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WAS GREAT.ARE WE GOOD TO GO? GOOD TO GO.
[Bexar County Emergency Press Conference on August 5, 2025.]
WELCOME.LET, AS YOU HAVE, IF Y'ALL AREN'T AWARE, WE HAD A COMMISSIONER'S COURT THAT STARTED AT NINE O'CLOCK.
THE TIME IS NEARLY 4:30 PM SO I'LL APPRECIATIVE FOR ALL THOSE THAT I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL WAITED THE ENTIRE TIME OR Y'ALL JUST SHOWED UP, BUT, UH, FOR MOST OF US, ESPECIALLY OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, UH, IT HAS BEEN A LONG AND EVENTFUL DAY.
AND, UH, FOR THIS PARTICULAR PRESS CONFERENCE, WE'RE GONNA FOCUS IN ON THE NEXT GEN FLOOD WARNING SYSTEM THAT THE COURT TOOK UP AND AS APPROVED.
SO, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I WANT TO INTRODUCE DAVID SMITH, OUR BEXAR COUNTY MANAGER, JEFF COYLE.
I'LL ASK THAT YOU BE HERE AND SPEAK OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND JIM CAMPBELL, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD ON BEHALF OF THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER AUTHORITY.
MR. SMITH, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
SHORTLY AFTER THE EVENTS OF, UH, BELE CREEK, THE JUDGE'S OFFICE ASKED FOR THE RIVER AUTHORITY TO PREPARE AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT THEY THOUGHT ACTUALLY HAPPENED THAT MORNING.
THAT ANALYSIS WAS DONE FAIRLY QUICKLY.
THANK YOU, DEREK, AND YOUR TEAM JIM.
WHEN I READ IT THOUGH, WHAT STRUCK ME IS HOW GOOD THEIR MODELING OF VITAL CREEK, FROM A HYDROLOGY STANDPOINT APPEARED TO BE.
SO I CALLED A MEETING WITH DEREK AND SAID, DEREK, CAN WE DO THAT SAME LEVEL OF MODELING COUNTYWIDE? AND HE SAID, NOT ONLY CAN WE, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING IT AND SHOULD BE DONE IN REASONABLY SHORT ORDER.
SO THEN I ASKED HIM THE NEXT QUESTION, IF THAT MODELING CAN TELL US WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN, I'LL MAKE UP AN EXAMPLE, SAY ON HELOS CREEK, IF IT RAINS ONE INCH AN HOUR FOR THREE HOURS OR TWO INCHES AN HOUR FOR THREE HOURS OR THREE INCHES AN HOUR FOR THREE HOURS, IF THAT MODELING COULD BE DONE BEFOREHAND AND BE IN PLACE, WHAT WOULD YOU NEED TO ESSENTIALLY DEVELOP A PREDICTIVE SET OF PREDICTIONS FOR THAT WE COULD LOOK TO EVERY TIME THERE WAS A RAIN EVENT AND HE SAID, WE'LL NEED TO UPDATE SOME OF THE MODELING.
WE'LL NEED TO UPDATE SOME OF OUR SENSOR TECHNOLOGY TO BE FULLY EFFECTIVE.
WE'LL NEED TO UPDATE SOME OF OUR ROAD BARRIERS, AUTOMATED AND OTHERWISE, AND WE'LL NEED PROTOCOLS IN PLACE WHERE WE HAVE TO SEND PEOPLE TO PHYSICALLY CLOSE THE LOW WATER CROSSING.
BUT DEREK ALREADY HAS A METEOROLOGIST ON CALL.
THEY ARE ON CALL ANYTIME WE RECEIVE A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, FLOOD, UH, WATCH OR WARNING, AND THEY'RE WATCHING.
SO WITH THAT MODELING HAVING ALREADY BEEN DONE, THEY COULD BE LOOKING AT REAL TIME DATA FROM OUR RAIN SENSORS AS WELL AS RADAR, BOTH CURRENT AND PREDICTIVE, AND SEE THAT AGAIN, FOR EXAMPLE, ON HE LOTUS CREEK, IT'S RAINING TWO INCHES AN HOUR, AND OUR MODELING SAYS THAT IF IT CONTINUES LIKE THAT FOR, I'LL MAKE IT UP TWO HOURS.
