Heavy storm damage at Bastrop State Park

Park Road 1A is closed.

BASTOP, TEXAS – The storms that rolled through Central Texas Wednesday morning caused severe damage to an already battered Bastrop State Park.

The storm dumped some 5-inches of rain in the area, triggering flash flooding, which washed out several roads. A section of Park Road 1A was completely washed away and a 50-yard wide hole was left in its wake.

The erosion can be attributed to last summer’s devastating Bastop wildfire. It’s estimated the park lost 70 percent of its trees and most of its buildings and facilities were destroyed.

When it was all over, Bastrop State Park was left a moonscape with little plant life to hold down the top soil. Wednesday’s storm simply washed away a layer of ash and the top soil underneath.

Volunteers from the Friends of the Lost Pines State Parks have been trying to raise money and awareness of the erosion problem at the park. Texas Parks and Wildlife are estimates it will run $900,000 to stabilize the damaged areas, money the park doesn’t don’t have.