Marble Falls hopes to receive FEMA funds soon

By CHRIS PORTER • Daily Tribune Staff

MARBLE FALLS - City leaders could receive the first infusion of federal disaster relief money by the end of the year, and officials say progress continues on repairs to infrastructure damaged in the June 26-27 flood.

“We have not slowed down,” Fire Chief Ralph Hendricks said Tuesday. “We restored primary capabilities in the water system after the flood, but we’re still dealing with breaks around the city. We’re also continuing debris cleanup.”

Hendricks said officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will be in town this week to gauge the damage for themselves at several sites around the city.

“They’ll be looking at debris sites and street and water repair projects,” he said.

The first disaster relief funds related to the debris cleanup could be delivered within 60-90 days, Hendricks said. Money for road and infrastructure repairs would likely follow later.

The floods were sparked by a localized downpour June 26 that dumped more than 18 inches of rain on Marble Falls in about nine hours. Local creeks, fed by runoff from the deluge, swelled well over their banks, and the rushing water swept away tons of debris - including trash bins, boats and automobiles.

In Marble Falls, eight bridges and low-water crossings were washed away by the flood, and more than 120 buildings sustained damage from the crushing water. Other city facilities, like Johnson Park, were severely damaged and closed for weeks.

In addition, residents went without running water for about five days after the city’s water intake pipe below Backbone Creek was broken by the floodwaters.

Repair costs in Marble Falls alone were estimated at nearly $100 million, according to Interim City Manager Judy Miller.

City crews began repairs on some bridges almost immediately after the flood, restoring access to Johnson Park and Marble Falls Elementary School within weeks.

Other low-water crossings, such as the portion of Broadway near the city softball fields, were fixed later. Others - such as Main Street and avenues J and L between Broadway and RR 1431 - remain closed more than three months after the disaster.

“A lot of people use the Johnson Park bridge and the bridge on Broadway by the Elementary School, so getting those open again was a priority,” Hendricks said. “Some people forget, these are major infrastructure projects. When you build a bridge, you have to do environmental and engineering studies, then go out for requests for propsal. That can take months.”

The city used its reserve funds to make immediate repairs after the flood, though Hendricks said some of that money could be reimbursed by FEMA.

And, while receiving the federal money seems to be a sure bet, Hendricks said there’s plenty of paperwork to complete beforehand.

“FEMA and the state, they want us to get the money, they’re doing everything they can,” he said. “But, there’s a process to follow, and it takes time.”

That process includes extensive engineering and environmental studies for each project, Hendricks said.

Each repair project must be planned in a way where impact to the surrounding environment - and residents downstream - is minimized.

“We have to look at whether or not our improvements will change the flow speed of water, which could affect people downstream,” Hendricks said. “We’ve also got to be good stewards of city money and federal money. We don’t want to create problems by fixing problems.”

Another aspect of the repairs is ensuring the new bridges can stand up to future disasters, he said.

FEMA requires cities to have a damage mitigation plan in place before federal funds are awarded, and most of those plans include replacing damaged bridges with stronger models.

“We don’t want to build them back they way they were,” Hendricks said. “We’ll have to see what FEMA’s willing to pay for as far as upgrades. We want to come out with a safer city that’s able to handle future floods more efficiently.”

So far, that seems to be the case, Hendricks said.

“I’m really proud of the way the community has responded,” he said. “It’s been interesting. We’ll take the FEMA inspectors out to a site, and they’ll ask, ‘Where’s the damage?’ because it’s already been cleaned up. They’ve been very impressed.”

While local governments have yet to see any federal disaster funding, hundreds of homeowners affected by the flood have already received checks.

According to information from the Highland Lakes Long-Term Recovery Committee, more than $800,000 in disaster relief has been awarded to homeowners and businesses in Burnet County, with another $100,000 going to Llano County.

More than 110 homes in both counties were rendered uninhabitable by the flood.

chris@thepicayune.com

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Marble Falls hopes to receive
FEMA funds soon