CRYSTAL CITY, Texas – Up to a foot of rain drenched parts of Zavala County in the past 24 hours, yet by midday Friday, flooded roads had re-opened and much of the water elsewhere had receded.
"I'm hoping that the drought is broken," said Zavala County Judge Joe Luna.
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He said five to seven inches of heavy rain fell overnight and early morning.
He said Zavala County saw scattered evacuations, asphalt washed away on many streets and roadways, and flooded fields that normally would grow wheat, onions, melon and watermelon.
Luna said the county will assess any flood damage then submit a request to the Governor's Office.
Luna said he wouldn't ask for a disaster declaration but rather any funding to help with repairs and other flood-related costs.
Luna said even so, "It was a blessing. We needed the rain but not all at the same time."
He said still Zavala County's primary water source, the Carrizo-Edwards Aquifer, may have gotten the overdue boost it needed.
"We were at a 20,000-foot deficit a year," he said, due to growth in the area and fracking operations on the Eagle Ford Shale.
Now with more rain predicted, Luna said, "We'll see what happens next week."