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The Navasota River returned to a near-normal level Monday after several days of record flooding.
The receding water caused the National Weather Service to repeal its flood warning when the water dropped below the 15-foot flood level Monday. Forecaster Scott Overpeck said levels should drop to about 14.5 feet Tuesday and down to around 12 feet by Friday.
The level peaked at more than 22 feet on Saturday -- a level that residents near the river and law enforcement officials said was among the highest they have seen.
"We have had this place since 1976 and it is probably the second highest I have ever seen it," said Bobby Murphy, who owns a ranch just outside Navasota.
The rising water caused Murphy to move cattle uphill on his property, but he reported no damage.
The floodwaters rose sharply Saturday after the Brazos River Authority opened all five of its flood gates at Lake Limestone to prevent flooding there.
Murphy said he was notified in advance that the waters would rise.
"When it started coming out of the woods, it was coming up faster than I had ever seen it rise," he said. "It rose about a foot and a half. We are used to getting water. It is something that you deal with when you live on the river."
The flooding continued farther north into parts of Brazos and Madison counties, where roads were closed and one fisherman was rescued from a tree over the weekend.
Game Warden Jason Bussey was one of several law enforcement officers who fanned out across the region over the past few days to survey the flooding and help anyone in need. He said he, along with a few ranchers, lost some cattle, but he didn't come across any major damage.
The waters were so high, he said, that game wardens patrolling the river in boats floated over fences and past the tops of deer blinds.
"We put in on a private ranch and lost the river for a little bit because there was so much water," he said. "You don't see it get this high very often."
According to the National Weather Service, no rain is expected for the rest of the week. Highs are in the low-90s and lows in the 70s.
As of Monday, most of the roads closed due to flooding had been re-opened, according to Texas Department of Transportation spokesman Bob Colwell. Some roads were damaged and will be closed for longer, he said.
* Washington County: F.M. 1155 will be closed for about five weeks between Texas 105 and F.M. 1370 because of cross structure damage. TxDOT is working on an emergency contract to fix the damage.
* Madison County: Old San Antonio Road remains closed from F.M. 1492 to Normangee because cross drainage culverts were washed out in the rain. Colwell predicted that the road will be closed for about 30 days.
The rest of OSR is now open.
"The ground is wet and when it rains it will rise pretty quickly, but I think this week we are in pretty good shape," said Corp. Jimmy Morgan of the Department of Public Safety, which monitors the roads along with TxDOT. "Really we are just glad to have some relief from the drought for the farmers."
