Falls County Receives TWDB Ranking for Flood Infrastructure Fund Project
Falls County has received good news. The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) ranked their Flood Infrastructure Fund project No. 2 in the Flood Infrastructure Fund Prioritized Project List out of more than 250 pre-applications submitted in June of this year. The County will now begin preparation of a full application with the assistance of MRB Group that will be due October 19, 2020. The County is eligible for $738,000 grant with a $82,000 match which can be financed through a 0 percent interest loan for a 10-year period should the County decide to finance the match.
Falls County has experienced several major flooding events over the past five years that have impacted local cities and caused severe property damage. Since 2015 there have been three disaster declarations: 2016 FEMA- 4272-DR. Only the City of Marlin has participated in the National Flood Insurance Program since neither the County or the cities of Golinda, Lott, and Rosebud have FIRM mapping to define the floodplain. This has led to permitting agencies to depend on the permittees to provide documentation of elevations. There is a significant need to address mapping needs, flooding issues in a comprehensive manner that identifies both short- and long-term solutions to flooding and mitigating potential problems that would be identified in this planning effort. This need has brought the four incorporated cities and County together to address the problem on a regional basis and look toward mitigating future flood events. Included in this effort will be coordination with downstream Milam County to assure that recommended solutions do not impact downstream areas.
As part of this planning effort the County is also proposing to perform an evaluation of the Old City Lake Dam and the New City Lake Dam in Marlin, Texas. These dams create the Old City Lake and the New City Lake, which serve as the City's primary source of water supply for its residents. The Old City Lake dam was constructed in the early 1920s and a second water supply reservoir (New City Lake) was created in 1949. The Old City Lake dam is impounding approximately 1,188 acre-feet. The New City Lake dam impounds approximately 7,221 acre-feet. Both dams are intermediate size dams and are classified as high hazard dams by TCEQ.
It is expected the County’s application will be considered for approval by the TWDB Commissioners at their November meeting and contracts issued either by the end of the year or first quarter of 2021.