The Texas Senate Committee on Agriculture, Water & Rural Affairs recently released their Interim Report to the 86th Legislature in response to Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick’s 2017 Hurricane Harvey Response Interim Charges, which were:

• Study and make recommendations on how to move forward with water infrastructure projects in the State Water Plan that will help mitigate floods through flood control, diversion, and storage projects. Evaluate plans for a possible third reservoir in addition to Addicks and Barker to control and alleviate additional flooding in the region. Additionally, review the current status of reservoir projects in Texas. Examine opportunities for coordination between federal and state agencies to develop flood mitigation infrastructure, and the ongoing maintenance and restoration of critical dam infrastructure.
• Study and identify ways to improve the capacity and maintain the structure of the Addicks and Barker Reservoirs. Report on mechanisms that would ensure the public has access to timely and transparent release figures from reservoirs across the state.
• Evaluate current state data-sharing standards for rainfall and stream gauges and whether regional flood management projects and flood warnings should be hosted in a centralized location, such as a state agency web page. Determine whether a statewide real-time flood warning system could be developed and coordinated through mobile devices, TxDOT electronic signage, communication devices and whether existing local and regional forecasting infrastructure could be integrated into a centralized inclement weather forecasting system.

Chairman Perry states in his cover letter that he “will introduce legislation detailing the creation of a State Flood Plan and the funding component.”

Key selected recommendations contained in the report include the following (italics are direct quotes):

• Update flood models;
• Expand the role of an existing agency or create a new oversight process for the Texas Flood Plan by centralizing all local flood prevention plans. This would be like the State Water Plan;
• Help communities achieve improved Community Rating System (CRS) scores;
• Study deepening Addicks and Barker Reservoirs, diversion channels, and bayous;
• Task the Texas Water Development Board to track and report all available funding (from all sources) for flood mitigation strategies in a publicly accessible manner;
• Create a State Infrastructure Fund with an investment from General Revenue and/or the Economic Stabilization Fund to support flood mitigation strategies detailed in the State Flood Plan;
• Review reservoir operation manuals to reflect land development, debris levels, and the science of how accumulations and stream flow will affect reservoir and floodgate capacity;
• Create more reservoir capacity where possible by heightening walls and removing debris by dredging;
• Support local government partnering with the federal government to increase capacity and update reservoir operations; and,
• Create a system like the AMBER Alert program, or other means … for local officials to adequately communicate a flood evacuation with residents.