DEWEYVILLE, Texas — This week's rain has left roads flooded and damaged in Deweyville, and back to back severe storms have set back crucially needed repairs.
"The roads on the river were receded to the point to where we had initiated repair but got chased off," said Newton County Commissioner, Leanord Powell.
The flooding has forced significant water release at the Toledo Bend Reservoir which has caused even more problems for residents in low-lying areas by the surrounding creeks and river.
In less than a month, Deweyville and surrounding areas have found themselves overwhelmed by rising water levels of the Sabine River.
"They have 11 gates open, 2 feet. The predictions from the Sabine River Authority on the Sabine river here in Deweyville, showing a crest around Tuesday of 26.4 foot," said Powell.
12News was on the scene at County Road 4154, where people were trying to figure out if they needed to get out of their vehicles or leave by boat due to rising water levels.
"We did do face to face welfare checks with people that live there. None of those folks have water in their homes," said Powell.
Powell said that out of the nearly 30 roads that were flooded, seven of them remained underwater Friday.
"There is no where else for that water to go. The woods are all full, all the drains are full," said Powell.
Powell says the community is sadly no strangers to flooding, and that's why he spent the last 15 months working to improve drainage.
"We cleaned that major canal out that takes the water underneath Highway 87 into a drainage canal," said Powell.
Powell says they also adjusted how they repair roads, hoping to make them more resilient to water.
"The limestone base material, the rain events, the flash flooding takes that material away much quicker than it does the green rock that we're now using. I don't think we will have to start form scratch and we'll see less damage," said Powell.
Powell says the the cost repair roads takes away from the county's budget, which is why he hopes to qualify for Governor Abbot's Disaster Declaration.
"If we reach the 53 million dollar threshold with the federal government we should be able to get some federal aid on this event," said Powell.
As the old saying goes, when it rains it pours, and for the residents of Newton County it has certainly been pouring.