THOSE LOW WATER CROSSINGS ON CENIC LOOP WILL FLOOD.
THEN WITH THAT INFORMATION ALERTS SIGNALS CAN BE SENT OUT.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IF NECESSARY, RADIOS CAN BE USED TO TELL THE APPROPRIATE RESPONDING AGENCY.
LET'S SAY IT'S HE LOTUS PD, YOU'VE GOT 90 MINUTES TO CLOSE THOSE LOW WATER CROSSINGS BEFORE THE FLOODING HAPPENS.
WITH THOSE PROTOCOLS IN PLACE, MUCH LIKE UNION PACIFIC DOES THAT, THEIR RAILROAD CROSSINGS, WE COULD ESSENTIALLY TAKE THE DECISION OUT OF THE MOTORIST HANDS ABOUT WHETHER THEY SHOULD EVEN TRY OR ATTEMPT TO GET OVER THAT LOW WATER CROSSING.
AND I HAVE, I BELIEVE THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL.
IF, IF WE JUST GIVE DERRICK THE RESOURCES HE NEEDS TO BE A LIFE SAVING AND GAME CHANGING WAY, THIS COMMUNITY ADDRESSES FLOODING.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO JEFF COYLE.
UH, WE APPRECIATE YOU INCLUDING US, INVITING US HERE TODAY.
I'M ONE OF THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
MY COLLEAGUE JOHN PETRIK, UH, OVERSEES OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND OUR STORM WATER EFFORTS.
AND SO I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE HIM, UM, AND REALLY WANTED TO MOSTLY RECOGNIZE AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE PARTNERSHIP THAT IS HAPPENING HERE TODAY.
THE REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE THAT THE LEADERS IN THIS ROOM ARE, ARE, UM, EXHIBITING TODAY.
UH, THE, THE, UH, THE WHOLE REASON THE BAYER REGIONAL WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLAN AND AND GROUP WAS CREATED YEARS
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AGO WAS FOR THIS PURPOSE FOR THE CITY, THE COUNTY, THE RIVER AUTHORITY, THE, UH, SUBURBAN CITIES WITHIN BEXAR COUNTY TO BE WORKING TOGETHER ON FLOOD CONTROL.BECAUSE AS DEREK SAID IN THE MEETING, THE FLOOD WATERS REALLY DON'T CARE WHERE OUR POLITICAL BOUNDARIES LIE.
UM, WE WERE, UH, INVITED TO A MEETING A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WITH THE COUNTY AND RIVER AUTHORITY WHERE, UH, THE RIVER AUTHORITY LAID OUT ITS VISION FOR THIS NEXT GENERATION WARNING SYSTEM AT ALL THE, UH, LOW WATER CROSSINGS ACROSS THE CITY AND THE COUNTY.
UH, AND WE AGREED A HUNDRED PERCENT THAT THIS IS THE DIRECTION WE NEED TO GO.
IT WILL IMMEDIATELY SAVE LIVES IN THE NEXT MAJOR WEATHER EVENT.
UH, AND SO WE TOOK THAT INFORMATION AND, AND BEGAN LOBBYING OUR STATE LEGISLATURE DURING THE SPECIAL SESSION TO, TO COME UP WITH FUNDING, UH, TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS IMMEDIATELY.
UM, NOW AS, AS THE COUNTY'S TAKEN ACTION TODAY TO MOVE FORWARD, UH, WITH IT TO BE FUNDED LOCALLY, IT ALLOWS US TO, TO MOVE ON WITH THE STATE AND ASK FOR OTHER PRIORITIES, UH, THAT WE HAVE.
SO THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF BEAR COUNTY, UH, REALLY TAKING A LEAD IN FLOOD CONTROL AS IT HAS ALWAYS DONE IN THE STATE.
WE'RE HAPPY TO BE A, A PARTNER AND, UH, AND APPRECIATE YOU GUYS DOING THIS.
