Public invited to the Texas Water Development Board-s flood planning and financing meetings
For immediate release. Contact: Media Relations at 512-463-5129
AUSTIN – (July 25, 2019) – During the first two weeks of August, the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) will be hosting 13 flood meetings around the state to solicit comments from the public on the new state and regional flood planning process and the new flood financing program. Both programs were established during the last legislative session.
"The TWDB is holding these meetings prior to the required formal rulemaking process to help ensure that the new programs meet the needs of Texas communities," said TWDB Chairman Peter Lake. "Stakeholder input is the most critical part of building this program so that it effectively reflects the diversity and magnitude of flood concerns in the state."
The flood planning program will result in regional flood plans in 2023 and the first state flood plan in September 2024. Early efforts of the planning process will focus on setting up the regional flood planning groups.
"The flood planning process will resemble the state's existing water planning process," said TWDB Board Member Kathleen Jackson. "Each flood planning region will have a planning group with members representing various local interests."
Using $793 million transferred from the Rainy Day Fund, the TWDB will also administer a new flood financing program. Designed to make drainage and flood project implementation more affordable for Texas communities, the program is intended to meet immediate needs for funding and will become available in 2020.
"The new flood funding program created by the Texas legislature demonstrates the State's commitment to helping Texans recover from past floods and prepare for the future," said Board Member Brooke Paup. "The TWDB is no less committed to developing this funding program as quickly as possible."
The schedule and locations for the upcoming meetings are:
Tuesday, August 6
LCRA Riverside Conference Center
1405 Willow St.
Bastrop, TX 78602
9:30-11:30 a.m.
J. Michael -and- Bridget Shahan Events Center at Lamar State College
209 W. Green Ave.
Orange, TX 77630
9:30-11:30 a.m.
Wednesday, August 7
Ornelas Activity Center at The University of Texas at Tyler
3402 Old Omen Rd.
Tyler, TX 75707
9:30-11:30 a.m.
Thursday August 8
El Paso Water's TecH2O Learning Center
10751 Montana Ave.
El Paso, TX 79935
9:30-11:30 a.m.
Trinity River Authority General Office
5300 S. Collins St.
Arlington, TX 76018
9:30-11:30 a.m.
Friday, August 9
McKenzie-Merket Alumni Center
1666 University Ave.
Lubbock, TX 79410
9:30-11:30 a.m.
Beckendorf Conference Center at Lone Star College-Tomball
30555 Tomball Pkwy.
Tomball, TX 77375
9:30-11:30 a.m.
Tuesday, August 13
Guadalupe Basin Natural Resource Center
Upper Guadalupe River Authority
125 Lehmann Dr.
Kerrville, TX 78028
9:30-11:30 a.m.
City of Lake Jackson Civic Center
333 HWY 332 E.
Lake Jackson, TX 77566
9:30-11:30 a.m.
Wednesday, August 14
The Cactus Hotel
65 E. Twohig Ave, 15th floor
San Angelo, TX 76903
9:30-11:30 a.m.
Saltwater Pavilion at Rockport Beach
210 Seabreeze Dr.
Rockport, TX 78382
9:30-11:30 a.m.
Thursday, August 15
Abilene Convention Center
1100 N. 6th St.
Abilene, TX 79601
9:30-11:30 a.m.
Texas A -and-M Higher Education Center at McAllen
6200 Tres Lagos Blvd.
McAllen, TX 78504
9:30-11:30 a.m.
A map and schedule of these meetings is also available on the TWDB website.
The TWDB is the state agency charged with collecting and disseminating water-related data, assisting with regional planning, and preparing the state water plan for the development of the state's water resources. The TWDB administers cost-effective financial assistance programs for the construction of water supply, wastewater treatment, flood control, and agricultural water conservation projects.