TEMPLE – Projects to repair and rehabilitate flood control structures across Texas will now be funded thanks to a $150 million appropriations bill legislators passed this session. The Governor signed the bill into law on June 6, 2019. These structures serve as a critical protection for our state’s infrastructure, private property, and lives. The State appropriated the funds to the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB) to administer through grants to the local sponsors of Flood Control Dams, including Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs). “The primary purpose of these Flood Control Dams is to protect lives and property by reducing the velocity of floodwaters, thereby reducing flows to a safer rate,” said Barry Mahler, TSSWCB Chairman. The Texas Legislature also addressed statewide flooding issues with the passage of Senate Bill 8, authored by Senator Charles Perry, which creates the first State Flood Plan for Texas. Partnering with the Texas Water Development Board, TSSWCB will incorporate earthen dams as part of the bigger picture for flood mitigation strategies, establishing a ten-year plan to have all high-hazard dams meeting high-hazard safety standards.

. . . Tamara Daniel, ATSWCD Executive Director

Monday Minutes, 6/17/2019

​