I'M CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF SAN ANTONIO RIVER AUTHORITY.
FIRST, I WANT TO THANK BEXAR COUNTY AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO FOR PARTICIPATING IN THIS INITIATIVE.
IN PARTICULAR, I WANNA RECOGNIZE THE COUNTY AND DAVID SMITH AND THE JUDGE, UH, FOR, FOR PUSHING FORWARD WITH THE ACTUAL DOLLARS THAT ARE GONNA GET THIS, UH, THIRD GENERATION OF FLOOD MITIGATION GOING.
RIVER AUTHOR'S MISSION INCLUDES PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT OF THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER, NOT JUST IN BEAR COUNTY, BUT IN WILSON, CARNES AND GOED COUNTIES AS WELL.
BUT WE ALSO COORDINATE OUR, AND IN OUR IN CONVERSATION AND COLLABORATION WITH COUNTIES TO THE NORTH BANDERA, KOMAL, KENDALL, AND MEDINA.
AND IT'S THOSE DOLLARS THAT MR. COYLE WAS JUST MENTIONING THAT MAY BE ABLE TO GO AND INCLUDE THOSE FOUR COUNTIES IN OUR OVERALL SYSTEM AS WELL.
AND IT'S BEEN MENTIONED BEFORE THAT, UH, WE HAVE A BAYER REGIONAL WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PROGRAM STARTED IN 2002.
I PARTICIPATED IN THE CREATION OF THAT PROGRAM, AND LITTLE DID WE KNOW AT THAT TIME THAT YEARS LATER THAT TEXAS LEGISLATURE WOULD RECOGNIZE IT AS THE MODEL FOR THE REST OF THE STATE.
BUT WE CANNOT REST ON OUR LAURELS.
WE HAVE MUCH MORE TO DO TO IMPROVE ON THAT SUCCESS.
THE RIVER AUTHORITY WILL LEAD THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF THIS INITIATIVE USING OUR SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING EXPERTS TO CREATE UPDATED FLOOD MAPS IN COLLABORATION WITH THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY FEMA, WE WILL MONITOR AND MAINTAIN THE NEXT GENERATION FLOOD WARNING SYSTEM TO ENSURE SENSORS AND RADARS ARE WORKING AS THEY SHOULD.
UPDATED SENSORS WERE MORE QUICKLY TRANSMIT DATA INFORMING BEAR FLOOD.ORG, BAYER FLOOD.ORG, AND THE WA NAVIGATION APP AND OTHER NAVIGATION APPS, HOPEFULLY IN THE FUTURE TO ALERT THE PUBLIC OF HIGH WATER.
THIS APPROACH WILL FACILITATE BETTER DECISION MAKING AND HELP ENSURE COMMUNITIES CAN PLAN AND PREPARE MORE EFFECTIVELY.
SAN ANTONIO RIVER AUTHORITY TODAY STANDS WITH BEARER COUNTY AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IN COMMITTING TO BRINGING THE BEST AVAILABLE EARLY FLOOD WARNING TECHNOLOGY AND RESOURCES TO OUR COMMUNITIES.
LET ME THANK YOU, JUDGE SAKAI FOR YOUR POLITICAL LEADERSHIP IN GETTING THIS, UH, DONE.
AND DAVID AND ALL OF OUR PARTNERS HERE FOR THEIR, UH, INVOLVEMENT IN THIS, UH, THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT INITIATIVE FOR UN UNINCORPORATED THE COUNTY AREAS, SUBURBAN CITIES, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE LIGHTING IN MANY OF THOSE AREAS.
AND SO THIS PARTICULAR PACKAGE INCLUDES, UH, SOLAR LIGHTING AROUND WHERE THESE, UH, BARRIERS WILL BE, AND THAT IS TO BE APPLAUDED ALONG WITH THE SECURITY.
WE HAD A SITUATION IN NORTHEAST BEAR COUNTY, RURAL, UH, COUNTY WHERE WE WERE HAVING A HIGH ALERT ARM THAT WAS ACTUALLY STOLEN.
