TEMPLE, Texas (KWTX) – Central Texas leaders reviewed models that could help predict where and when water flows during severe weather in the region.
The review comes 11 months after devastating flash floods in Kerr County.
Leaders from cities and counties in the Leon River and Cowhouse Creek watersheds were given findings from a $4 million project spearheaded by the Texas General Land Office and Texas A&M AgriLife.
“This is really a bellwether project for the state because there’s so many areas that need early warning systems and that need to better understand, have better flood modeling to benefit their communities,” said Brittany Eck with the Texas General Land Office.
Project scope and technology
The project examines everything from where to place stream sensors to advanced models that can show where rainwater flows after it falls.
“We are really looking at how to mitigate against future flood damage in this flood alley here in this area. So, there’s a lot of repetitive flooding in this area. Having an early warning system is vital, but knowing how to install these systems can be very complicated. We want to make sure that we do it right the first time, so that we achieve the results that we want to get,” Eck said.
The goal is putting systems in place that can give both officials and the public real-time alerts when there’s a flooding concern. The systems would be fueled by a combination of real-time data captured by gauges and a pair of models that can help predict flood risk up to a week out.
Water capture considerations
Hamilton County Judge James Yates said what happens to floodwater is another key factor.
“They’ve created a bunch of models that are giving us a lot of predictions out there that will help us in our flood prediction and also helping us hopefully in the future to be able to capture some floodwaters and to induce it back into our water systems so that we can capture, you know, we lose 80% of our floodwaters,” Yates said.
The modeling also includes data that can help predict how water flow and flood patterns change with new development in the area.
The project is about halfway complete. Once finished, it will include components in Bell, Coryell, Comanche, Hamilton and Mills counties.
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