"If they come down the street, I'll call the police or somebody, I'll get my gun out or something."

His wife Georgia says she'll be protected.

"Prayer is the key to anything... no alligators, no snakes, nothing like that."

Alligators generally avoid people, and as the water levels settle down, so will the alligators - but they're still here.

Friends of SMU flood fatality set up fund

By Carol Cavazos, WFAA ABC 8

Xin Du left Shanghai, China, full of promise and bound for the United States where she would continue her studies in molecular biology at Southern Methodist University.

That was just two months ago.

That's why her death last week in the flash flooding was so tragic.

Katie Ryan was one of Xin's roommates - the one police called.

"I mean of all the people in Dallas that this could that this could've happened to," she said.

"I am deeply saddened that her life was cut so short."

Now Katie has a message for Xin's parents.

"She would've made this world a better place."

"People feel really sorry because this is the only daughter of their family," said former president of the Chinese Student Union, Leah Yong.

In fact, their only child.

To help the family, Kate and SMU's Chinese Student Union have established a memorial fund that will help pay for the funeral and their return flight to China.

"We are doing this to show our sorrow and to show our concern to the family and we are just tyring to help to do whatever we can," said Leah Yong.

And to make it known Xin's 22-year-old life had purpose, to the very end.

"Perhaps her death reminds us all that life is precious and we have so much to be thankful for," said Ryan.

Students will reflect on that - so will Xin's parents - who've come to see where their daughter studied and lived.

"May the memories of your vibrant daughter bring you happiness in this time of despair. Yours truly, Katie," writes Ryan.

To make a donation to the Xin Du Memorial Fund contact:

Bank of America,

5116 Greenville Avenue,

Dallas, TX 75206

Tel 214-527-3561

Account Number: 004883322668

Family faces flood zone dilemma

By DEBBIE DENMON / WFAA ABC 8

DALLAS, Texas - Up to 10 inches of rain fell in some parts of Dallas County earlier this month. But while the skies were bright and sunny in North Texans this weekend, some West Dallas residents were still recovering from floodwaters.

It was the fourth—and worst—flood in 10 years for Modesto Madina, who lives adjacent to a normally serene creek. His sump pump couldn't keep up with the rising waters.

"It's going to be gone sooner or later," said Madina's daughter, Janet, his oldest child. She worries how floods have been eroding their property. This time, the family's bathroom wall was a victim.

The Medinas did what they could to kill the smell and to oet the floors dry out— floors now swollen and uneven.

But the family has no options for leaving the flood zone for good. "He's concerned about it, but what can he do?" Janet asked. "They say it is our problem."

The family can't afford to move, and they are fearful of the oncoming severe weather season. "The rain is like a phobia for us now," Janet said.

The smaller children are too young to understand. They were seen playing in the floodwaters that could be contaminated with sewage.

Now they're riding bicycles on solid, but shaky ground.