City leaders presented a plan Tuesday to improve Bexar County’s flood plan.
SAN ANTONIO — Almost two months after the Beitel Creek flooding, in San Antonio, Bexar County, the City of San Antonio and the San Antonio River Authority are about to make some big changes.
A plan was presented to city and county leaders Tuesday that would update and enhance the region’s flood warning system. It’s called the Nextgen Flood Warning System and is in partnership with the San Antonio River Authority.
This comes after more than 100 people died one month ago in the Guadalupe River flooding in Kerr County, and 13 others died when Beitel Creek in San Antonio flooded in June, sweeping cars off the road.
Bexar County is prone to severe weather and flash flooding due to its geographic location between eastern and western coastal plains and the rapid changes in elevation within the county. The San Antonio River, five major creeks and countless other smaller waterways run through the city.
The goal of the new technology would be to update and improve early warning systems, prevent and reduce low water crossing rescues, remove structures from floodway and create more resillient systems for the future in case weather conditions get even worse.
The cost of the new system is estimated to be around $54 million, which includes upgrades and expansion of the San Antonio and Bexar County early warning system, as well as improvements in surrounding regions. The funding is expected to come from the county, the City of San Antonio and external sources.
The new system includes many upgrades and new technologies, but most notably is the upgrade of flood gauge alert thresholds and flood gates that automatically close if rain guages reach a certain level.
San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones and City Manager Erik Walsh, along with other city leaders were expected to be at the flood presentation to commissioners court Tuesday.