AND, UH, UH, UNFORTUNATELY THAT DOES HAPPEN, UH, THAT THESE BARRICADES ARE REMOVED, BUT THE, THE PROTECTIONS THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN PLACE, I HOPE, WILL, UH, PROVIDE A LOT OF SAFETY TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.
SO, UH, THANK YOU JUDGE AGAIN FOR THE POLITICAL LEADERSHIP IN MOVING THIS FORWARD.
UH, OUT OF THE FLOODS OF 1998, UH, WHERE WE SAW THE GAS STATION THAT USED TO BE AT VICAR AND PERAL COMPLETELY WIPED OUT, MANY HOMES WERE LEVELED.
THE COUNTY INVESTED BETWEEN 2007 AND 2017, $500 MILLION IN FLOOD CONTROL PROGRAMS. UH, UP UNTIL THE INCIDENT, UH, ALONG PAR AND VITAL IN VITAL CREEK, THERE WERE ZERO LOSSES OF LIFE WHERE THE COUNTY HAD INVESTED IN FLOOD CONTROL
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MEASURES.THIS IS, UH, THESE, THESE, THESE BARRIERS ARE ONE IN A PANOPLY OF, OF SOLUTIONS THAT WE NEED TO BE TALKING ABOUT.
AS A COMMUNITY, UM, THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT QUICK STEP THAT WE CAN TAKE, BUT THERE'S OTHER ENGINEERING THAT HAS TO HAPPEN, AND HERE'S WHY.
WHEN WE LOOK AT HOW THIS HAPPENED, WE KNOW THAT WITHIN A FIVE SQUARE MILE RADIUS, THERE IS A CATCHMENT BASIN THAT RECEIVED INTO VITAL CREEK ON ONE SIDE OF THAT BASE IN SIX INCHES WITHIN A SEVERAL HOUR PERIOD AND 6.2 INCHES WITHIN ANOTHER, UH, PERIOD.
AND THAT IS PART OF WHY THE WATERS MOVE LIKE A TSUNAMI, ALONG WITH THE FACT THAT IN THIS AREA, YOU HAVE A LOT OF IMPERVIOUS COVER, A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT, CONCRETE, AND NOT ENOUGH RETENTION AND DRAINAGE.
SO AFTER THIS MOMENT, WE HAVE TO BECOME LASER FOCUSED ON HOW DO WE DEVELOP DRAINAGE PROJECTS LIKE THE ONE THE COUNTY DID AT THE OLD SPANISH TRAIL ON FREDERICKSBURG ROAD, WHICH ALSO DOUBLES AS SOCCER FIELDS.
UM, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF COMMISSIONER ELIZONDO, WE'VE GOTTA DO THAT SAME THING ALONG THE PARA BUTTAL CORRIDOR IN ORDER TO PROTECT, UH, OUR FOLKS THAT'S GONNA REQUIRE COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
UH, THERE ARE DEFINITELY PARCELS OF PROPERTY THAT ARE NOT IN USE THAT COULD BE UTILIZED, UH, WHERE FENCES WERE LITERALLY WASHED AWAY.
UH, THAT WE NEED TO GET INTO THE PLANNING PROCESS, I THINK, OF, OF ACQUIRING AND LOOKING WITH OUR ENGINEERS ALL UP AND DOWN.
UH, THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION, WHICH HAS PLAGUED US NOT ONLY IN 98, BUT AGAIN IN THE TWO THOUSANDS, AND AGAIN, UH, IN 2025.
SO AS THE COMMISSIONER WHO REPRESENTS THIS AREA, AND I GREW UP ALONG THE PERINATAL CORRIDOR, I USED TO RIDE MY BIKE IN THESE AREAS.
UH, WE STILL HAVE, UH, SOME MEASURES TO DO TO PROTECT LIFE, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THESE PARTICULAR, UH, BARRIERS WILL BE, UH, A POSITIVE STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS CULTURALLY WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO DO IS FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, WE'VE GOTTA LET OUR EMPLOYEES KNOW THAT, UH, IF THERE ARE THESE FLASH FLOODS IN THESE RAINS, UH, WE DON'T NEED TO SEND OUR EMPLOYEES TO WORK ON THAT TIME.
