“This is about as high as I've seen water in many years,” said Fire Chief Charles Young of the Salado Volunteer Fire Department. “It's treacherous. It's 10 feet over bridges in some places. That's extremely high.”
One man drove his car onto a low water crossing and narrowly escaped, at least 12 families were evacuated and the force of the water ripped asphalt from the Main Street bridge.
Young said the man in a four-door sedan, who drove out onto the Mill Creek low water bridge about noon, could have drowned when his car was swept over the side of the bridge. The man managed to get out of the car while it was still hanging on the span.
“We got the call about 12:06 p.m.,” Young said. “Water was rushing over the top of the bridge and his car got swept sideways. He got out before the car went over the side but when he tried to walk back he was swept over the side and up along a bank. Two men nearby rescued him by pushing a limb out to him.”
Young said he and his firefighters were on the opposite bank and had to drive around the long circuit to get to the other side where the Mill Creek Country Club is located. The man was wet and cold, Young said, and lucky to be alive.
“I don't know his name,” Young said. “He told me he is 74.”
Young said all he knew about his rescuer is that his last name is Wick. He said the car rolled over on its roof into the creek and was swept down to the next low water crossing where it lodged under the bridge.
There was no other person in the vehicle, Young said.
Sheriff's deputies and employees with the Texas Department of Transportation were parked in vehicles with flashing lights at low water crossings to keep people from driving across.
Mayor Merle Stalcup said city officials set up a command post at the village office on the Interstate 35 access road.
“We have eight locations that are blocked at this time,” Stalcup said at 1 p.m. “All the citizens are OK at this time. No reports of drownings or injuries.”
Stalcup said the Community Emergency Response Team, CERT, was activated and making contingency plans for evacuations of families in low-lying areas.
“CERT members were activated at about 9.30 a.m,” Salado Alderman, Bryan Fitch said. “They were blocking off roads and checking on residents - letting people know about the problems.”
Stalcup said the First Call automated dialing system had called citizens to give them an emergency warning and would notify them if evacuation were necessary.
Young said the only flooding mid-afternoon was Salado Creek. The water was coming from the Jarrell and Florence area, which suffered severe flooding Friday. Portions of the I-35 southbound lane were shut down for periods of time as floodwaters lapped over the freeway. Traffic backed up nearly to Belton.
Young said the flooding had delayed response time in the village by 10-15 minutes since emergency crews had to drive backroads to get to areas on the south side of Salado Creek.
Bell County Fire Marshal Steve Casey said while Salado Creek got 8 inches of rain the rest of Bell County received about 1½ inches to 2 inches.
“Even Nolan Creek is not flooded at this time,” Casey said. “But Salado Creek is really high. We have a bunch of emergency personnel out here. We are really concerned that if the rain doesn't stop we may have to bring some people out of their homes and put them into shelters because of high water.”
Voluntary evacuations were all that were required, with people willingly leaving their homes to assist emergency personnel.
Police at the scene said that when Florence gets too much rain it shows up in Salado.
The reported Friday that state and National Guard troops would be deployed to the Interstate 35 corridor.
At least 70 troops, four helicopters and four swift water rescue teams will be on standby until this morning, Gov. Rick Perry's office said in an online statement.
At least 12 families in Salado were evacuated. The Methodist Church opened its doors for evacuees but most went to the Holiday Inn or have family members who live close.
Huge pieces of asphalt, once part of the Main Street bridge, flipped into the rushing water like pieces of cardboard as the water poured over the bridge. By 7 p.m. the water had receded and the damage was clear.
“The bridge on Main Street will be closed indefinitely. It has major damage,” Young said.
Residents came to see the flooding and take photos of something they don't often see.
James Tierrey of Dallas visits Salado often and couldn't believe what he witnessed.
“There was one log, or maybe half a tree, that came down and hit the bridge and just bounced. You could see the power it had as it was washed down the creek,” Tierry said. “When I booked to come down here this time they told me it was very dry and they needed rain. I think they got it - and then some.”
The avid golfer was more concerned about residents than the games he'll miss. “I am just glad everyone is safe. The people here are always so welcoming, so inviting. I have friends down here that I met while playing golf that are life-long friends now.”
TxDot employees driving front-end loaders starting cleaning up the mess when the water receded and continued to work late into the night.
On the other side of town families started their own cleanup, while those who escaped damage drove golf buggies around surveying the damage.
Lafon and Larry Anderson moved to Salado just two years ago from California. Their home suffered significant damage with water levels of about 15 inches. Friday night was spent pulling up carpet and sweeping up water with the help of their daughter Tawny Anderson. She and her family followed her parents to Salado a year after they settled in.
The Andersons did not have flood insurance. “We were told we were not in a flood zone, so we weren't entitled. We found out both our neighbors were,” Larry said. The walkway leading to the Andersons' house was covered in a slippery layer of sediment from the creek. Inside the home on O.W. Lowery Drive, watermarks on couches showed just how high the water rose. Bathrooms were completely under water with nowhere for the water to escape.
“We were shopping in Belton when the water came through,” Larry said. “When I came down from my neighbor's home the water was right up my leg,” he said, pointing to his thigh area.
Young said he expects everyone will be out cleaning up today.
“We will go out in the morning and see where the damage is and just start cleaning up,” he said.
