money After deadly 2021 flooding in El Paso, water development board moving forward on West Texas plans
El Paso residents saw first hand the deadly dangers of flooding during summer 2021.
With monsoon season around the corner, the risk of flooding once again looms.
Efforts are underway for El Paso to be better prepared in the years to come. The Texas Water Development Board is leading a first-ever state-wide flood planning process.
The Upper Rio Grande Regional Flood Planning Group (URGRFPG) is taking the lead for Region 14, which includes El Paso and 22 other counties in West Texas. Last week the planning group updated El Paso residents in advance of submitting a draft regional flood plan Aug. 1.
Local governments and utilities will be able to apply to the Texas Water Development Board for funding to implement priority projects once the state and regional flood plans are adopted.
"With the loss of life that occurred with the flooding last year, it's a serious concern for everyone," said Annette Gutierrez, executive director of the Rio Grande Council of Governments (RGCOG), referring to the deaths of three people during 2021 flooding in El Paso. "There are many opportunities for work to be done."
In June 2021, a 39-year-old high school teacher died after heavy rain swept her off a hiking trail in the Franklin Mountains. In August, a 65-year-old grandmother and her 2-year-old granddaughter died when flood waters collapsed a wall in their Central El Paso home.
More: El Paso's monsoon season brought relief from drought, caused disaster preparedness challenges
West Texas flood planning requires buy-in from rural and urban communities
The Texas Water Development Board designated regional flood planning groups based on watersheds across the state. In October 2020, URGFPG named the RGCOG as the planning group sponsor for far West Texas, which includes the Pecos River and part of the Rio Grande.
Gutierrez explained Region 14 faces as challenging task, as the region with the largest surface area in Texas, spanning small towns and the urban center of El Paso.
El Paso receives scant rainfall each year, but monsoon storms dump rain on the city and cause flash flooding. 2021 was El Paso's second wettest summer monsoon on record, with 9.76 inches of rain between June 15 and September 15.
Gutierrez said El Paso's county and city government have been active in flood planning but engaging smaller communities has been a challenge.
"We’re doing as much as possible to ensure that all communities have this opportunity afforded to them," she said.
More: El Paso Water pond project will reduce flood risk in Northeast El Paso neighborhoods
Flood plan lays out shared goals
The planning group sought public input, via social media and public meetings, from across the region to better understand flooding risks and hazards.
The plan will serve as a roadmap to ensure the region is working toward common goals to reduce flooding risk. The plan is organized around planning goals, flood management strategies, projects and evaluations.
Goals include increasing flood warning outreach, adopting minimum stormwater infrastructure design standards and improving flood hazard data across the region.
El Paso already participates in the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) National Flood Insurance Program but some towns in the planning area do not. The planning group will work to increase participation in the flood insurance program. In El Paso, group will attempt to improve the city's score in FEMA's community rating system, which can lead to lower flood insurance rates.
Specific interventions in El Paso County laid out in the plan include implementing sediment and vegetation control in the Rio Grande, developing a drainage study and stormwater plan for Socorro and developing solutions for flooding in the San Elizario historic district.
At Wednesday's open house, members of the public consulted flood planning materials, including lists of management strategies and flood risk maps of El Paso County.
"The open house was utilized to let everybody know where we stand at this moment, what analysis has been done of flooding in the region," Gutierrez said.
Once the regional and state flood plans are adopted, El Paso Water, El Paso County and the El Paso County Water Improvement District will be able to apply for funding from the Texas Water Development Board to implement flood management strategies.
The state and regional flood plans will be updated every five years and residents will be encouraged to weigh in.
"This is the first cycle (of planning) but it won't be the last cycle," Gutierrez said.
Information about flood planning is available at http://westtexaswaterplanning.org/, where public comments can also be submitted.
More: Due to increased drownings, Border Patrol warns Borderland residents on crossing canal
Staff writer Martha Pskowski may be reached at mpskowski@elpasotimes.com and @psskow on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Flood plans for Far West Texas moving forward after deadly 2021 flooding
