Real estate
Real estate
BY ZACHARIA WASHINGTON
BY HANNAH NORTON
Cedar Park officials adopted updates to the city’s Drought Contingency and Water Emergency Plan and its Water Conservation Plan June 27. Director of Public Works and Utilities Eric Rau- schuber said the updated plans outline additional conservation trigger levels and new approaches to water conservation. Both of the plans were last updated in 2019, officials said. The updates will also bring the city’s drought contingency plan into alignment with the Lower Colorado River Authority’s new plan, which was adopted in March, Utility Programs Manager Nanette McCartan said. What’s changing An interim stage was added to the water conser- vation plan, which allows for watering once a week at reduced hours. Cedar Park updates water savings plan
Texas’ first statewide flood plan says 5 million people at risk
Stage number
Old requirements
New requirements
Stage 1
Voluntary twice per week watering
Allows no more than twice per week watering
Entered when lake levels reach 1.4 million acre-feet; twice per week watering
Entered when lake levels reach 1.1 million-acre feet; twice per week watering; conservation encouraged
Over 5 million Texans live or work in areas vulnerable to flooding, according to a draft of the state’s first flood plan. State lawmakers tasked the Texas Water Devel- opment Board with creating the plan in 2019, in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. The 267-page draft, published in early May, recommends over $54.5 billion in funding from various sources to reduce flood risks. The board discussed the plan during a May 30 public hearing in Austin. Board members are expected to adopt a final flood plan in August and submit it to the Legislature by Sept. 1. The details The plan includes findings from 15 regional flood planning groups, which have been working since October 2020, and makes several recom- mendations for state and local flood policies. “Although flooding has certain benefits, like recharging groundwater and providing vital
nutrients to ecosystems and agricultural lands, it remains a significant threat to the health and safety of Texans,” the plan reads. “Each of the state’s 254 counties has experienced at least one federally declared flood disaster, proof that floods can affect all areas of Texas.” The plan noted roughly 70% of flood-related deaths occur on roadways, particularly during the night and at low-water crossings. The planning groups identified nearly 64,000 miles of roads in areas susceptible to flooding. The board asked the Texas Legislature to expand early warning systems for floods, create minimum building and infrastructure standards to reduce fatalities and property damage, improve low-water crossing safety, and enhance dam and levee safety programs. “We want to put out a state flood plan that does what it is tasked to do, and that is to save lives and save property,” board Chair Brooke Paup said.
Stage 2
Flood risks Around one in six Texans live or work in flood-prone areas, the Texas Water Development Board found. Over one-fourth of Texas’ land area is vulnerable to flooding.
Entered when lake levels reach 900,000 acre-feet; once per week watering; city urged to enter this stage prior to the trigger if prolonged dry weather is expected
Entered when lake levels reach 900,000 acre-feet; once per week watering
Stage 3
Entered when lake levels reach 600,000 acre-feet; no automatic outdoor watering
Stage 4
Once per week watering at more reduced hours
Entered when lake levels reach 600,000 acre-feet; no automatic outdoor watering
5.22M people
1.66M buildings
Stage 5
Did not exist
SOURCE: CITY OF CEDAR PARK/COMMUNITY IMPACT
63,900 miles of roads
1.29M homes
The city also added a “no watering” emergency stage to the plan for situations like the Brushy Creek Regional Utility Authority pipeline repair or the Parmer Lane brush fire, McCartan said. However, both “no watering” stages do allow hand watering of foundations, trees and vegetable gardens, McCartan said. The impact Officials said this new update does not change the
fact that the city is in Stage 2 of its drought contin- gency plan. The city moved from Stage 3 to Stage 2 on June 11, allowing residents to water their yards two days a week before 10 a.m. or after 7 p.m., according to a schedule based on their address. • Odd-numbers: Wednesdays and/or Saturdays • Even-numbers: Thursdays and/or Sundays • Commercial addresses: Tuesdays and/or Fridays
12.65M acres of agricultural land
6,258 hospitals, EMS departments, fire stations, police stations and schools
SOURCE: TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
HYMEADOW 12611 Hymeadow (512) 506-8401
NORTH 620 10601 N FM 620 (512) 506-8316
CEDAR PARK 13530 Ronald Reagan Blvd (512) 986-7681
ARBORETUM 10515 N Mopac Expressway (512) 342-6893
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