WE NEED TO ASK PEOPLE TO STAY HOME AND BE SAFE, UH, BECAUSE YOU WILL SAVE LIVES.
SO THANK YOU JUDGE AGAIN, AND ALL THE PARTNERS WHO ARE HERE TODAY, COMMISSIONER MOODY.
UH, SAKA, UH, DAVID SMITH, OUR COUNTY MANAGER, SARAH, UH, FOR, UH, FOR WORKING ON THIS PROJECT AND FOR ALL OF OUR CITY PARTNERS AS WELL.
THIS IS A, IS A HUGE STEP FORWARD.
AND I THINK THAT THERE'S, YOU KNOW, AS I LAID OUT IN COURT TODAY, WE CAN FOCUS ON FLOOD MITIGATION WHEN IT COMES TO PROTECTING PROPERTY.
WE CAN FOCUS ON, UM, YOU KNOW, ACCESS TO ROADWAYS WITH LOW WATER CROSSINGS, OR WE CAN FOCUS ON THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN LIFE.
AND I THINK THAT EVERYONE WILL AGREE THAT WE SHOULD PRIORITIZE THAT PROTECTION OF HUMAN LIFE.
THIS IS A, A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT.
UM, UM, TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT CAN GO INTO PROVIDING REAL TIME PREDICTIVE MODELING TO ENSURE THAT WE PROTECT HUMAN LIFE IN A CATASTROPHIC FLOODING INCIDENT.
OBVIOUSLY, OUR, OUR, UH, THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS HAVE BEEN WITH THOSE WHO ARE IMPACTED BY THE TRAGIC FLOODS ON PERAL, THOSE IN THE HILL COUNTRY AND KERRVILLE ALONG THE GUADALUPE RIVER.
THIS IS A HIGH RETURN ON INVESTMENT, UH, FOR BEAR COUNTY TAX DOLLARS.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, OUR SURROUNDING COUNTIES TO REALLY INVEST IN THIS SPACE AND THEN FIGURE OUT WHAT ELSE WE CAN DO.
BUT THIS IS A, IS A FOUNDATIONAL INVESTMENT THAT I THINK WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE, UH, THAT, THAT MAKES SENSE AND WILL TRULY PROTECT HUMAN LIFE GOING FORWARD.
AT THIS TIME WE HAVE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS HERE, OUR REINHART, OUR PUBLIC ENGINEER, I THINK, UH, DEREK BAYES AND YOUR STAFF IS HERE ALSO AT THE CITY.
I THINK YOU MAY HAVE SOME SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS AT THIS TIME.
WE'LL OPEN UP FOR QUESTION AND ANSWERS, BUT IF THERE ARE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS IN REGARDS TO THIS PARTICULAR ACTIVITY, WE DO HAVE A SUBJECT PEOPLE THAT WE'LL DISCUSS.
FIRST QUESTION, JUDGE, LET'S OPEN A SOUND ON HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS.
MONETARY TRIGGERED AND SIGNAL GOES WHERE LEMME HAVE THE ARRAY AUTHORITY.
YOU'RE ALL THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS.
YEAH, YOU GOT THE QUESTION HERE.
SO IN SHORT, YOU HAVE RAIN GAUGES AND STREAM GAUGES THAT ARE PLACED STRATEGICALLY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
THOSE FEED INFORMATION ELECTRONICALLY THROUGH A SIGNAL TO A CENTRAL PLACE.
