BY JAMIE MOORE
Managing the impact
What residents should know
Key flood mitigation projects Uhland Road improvements 1 Midtown drainage improvements
Following the two devastating floods, San Marcos received $33.79 million in federal CDBG–Disaster Recovery, or CDBG-DR, funding in 2016 and $24.01 million in CDBG–Mitigation, or CDBG-MIT, funding in 2019. CDBG-DR funds addressed housing needs, including 14 new homes for low- to moderate-income families, and supported additional mitigation projects. CDBG-MIT funds funded flood prevention measures, including green space purchases, flood warning tools like river gauges and barricades, and various plans and studies. The bulk of funding supported four major stormwater infrastructure projects: • Uhland Road improvements ($6.6M): Road reconstruction and new drainage to Blanco River; ribbon-cutting Sept. 2023 • Midtown drainage improvements ($3.2m): Intersection upgrades, ditch clearing, deten- tion ponds; completed April 2024 • Blanco riverine flood mitigation project ($20.8m): Berms, floodwalls, and relief channel added; completed Aug. 2024 • Blanco Gardens drainage improvements project ($15.2m): Storm sewers and concrete channels installed; ribbon-cutting Jan. 2025 Since the flood, city officials have raised standards for flood plain construction. As of now, about $4.5 million in CDBG-MIT funding remains, which must be spent by 2031. The city will allocate these funds to future improvements once the Stormwater Master Plan is completed in 2026. "The city will continue updating its storm- water master plan, which includes updating flood and drainage models, identifying
Despite widespread aid, recovery from the 2015 floods was slow and complex. Many res- idents struggled to access Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance due to missing homeownership documents, Hughson said. Debris removal, volunteer coordination and aid distribution took months—sometimes years. Today, officials urge residents to plan ahead: create a two-week shelter-in-place kit and a three-day evacuation kit, and safely store vital documents. Gleason also recommends photographing belongings for insurance claims, preparing go bags and keeping pet carriers ready. “We just have to be ready,” Hughson said.
2 Blanco riverine flood mitigation project 3 Blanco Gardens drainage improvements
COUNTY RD.
UHLAND RD.
82
1
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SAN MARCOS RIVER
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BARBARA DR.
80
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BLANCO RIVER
Going forward
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OLD MARTINDALE RD.
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The 2015 floods prompted action in Hays County and across Texas, leading to the development of the state’s first flood plan. In 2019, voters approved Proposition 8, establishing the Flood Infrastructure Fund to support statewide mitigation projects. Still, Gleason advocates for long-term solutions like building a flood-control reservoir—similar to Canyon Lake on the Guadalupe River. He calls on lawmakers to act, warning: “This is a reality that will happen again, I want people to remember—people lost their lives.”
CAPE ST.
N AVOCA RANCH RD.
ANIMAL SHELTER RD.
SOURCE: CITY OF SAN MARCOS/COMMUNITY IMPACT
problem areas, developing a plan for future improvements, and more. “We’re in a better position ... but we’re not done,” said Shaun Condor, San Marcos city engineering director.
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