AUSTIN – The Texas Water Development Board has extended the deadline to July 17 for nominations of potential members of Texas’ first-ever regional flood planning groups.
The response was strong, but several planning regions did not receive nominations for every interest category — including the Upper Rio Grande region which covers West Texas.
As of the original July 2 deadline, the Upper Rio Grande region did not receive any nominations in the following interest categories: electric generating utilities, environmental interests, industries and water utilities.
Each flood planning group needs 12 members, one from each of the 12 interest categories. An individual may be nominated for multiple interest categories but can only be designated by the TWDB to represent a single category in any particular region.
The 15 regional planning groups, formed around river basin boundaries, will require 12 representatives of specific interest categories, including agriculture, industries, river authorities, counties, municipalities, water districts, flood districts, electric generating utilities, water utilities, environmental interests, small businesses and the public.
The planning groups will develop regional flood plans by January 2023 which will culminate in the inaugural state flood plan in 2024.
Interested candidates can fill out a nomination form available on the TWDB website. Forms must be submitted by July 17, and the TWDB will select planning group members by early fall.
The TWDB is the state agency charged with collecting and disseminating water-related data, assisting with regional planning, and preparing the state water plan for the development of the state’s water resources. The TWDB administers cost-effective financial assistance programs for the construction of water supply, wastewater treatment, flood control and agricultural water conservation projects.
