Residents can learn more about how flooding could impact the county in the future at a meeting Wednesday night.
Williamson County will hold a public discussion of results from a floodplain study from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 5, at the Dicky-Givens Center, 1015 E. MLK Jr. Blvd., in Taylor.
Williamson County could receive two to four more inches of precipitation than previously thought during major floods, according to a new study.
After about three years of work, the Lower Brushy Creek Water Control and Improvement District has unveiled its Atlas 14 floodplain study, which uses updated National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data.
The new information included updating flood plain information throughout the county with the most recent scientific data like NOAA rainfall, modeling streams and waterways that have never been studied, gathering accurate information about topography, drainage structures and bridges and developing mitigation measures.
According to the WCID, preliminary results show the county’s 100-year flood shifted from eight to 10 inches of precipitation to 10-12 inches.
A 100-year flood is defined as an event that has a 1% chance of happening in any given year.
This change means there may be an increased risk of flooding if a 100-year event occurs in the Williamson County area.
According to project officials, researchers are working to update other aspects of the model, such as changing the county’s land to include growth and changes. By mapping the land’s structures, like businesses and houses, and measuring information such as elevation, the floodplain studies could be used to predict which buildings would be at risk for exposure to floods.
Residents interested in the survey results should look online at https://www.wilcotx. gov/Atlas-14. A map is available on the page.
