Heavy floods in the Texas Hill Country have uncovered dinosaur footprints believed to be around 110 million years old.
The discovery was made in Travis County after powerful July floods swept away layers of sediment and debris. The exposed site revealed 15 connected three-toed tracks in the Sandy Creek area.
Authorities confirmed that the floods, which killed at least 135 people, also brought this rare paleontological find to light. Volunteers working on a cleanup operation spotted the footprints and alerted experts from the University of Texas at Austin’s Jackson School Museum of Earth History.
According to museum paleontologist Matthew Brown, the tracks are likely from an Acrocanthosaurus, a large carnivorous dinosaur that stood up to 35 feet tall and walked on two legs. The footprints, each measuring between 18 and 20 inches, are preserved in the Glen Rose Formation, a limestone layer famous for containing prehistoric fossils.
The discovery site is also of historical importance. In 1985, an 18th-century artillery piece was found in the same area.
Officials are now working to ensure heavy machinery used in flood recovery does not damage the fossilized tracks. Researchers are using mapping and 3D imaging to determine if the footprints belonged to one dinosaur or a group.
Experts say this is a rare case where a natural disaster revealed a significant prehistoric find. The Glen Rose Formation has long been a rich site for fossil discoveries, and this latest find adds to its scientific legacy.
Scientists believe the footprints provide valuable insight into dinosaur movement and behavior more than 100 million years ago. Work at the site is ongoing, with a focus on both research and preservation.
