Whereas state {dollars} for flood security nonetheless have but to be dispersed, Bexar County is becoming a member of different Texas counties that skilled lethal flooding this summer time in forging forward with its personal self-funded plans.
The San Antonio River Authority is engaged on a regional community of sensors that it believes will deliver Bexar County residents a number of the most superior flood detection expertise within the nation, finally permitting them to mechanically shut automobile crossings earlier than vehicles can get into harmful conditions.
Bexar County Commissioners budgeted $20 million for the so-called NextGen flood warning system in August, and accredited the discharge of the primary $2.4 million of that cash Tuesday.
“We surveyed the entire roughly 200 gauges inside Bexar County to make it possible for elevations are correct, and we’ll have that information ultimate roughly by the top of December,” River Authority Basic Supervisor Derek Boese stated Tuesday. “That data is actually vital, ensuring the mannequin is as correct as attainable.”
The transfer comes because the state has put aside $50 million to assist flood-prone counties fund flood warning programs within the wake of an unusually lethal summer time for each San Antonio and the Hill Nation.
Bexar County was named one of many qualifying counties for such funding, however the cash has been sluggish to return and is aimed primarily at flood sirens, which Boese stated usually aren’t efficient in city facilities.
“We expect that there are higher options to warn individuals, which might be a mixture of emergency alerts by way of textual content message, getting emergency managers out as early as attainable to allow them to block roads, the gate programs, the warning lights, all of these issues,” stated Boese, who famous he’s nonetheless hopeful the state funds can be utilized to assist their different initiatives.
With little statewide coordination on such flood warning programs, and fixed value constraints for smaller counties making an attempt to maintain their very own residents protected, the River Authority can also be taking the bizarre step of fronting the cash to deliver neighboring counties alongside in its efforts.
Boese chairs a regional flood planning group of counties with rivers and tributaries that circulation into Bexar County, none of which certified for the state cash.
He stated his company has now gone forward and put in gauges in Wilson, Karnes and Goliad counties Southeast of Bexar County anyway, and recognized 9 extra they suppose are wanted.
“These are at present being funded by way of the River Authority, and as we increase that community down downstream, the intent is to associate with these downstream counties to share within the funding of these gauges and the operations and upkeep workplace,” Boese stated.
Of the opposite counties within the River Authority’s jurisdiction, a number of the extra rural areas may profit from sirens, he stated.
However with out the state funds, the River Authority is hopeful its extra technology-focused method will get them heading in the right direction, and share data that makes Bexar County safer as properly.
“Proper now, our downstream counties have stated their massive factor is warning lights and gates,” he stated. “However step one of that’s gauges and having correct data.”
