89S20309 JAM-D     By: Virdell H.B. No. 286       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to a study and report by the Texas Water Development Board,   in consultation with certain other entities, of risks from and   solutions to flooding.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  DEFINITIONS. In this Act:                (1)  "Board" means the Texas Water Development Board.                (2)  "Regional flood plan" means the regional flood   plan developed under Section 16.062, Water Code, for the flood   planning region that includes the upper Guadalupe River basin.          SECTION 2.  STUDY AND REPORT. (a) The board, in   consultation with the Upper Guadalupe River Authority, Kerr County,   and the City of Kerrville, shall conduct a risk assessment and   project feasibility study to:                (1)  quantify the risk to life and property posed by   flooding in the upper Guadalupe River basin;                (2)  assess potential solutions to mitigate flood risks   identified under Subdivision (1) of this subsection; and                (3)  propose not more than eight projects that will   help mitigate the flood risks identified under Subdivision (1) of   this subsection.          (b)  In quantifying the risk to life and property under   Subsection (a)(1) of this section, the board shall:                (1)  collect and assess existing data, including the   data collected in connection with the regional flood plan, any   integrated flood risk management studies for the area, topographic   data, existing locally developed models, structure inventories,   and hydrologic analyses;                (2)  update as appropriate the information collected   under Subdivision (1) of this subsection by incorporating the July   4, 2025, weather event; and                (3)  develop hydraulic models for the major creeks and   rivers within the upper Guadalupe River basin.          (c)  In assessing potential solutions to mitigate flood   risks under Subsection (a)(2) of this section, the board shall:                (1)  identify projects that reduce susceptibility to   flooding, including off-river detention storage, on-river dams,   improved evacuation routes, river channel modification, and   improved or new storm drainage systems;                (2)  develop a hydraulic model for each potential   project to determine the effect of the project with respect to:                      (A)  flood mitigation;                      (B)  water supply;                      (C)  groundwater recharge;                      (D)  recreation; and                      (E)  environmental impacts; and                (3)  conduct community meetings to gather input and   feedback from residents with respect to the projects.          (d)  In proposing projects that may help mitigate the flood   risks under Subsection (a)(3) of this section, the board shall:                (1)  determine the costs and benefits of each project;                (2)  score and rank the projects based on community   feedback and the costs and benefits of the projects; and                (3)  to the extent possible, develop design documents   for the highest-ranked projects to expedite the completion of those   projects.          (e)  At least half of the projects proposed under Subsection   (a)(3) of this section must be projects identified by local   entities.          (f)  Not later than January 1, 2029, the board shall present   to the legislature a report that contains a summary of the study   conducted under this Act and a description of the projects   identified by the board that would best mitigate flooding in the   upper Guadalupe River basin.          SECTION 3.  EXPIRATION. This Act expires January 1, 2030.          SECTION 4.  EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect on the   91st day after the last day of the legislative session.