TEXAS — Inside the Live Oak County Fair Pavilion, which is serving as a makeshift emergency operations center, County Judge James Liska shows the latest mapped projections of what a 40-foot rise of water on the Nueces River will do to some subdivisions.

“If you have a home in River Creek Acres, you’re going to see that goes over in two places,” Liska said.

The two places the Live Oak County native mentioned are bridges connecting the subdivision. That’s one neighborhood, and the old swimming hole is another place that could be underwater.

“There are bridges there. It’s going to be very close,” said Liska. “It’s potential that they could get cut off.”

Liska said first responders — attached with Texas Task Force One — have warned residents of rising waters flowing from the heavy rains that hit Kerrville and Uvalde two weeks ago.

“The team went and knocked on those doors and told them the flood is potentially going to get in this area,” Liska said.

As of Wednesday, the Nueces River sat just below 20 feet. Data collected from the U.S. Geological Survey Monitoring System near Three Rivers on Monday showed the Nueces sat at 6 feet.

For Liska, the focus is to inform and safeguard the public and people who live in or near George West and Three Rivers. Both communities sit on the Nueces.

“The roads could cut you off. At this point if they cut you off, you might be sitting there five days before they get you out,” Liska said.

If that type of scenario plays out, search and rescue personnel from all over the state are in place to mobilize.

“The water is going to be to the cement, if not higher,” said John Hogan, a local. From a boat dock on the Nueces under State Highway 59 near George West, he pointed to where he said he’s certain the water will stretch.

Hogan was at the dock to measure the water rise. He said he’s seen the Nueces swell in other flood events.

“The water was lapping this bridge right there,” said Hogan.

That bridge on Highway 59 is roughly 40 feet tall.

Hogan described the last time he saw the Nueces swell in height and width, threatening all in its roaring path.

“Like at the beach when a wave comes in, that’s the way it was going down and right behind it was getting bigger,” Hogan said.

Back at emergency operations, Liska said they’ve had two weeks to prepare since rains quit up north, adding that the area has weathered prior flood events.

“I’ve lived through the 2002 flood at 44 feet. I think we’re going to live through this one too,” Liska said.