Group is Developing Flood Management Strategies, Also Seeks Public Input
Dec. 13, 2021
The group developing a regional flood management plan is seeking a member to represent small business.
The San Jacinto Regional Flood Planning Group is one of fifteen volunteer organizations formed by the Texas Water Development Board to help identify specific flood risks around the state and develop strategies to reduce them.
The San Jacinto Region includes all or part of eleven counties and extends from Galveston in the south to Huntsville in the north.
Also known as Region Six, the group includes 15 voting members and 11 non-voting members. The voting members represent municipalities, the environment, water and electric utilities, industries, agriculture, and more. The non-voting members are drawn from various public agencies such as Texas Parks and Wildlife, the Houston Galveston Area Council, and Port Houston.
The ultimate goal is to develop a regional flood plan and deliver it to the state water board by Jan. 10, 2023. The official description of the process so far has been to gather and analyze existing data, identify existing and future flood risks, review floodplain management practices, and evaluate flood management strategies.
The group has hired the engineering firm Freese and Nichols as technical consultants and to oversee public engagement. The firm is also working with several other regional groups around the state. A “technical memorandum” is due to the state board by Jan. 7, 2022. Here is the draft technical memorandum presented at the last meeting of the planning group on Dec. 9.
The firm has developed a website to encourage public input. At the December meeting the environmental representative, Rachel Powers, executive director of the Citizens Environmental Coalition, voiced concern about the lack of public response. As of the meeting, 31 people had responded to the survey.
Here are links to all the planning documents and meetings so far.
Here is a link to the nomination form for the representative of small business.
The next meeting of the planning group is Jan. 13, 2022.
