TWDB holding a Board meeting to invite oral comments on rules for new state flood financial assistance and flood planning programs

For immediate release. Contact: Media Relations at 512-463-5129

AUSTIN – (January 22, 2020) – The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) invites the public to attend its January 30 Board meeting to offer oral comments on rules for the new flood financial assistance and planning programs created by the Texas Legislature in 2019.

Attendees may provide comments on all program rules: flood financial assistance rules and Flood Intended Use Plan, regional and state flood planning rules, and flood planning regions. The meeting will be held on Thursday, January 30, in Austin at the Stephen F. Austin Building, 1700 N. Congress Avenue, Room 170, at 10:30 a.m.

Using $793 million transferred from the state’s Rainy Day Fund, the TWDB will administer the new flood financial assistance program. The proposed program rules include information on eligibility, minimum standards, program timeline, financial assistance categories, prioritization criteria, and additional information.

The flood planning program will result in regional flood plans in 2023 and the first state flood plan in September 2024. Proposed flood planning rules include information on representative designation, technical and financial support for the regional flood planning groups, and guidance principles for regional and state flood planning. The proposed flood planning region boundaries map proposes the creation of 11 flood planning regions.

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.