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Flood study meetings begin

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  • Rubi Reyes •
  • Originally published July 15, 2008 at 11:48 p.m., updated July 15, 2008 at 11:48 p.m.

A three county effort to receive grant money to study damaging and prolonged flooding on the Guadalupe River is still in preliminary stages, however, county commissioners feel optimistic.

“This is the first time three counties and different state agencies put a plan like this together,” said County Commissioner Gary Burns.

Victoria, Calhoun and Refugio counties are working together to get a $1.5 million to $2 million grant for the study. It will focus on why the floods that used to last for days now last for months. It will also attempt to find a way to fix the problem.

“There’s no guarantee that we will receive the grant but right now things look good,” said County Commissioner Wayne Dierlam at the public meeting Tuesday. “We are not here to point the finger we are here to work together.”

The meeting is the first of a series that will focus on involving affected landowners in an effort to solve the Guadalupe River flooding problem.

“This is a chance to do a non-bias study,” Burns said. “If we come together we can find solutions to the problems in all three counties without leaving anyone out.”

Residents that attended the meeting elected John Gibbs as the county representative and Walter Womack as the alternate.

“There is a lot about the flooding that people do not understand,” Gibbs said. “We need to look at the affects the flooding has on both north and south Victoria and the other two counties.”

Gibbs and Womack will assist the Guadalupe Coastal Issues Coalition in identifying flood problems.

“By working together we will be able to come up with a solution,” Gibbs said.

A meeting is scheduled in Calhoun at 6 p.m. tonight and at 6 p.m. Thursday in Refugio. These meetings are open to the general public and residents in both counties will also elect a representative and alternate to the advisory committee.

“We are currently in the preliminary stages but it seems promising and if we come together we will have better solutions and have a stronger voice,” Womack said.

Burns and Dierlam encourage residents in the counties to attend the public meetings to help find a solution.

Rubi Reyes is a reporter for the Advocate. Contact her at 361-580-6578 or rreyes@vicad.com.



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