By Chris Lykins - Staff Writer
    In 1972 the Guadalupe River crested at 32.5 feet devastating the county and Seguin with an estimated $10-20 million dollars worth of damage.  This weekend's flood looks like it will far surpass that in ferocity as Guadalupe Blanco River Authority officials were estimated a crest of 35 feet on Saturday afternoon.
    Parts of Highways 78, 46, and 123 were closed along the stretches of Interstate 35 and FM 725.
Reports came nonstop of water rescues, flooded houses and mass evacuations as families scrambled to shelters established all over the area.
    There were water rescues near the Geronimo Creek area with Geronimo Creek rising rapidly throughout the day and reports of cars drifting down the creek with the rapid water flow.  Other water rescues were reported throughout Guadalupe County and the surrounding area as the day wore on and weather officials were predicting more rain into Sunday and possible Monday.
    Seguin Police Department officials made their first evacuations in the Elm Wood area where the Geronimo Creek had left its banks.  There were also evacuations  in the Glen Cove area where the SEguin PD started warning residents when the river was three feet below flood stage.  A few minutes later evacuations started to the Guadalupe County Coliseum, the SISD at Oak Park Mall, the SHS auditorium and Marion High School.
    At approximately 2 p.m. Saturday city officials began evacuations of residents along Turtle Lane which sits near the river.
    Walter Wooten, owner of Marion Automotive on FM 78 said that it was the worst he had ever seen.
    "I've been trying to wait it out, but I'm fixing to get out of here." Wooton said Saturday morning. "I got here about 8 a.m. and it's been raining ever since.  The water was over 78 at the Santa Clara crossing.  It's been pretty bad."
    The Guadalupe Blanco River Authority spent much of Saturday morning dealing with the flooding disaster by warning people that the situation could rapidly develop from bad to worse.
    David Welch, director of project development for GBRA said Saturday afternoon there was a flow rate out of New Braunfels of 53,000 cubic feet per second which sent the river roaring out of its banks.
    Initially, the river was expected to crest at 25 feet but as the day drew on, that number continued to rise and another GBRA official said the crest was expected at 35 feet and would be 2.5 feet higher than 1972 flood.
    At almost 5 p.m. on Saturday, the Seguin Water Plant reportedly flooded.  Assistant City Manager Doug Faseler said that it is important for residents to do everything possible to try and conserve water.
    "It's kind of ironic with all this water that we are worried about water," Faseler said.  "We definitely need people to do everything they can to try to conserve."
    Springs Hill was under the same type of situation and urging users to conserve water if at all possible.
    City Manager Jack Hamlett said that city staff was using experience from the 1972 flood to decide when to evacuate areas.
    As the day wore on, reports of floating cars and house roofs along with evacuations became more and more prevalent.
Seguin Gazette Enterprise October 18, 1998.
Note:  When my husband heard of the flooding situation he filled a bunch of water containers just in case.   We had neighbors coming to us to see if we had any water when the water was turned off.   We also lost electric power for almost a day.  Since we live 2 blocks from Lake Dunlop we were safe from the flooding but not from the effects.   There is a travel trailer park in New Braunfels that is right next to the Guadalupe River under IH 35.  Every time it floods trailers have been lost.  If memory serves me right we have had 3 major floods since 1998.  Each time we have seen trailers floating down the river.  To date the park hasn't reopened since the last flood this past year.  I think this year they were more fortunate and got all the trailers out before it crested.  My husband remodeled a house in 1998 that was flooded and two years later it was flooded again.  The people said enough was enough and sold out.  Across from this house was another house that had floated off.  They rebuilt and put the house on steal beams high above the water line.  The next flood sent it floating down the river.  The beams were still there.  My husband said that apparently they didn't anchor the house properly to the beams.  New Braunfels decided that it would be best if no houses were located along the Guadalupe within the city.  We drove around after it was all over and there were boats, jet skis, furniture, clothing and other objects high in the tree tops.   A lot of bridges had to be  repaired or replaced.   The loss and damage was devastating. WQ