THAT INFORMATION IS COLLECTED, AND THEN IT EVENTUALLY WILL GET TO OUR, UM, PREDICTIVE FLOOD MODEL, WHICH CAN, AS WE WORK WITH OUR NEW FUNDING, UH, IN THIS EFFORT FROM THE COUNTY AND THE CITY TO SPEED UP THAT PROCESS, UH, AS
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WE, TECHNOLOGY HAS CHANGED, BUT IT ALLOWS US TO UNDERSTAND FASTER WHERE THE RAIN, WHAT THE RAIN IS DOING, AND WHAT THE DOWNSTREAM IMPACTS ARE GONNA BE, WHICH ALLOWS US TO TALK TO THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COMMUNITY AND THE FIRST RESPONDERS TO HELP THEM GET OUT IN THE FIELD OR MAKE THOSE LIFESAVING DECISIONS.HOW MUCH MONEY IS THE, IS THE COUNTY, UH, PUTTING INTO THIS, HOW MUCH MONEY IS THE CITY OF S ANTONIO PUTTING INTO THIS, UH, PLAN? WELL, WILL THIS RESPOND TO THIS COUNTY? SO THE DIRECTION I RECEIVE TODAY IS FOR CERTAIN TO ADDRESS THE FUNDING NEEDS THAT ARE FOR THE UNINCORPORATED AREA AND OUR SUBURBAN CITIES, WHICH THE RIVER AUTHORITY ESTIMATES WILL BE, UH, 10 MILLION.
THEY ESTIMATE THE COST FOR THE SYSTEM WITHIN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO TO BE 11 MILLION.
WE WELCOME PARTNERSHIPS, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I, I BELIEVE MY DIRECTION FROM THE COURT IS THE RIVER AUTHORITY WILL HAVE THE 21 MILLION IT NEEDS, WHETHER IT COMES FROM US, THE CITY, THE STATE, OR WHETHER WHOEVER, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THE MONEY TO MAKE SURE BEXAR COUNTY RESIDENTS AND CITIZENS ARE PROTECTED.
LEMME HAVE JEFF COY FROM THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND I THINK DAVID SUMMARIZED IT PERFECTLY.
UM, IT IS NOT CURRENTLY IN THE CITY'S BUDGET BEYOND THE CONVERSATION TODAY, SO WE HAVEN'T HAD THOSE DISCUSSIONS YET, BUT I THINK WE'RE ALL IN AGREEMENT THIS NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
UM, AS THE JUDGE SAID EARLIER TODAY, THE COUNTY'S TAX CITIES, TAXPAYERS OR THE COUNTY'S TAXPAYERS, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT MOST FOLKS CARE WHAT THE COLOR OF THE MONEY IS.
THEY WANT US TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.
SO WE, WE HAVE A LONG PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY AND THE RIVER AUTHORITY, AND WE EXPECT THAT THAT WILL CONTINUE.
YOU TALK ABOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION IMPLEMENTATION, DID YOU REPEAT THAT? IDENTIFY AS WELL? WHAT DOES THE FUTURE LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF IMPLEMENTATION? OH, CERTAINLY.
I'M STEVE METZLER WITH THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER AUTHORITY.
WE'VE GOT A, A MULTI-PHASE APPROACH.
SOME OF THIS, UH, WORK HAS ALREADY BEGUN.
UM, A LOT OF THE, THE IMPROVEMENTS WE WERE GONNA MAKE TO THE PREDICTIVE FLOOD MODEL WE HAD BEEN BUDGETING FOR, FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS PRIOR TO THE, UH, THE FLOOD EVENT ON, ON JUNE 12TH.
SO WE GO INTO THIS WITH A, A GREAT DEAL OF MOMENTUM.
UM, AND, AND THERE'S A FEW THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO TACKLE, UH, OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS AND THEN FROM SIX TO 12 MONTHS OUT, AND THEN O OVERALL WITHIN 24 MONTHS, WE'LL BE ABLE TO, UM, THE, THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE'RE TAKING ON RIGHT AWAY ARE BRINGING UP ANY, UH, ANY GAUGES THAT ARE OUTTA SERVICE BACK ONLINE.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA BRING IN, UM, CURRENTLY THE, THE FOLKS THAT WORK FOR ME ARE FINDING OUT SOME TRIGGERING LEVELS OF ELEVATION FLOOD ELEVATIONS, NOT ONLY WHEN IT CROSSES THE ROAD, BUT ALSO WHEN IT IS POTENTIALLY DOWNSTREAM SIGNIFICANT DOWNSTREAM IMPACTS.
