Public Meeting to Discuss Flood Concerns on Guadalupe River Set for Aug. 4
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The Guadalupe Regional Flood Planning Group (RFPG) will host a public meeting to discuss flood concerns within the Guadalupe River Watershed at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 4 at the Wimberley Community Center, 14068 Ranch Rd. 12.
Public comment begins at approximately 5:30 p.m. To attend virtuallly, click here. To provide written comments prior to or after the meeting, email comments@guadalupeRFPG.org or mail them to Lauren Willis at Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA), 933 East Court St., Seguin TX 78155 and include “Region 11 Flood Planning Group Meeting” in the subject line.
According to the U.S. National Weather Service, Central Texas is the most flash-flood-prone area in the United States. Texas holds six of 12 world-record rainfall rates in 24 hours or less.
Region 11 of the Guadalupe RFPG, which is administered by GBRA, seeks input from the community about flood-prone areas that need to be addressed along with flood-management evaluations or projects that exist or need to be developed.
Region 11 includes portions of Bandera, Bastrop, Blanco, Caldwell, Calhoun, Comal, DeWitt, Fayette, Gillespie, Goliad, Gonzales, Guadalupe, Hays, Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, Lavaca, Real, Refugio, Travis, Victoria and Wilson counties lying within the Guadalupe River Basin.
“Flood planning for the Guadalupe River basin is a transparent process where public input and participation is welcomed and encouraged,” said GBRA Public Relations/Communications Manager Lindsey Campbell. “Community insight is valuable in helping the Guadalupe RFPG to better address the flood-mitigation needs of all communities throughout the region. Through this planning process, the Guadalupe RFPG will help to identify funding for flood-control projects.”
The group provides comprehensive regional flood planning and is tasked with developing a regional flood plan which
- Identifies both short- and long-term flood risks
- Recommends flood-management strategies and flood-management projects
- Estimates the amount of funding required to implement solutions that protect against loss of life and property.
There are 15 volunteer members in the group who represent 12 “interest categories” throughout the basin. Senior Water Resources Engineer Brian Perkins represents the GBRA on RFPG’s executive committee.
Voting membership includes Agriculture – Doug Miller with Highlife Ranch/Miller & MIller INsurance; Victoria County – John Johnston, P.E., CFM; Counties – Hays County Commissioner Pct. 3 Lon Shell; Electric Generating Utilities – Bobby Christmas with Guadalupe Valley Electric Cooperative; Environmental – Annalisa Peace, executive director of the Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance; Flood Districts – Beth Parker with DeWitt County Drainage District No. 1; Industries – Kevin Stone with Martin Marietta; Municipalities – Ken Gill, P.E., City of Victoria; Municipalities – Joe Pantalion with City of San Marcos; Public – Kimberly Meitzen, Ph.D., Texas State University Department of Geography; River Authorities – Ray Buck, Upper Guadalupe River Authority; Small Business – Gian Villarreal, P.E., CFM with WEAT/Seagull PME; Water Districts – Ronald Fieseler, Blanco Pedernales Groundwater Conservation District; and Water Utilities – Joseph McDaniel with Aqua Texas Inc.
The Texas Legislature created a state and regional flood-planning process for Texas in the wake of historic flooding in 2019, Campbell said. Through this process, administered by the Texas Water Development Board, 15 planning area regions were developed, including Region 11.
Peace said the flood-planning process should provide solid solutions to proactively and “intelligently” managing stormwater runoff within watersheds.
“Solutions that will be eligible for future adoption and funding include specific projects such as traditional grey infrastructure, water infrastructure, preservation of land that could serve to mitigate flooding, green infrastructure to mitigate flooding while improving water quality, and directions to cities and counties on how to better-regulate stormwater management to prevent flooding,” she said in an email.
