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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a study by the Texas Water Development Board on the |
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costs of developing flood infrastructure in this state. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: |
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(1) "Artificial drainage system" means a man-made |
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system used to remove floodwater in a community that lacks |
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topographic relief, slope, or naturally defined floodways. |
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(2) "Board" means the Texas Water Development Board. |
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(3) "High-cost drainage zone" means an area where the |
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construction, maintenance, or improvement of flood infrastructure |
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requires significant financial investment due to natural, |
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regulatory, or logistical factors. |
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SECTION 2. STUDY. The board, in coordination with the Texas |
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Department of Transportation, the Texas Commission on |
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Environmental Quality, the General Land Office, the Federal |
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Emergency Management Agency, and regional flood planning groups, |
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drainage districts, and local governments, shall conduct a study on |
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the costs of developing flood infrastructure in this state. The |
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study must: |
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(1) identify and map high-cost drainage zones across |
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this state; |
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(2) analyze flood infrastructure cost drivers that |
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affect the development and maintenance of flood infrastructure by |
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contributing to the cost of planning, constructing, or maintaining |
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flood mitigation systems, including: |
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(A) right-of-way acquisition; |
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(B) soil conditions and topographic limitations; |
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(C) regulatory compliance and permitting; |
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(D) material and labor costs; and |
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(E) long-term maintenance and sediment control; |
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(3) analyze historical flood infrastructure project |
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costs and compare variations across regions in this state; |
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(4) based on the data gathered under Subdivision (3) |
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of this section, develop a flood infrastructure cost heat map that |
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visually represents the cost variation in developing flood |
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infrastructure across the state; |
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(5) include cost estimates and evaluate the return on |
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investment for various flood mitigation strategies, including: |
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(A) expanding artificial drainage systems; |
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(B) restoring natural drainage features; |
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(C) implementing regional flood water detention |
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facilities; |
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(D) enhancing flood water conveyance |
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infrastructure; and |
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(E) improving the regulatory framework for |
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floodplain management; |
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(6) establish projections for future flood mitigation |
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costs, urbanization, and regulatory updates by incorporating |
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precipitation frequency estimates from the 14th and 15th volumes of |
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the Precipitation-Frequency Atlas of the United States published by |
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the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and |
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(7) provide recommendations for cost-effective flood |
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mitigation strategies and potential funding mechanisms to support |
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communities located in high-cost drainage zones. |
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SECTION 3. REPORT. Not later than December 1, 2026, the |
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board shall: |
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(1) prepare and submit to the legislature a written |
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report of the findings of the study and the recommendations |
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required under Section 2 of this Act; and |
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(2) make the report required by Subdivision (1) of |
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this section publicly available by publishing the report on the |
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board's Internet website. |
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SECTION 4. EXPIRATION. This Act expires April 1, 2027. |
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SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect on the |
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91st day after the last day of the legislative session. |