UM, WE'RE GONNA FIND OUT WHAT THOSE ELEVATIONS ARE, PUT THOSE IN SO WE CAN GET, UM, UH, ADVANCED WARNING TO THE EMERGENCY, UH, FIRST RESPONDERS RIGHT NOW, THERE, LIKE I SAID, IT'S JUST ONLY, UH, STREAM CROSSINGS THAT, THAT WE HAVE ACTIVATED.
UM, WE'RE TAKING THAT AS A, AS KIND OF A PATTERN AFTER THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE THAT HAS ACTIONABLE LEVELS AT ALL THE STREAM GAUGES THAT THEY, UH, OPERATE.
IT'S ACTIONABLE, MINOR FLOOD, MAJOR FLOOD AND, UH, CATASTROPHIC FLOOD.
AND SO WE'LL BE HAVE ADDING THAT KIND OF INFORMATION TO ALL OF OUR STREAM GAUGES.
ALL GAUGES ARE IN, UH, SOME ORDER.
HOW MANY ARE OUTTA RIGHT NOW? I THINK THERE'S, OH, GO AHEAD.
IDENTIFY ART REINHARDT PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR FOR BEAR COUNTY.
SO A QUICK RESOURCE IS BEAR FLOOD.ORG AND IF YOU GO THERE YOU'LL SEE APPROXIMATELY 200, UH, GAUGES AND LO CROSSINGS ACROSS THE COUNTY REGION.
ROUGHLY ABOUT 30 ARE INACTIVE FOR VARIOUS REASONS, MAINTENANCE, VANDALISM, AS COMMISSIONER MENTIONED, ET CETERA.
UM, WHAT, WHAT WERE SOME OF THE TAKEAWAYS FROM THE RIVER AUTHORITIES ASSESSMENT OF THE FLOODS ON JUNE 12TH AND WHEN WILL THOSE BE AVAILABLE? OUR ASSESSMENTS WERE PUT INTO A, A MEMORANDUM THAT'S ALREADY BEEN SENT TO THE BEAR REGIONAL WATERSHED MANAGEMENT TEAM.
IT WAS A, A MEMO THAT WE, IT SENT TO THE CITY AND THE COUNTY AS WELL.
UM, THE, THE CONCLUSIONS, THE, THE ASSESSMENT, ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS ARE ALL IN THAT REPORT.
NO, LET'S ANYBODY ELSE? ALRIGHT.
BROCK D BURN JUDGE, HOW THIS SIMPSON COULD HAVE, WHO WANTS TO TAKE THAT ONE ON? I CAN TAKE IT, DEREK, I CAN TAKE IT.
UM, YEAH, SO DERRICK BE GM OF THE RIVER AUTHORITY.
SO I JUST WANT TO SAY SOMETHING THAT I SAID IN FRONT OF THE COURT TOO.
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UH, WORK TOWARDS MITIGATION, BUT YOU CAN NEVER FULLY ELIMINATE THE RISK.UM, BUT IF THIS SUCH A SYSTEM HAD BEEN IN PLACE, UH, IN JUNE, IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THE TURNAROUND TIME FOR THE PREDICTIVE FLOOD MODEL, UM, WOULD'VE BEEN FASTER.
AND THE, UM, THERE WERE ADDITIONAL NUMBER OF GAUGES WITH BETTER SENSORS AND ADDITIONAL READINGS WOULD'VE FED FASTER IN AND POTENTIALLY ALLOWED, UM, FIRST RESPONDERS TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON, UH, AND MAYBE BLOCK THAT ROAD.
THAT IS A WHOLE LOT OF WHAT IFS, BUT THAT IS WHAT WE ARE STRIVING FOR WITH THIS INVESTMENT AND THIS PARTNERSHIP IS TO GET AHEAD OF THAT CURVE AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO HELP PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS, PREVENT THOSE FUTURE HIGH WATER RESCUES AND HELP KEEP PEOPLE OUT OF HARM'S WAY.
LET'S TAKE ONE OR TWO MORE AND UH, WE WILL WRAP IT UP.
ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE, BEFORE HIS PLAN AND PROJECT IS PUT IN PLACE? 100% AVOID, UM, HOPEFULLY NEVER HAPPENS.
TWO, AVOID WHAT HAPPENED THAT DAY.
