EAGLE PASS, Texas, July 17 (Our Texas Times) — South Texans near the Rio Grande should expect the river to keep rising through Friday night, when a National Weather Service forecast said it was expected to crest at moderate flood stage. In Eagle Pass, that floodwater carried more than 100 federal border-security buoys downstream Thursday, and city officials briefly closed two international bridges while they checked whether the floating barriers posed a danger.
Officials said the immediate step for people near the river is to stay away from the buoys and watch for bridge status updates before crossing.
What happened in Eagle Pass?
City Manager Homero Balderas said Eagle Pass shut down bridge traffic for about three hours on Thursday while crews assessed the drifting barriers. The bridges reopened just after midnight Friday.
Balderas said the buoys did not immediately endanger the bridges. He said the city closed transit as a precaution because the crossings are important to local finances. “The bridges are the number one funding source for the city,” he said, adding that the short closure was meant to make sure there were no safety concerns as the buoys passed under the bridges.
What are these buoys?
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson said a government contractor staged the buoys in Eagle Pass and was working with the agency to retrieve them after they broke free in floodwater. The spokesperson said the barriers were not ready to be deployed or anchored in the river.
CBP has said the floating barriers are meant to create a safer environment for agents and deter migrants from trying to cross through dangerous waterways.
How serious is the flooding?
The National Weather Service forecast cited in the reporting said the Rio Grande began rising Thursday and was expected to crest at moderate flood stage Friday night.
In plain terms, moderate flood stage means the river is high enough to cause more serious flooding and disruption, but not the worst possible level. Officials said no injuries or structural damage to the bridges have been reported.
What else are officials doing downstream?
Texas Division of Emergency Management and Eagle Pass Police Chief Amy Gonzalez told state Rep. Eddie Morales Jr. that the buoys were carried downstream from the Quemado area. Laredo officials said they activated their emergency operations center and used drones to track the drifting barriers. They warned that the debris could eventually threaten Laredo’s four international bridges and said one or more crossings could be closed if the buoys or other debris created a hazard.
Local officials also told residents not to approach or touch the barriers.
What should travelers know?
For now, the main concern is short-term disruption from floodwater and debris. Eagle Pass already saw one such disruption: the city closed two bridges for about three hours, then reopened them after the buoys moved on.
Because the river is still expected to crest Friday night, travelers crossing the border in Eagle Pass or Laredo should check for bridge notices before leaving and watch for local emergency updates.
