Res 2015-111/supporting a collaboration of multiple agencies and groups to provide data collection equipment for the Blanco river basin and rivers downstream

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1. On May 24, 2015, Hays County and its residents were subjected to rains, flash floods and weather conditions that eclipsed all historical records for over fifty- years. A wall of water exceeding forty -foot devastated multiple communities and took the lives of twelve people. Over one - thousand homes were damaged or destroyed in this catastrophic event. 2. The Blanco River impacts the San Marcos River and other tributaries that directly impact communities in Texas. 3. A Declaration of Disaster was requested and received at the Local, County and State levels. A Presidential Declaration DR 4223 was also received for Texas Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight -line Winds, and Flooding for Incident period: May 4, 2015 to June 22, 2015. 4. It was determined that the National Weather Service, river authorities and State and local officials were unable to accurately and definitively measure, detect or gather information regarding weather, river and ground conditions electronically along the Blanco River for early warning to residents. 5. The ability to gather early and accurate information will aid in early warning, notification and evacuation in river basins and downstream tributaries preventing loss of life. 6. Technology and equipment exists that can be strategically located to gather the needed data to prevent loss of life and property damage. 7. The City of San Marcos, Hays County, Blanco County, Caldwell County, cities and villages that are within these counties, river authorities, the Edwards Aquifer Authority, the National Weather Service, the United States Geological Survey, and other public and private entities have come together and identified solutions to assist in gathering, tracking and disseminating this vital water information to the organizations and through exiting services to the public. R. Many of the agencies, organizations and groups already perform these functions and already have operational funding in place, seek to work as a collaborative group so they may share resources. Specifically, these groups want to streamline the implementation of this project to assist in the saving of lives and property and see this as an immediate need. Many of the agreements are only operational in nature and only need policy support in order to proceed.