ARE THERE ANY EXTRA MEASURES, INPUT PLACE BY THE
SO WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IS WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE MORE GAUGES AND UM, NON-PROPRIETARY GAUGES THAT ARE NEEDED.
UH, OUR SOFTWARE, UM, THAT WE USED FOR PREDICTIVE FLOOD MODELING, WE PUT INTO EFFECT A LITTLE OVER FOUR YEARS AGO, TECHNOLOGY CHANGES AND IT'S THAT TIME.
SO WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF THAT PROCESS.
THIS FUNDING AND PARTNERSHIP WITH BEXAR COUNTY AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WILL ALLOW US TO PROGRESS FASTER.
UM, I HAVE ENGINEERS WHENEVER THERE'S A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALERT THAT THEY ARE WATCHING THE WEATHER, THEY'RE WATCHING THE REPORTS, THEY'RE RUNNING THE MODEL SO THAT THEY CAN FEED INFORMATION DIRECTLY TO THE EMERGENCY OPERATION CENTERS.
SO WE ARE DOING OUR BEST AND THE FASTER WE CAN MOVE, THE FASTER WE CAN KEEP PEOPLE SAFE.
DO YOU GUYS HAVE A, UH, ROUGHLY IT DEPENDS ON WHICH PHASE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
OUR INTENT IS THE FIRST THREE TO SIX MONTHS, UH, TO GET GAUGES UP AND RUNNING AND TO IMPROVE WHAT THE, THE DATA THAT THEY'RE SENDING RIGHT NOW.
WE THINK WITH SOME PROGRAMMING WE CAN GET THERE.
THEN IN SIX TO 12 MONTHS GET OUR, UM, FLOOD MODEL, UM, 3.0.
UM, UP AND RUNNING MORE GAUGES OUT, BETTER GAUGES OUT.
AND THEN AFTER THAT ONE, IN THAT ONE TO TWO YEAR MARK IS REALLY GET EVERYTHING FULLY IMPLEMENTED AND FED IN.
AND THEN UM, MANUAL GATES IN THAT FIRST YEAR AS WELL WORKING TOWARDS AUTOMATED GATES OVER THE LONG TERM.
SO WITHIN A TWO YEAR PERIOD, THAT'S, THAT IS THE GOAL WE NEED NOWADAYS BY THESE DEVICES.
IS THERE ANY WAY, WHATEVER IS POWER WHY AWAY EVERYBODY GETS THIS? OKAY, ANTONIO, IT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND IT'S A QUESTION I ASKED OUT LOUD.
HEY, WE, WE HAVE ALL THESE WARNINGS BUT I BELIEVE WE KIND OF HAVE WARNING FATIGUE AND A LOT OF PEOPLE TURN OFF THE WARNINGS.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DISREGARD IT, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE SLEEPING.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS I SUGGESTED, JUST AS A SIMPLE MATTER, HOW ABOUT AN OLD SIREN, BUT MAYBE THAT WORKS IN A RURAL SMALLER AREA.
HOW'S THAT GONNA WORK IN SAN ANTONIO? SO THIS IS JUST THE FIRST STEP WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET A NEXT GEN FLOODING AWARD WARNING SYSTEM INTO PLACE.
THEN I'M GOING TO BE LOOKING UPON OUR OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, OUR PUBLIC WORKS THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE GET THIS INFORMATION TO INDIVIDUALS? HOW DO WE EDUCATE THE PUBLIC? WE HAVE TO HAVE A PROCESS FROM THAT.
THESE, UH, WARNINGS THAT THIS SYSTEM WILL GIVE TO EITHER INDIVIDUALS, TO OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, TO OUR PARTNERS, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
HOW CAN WE GET THE CREWS OUT THERE? PUBLIC WORKS IS READY TO GO AT ANY MOMENT'S NOTICE TO PUT OUT BARRICADES.
WE HAVE ALSO WHAT'S CALLED COMMISSIONER CALVERT.
COMMISSIONER MOONY, THE HALT SYSTEM THAT THE COUNTY HAS ALSO INVESTED IN.
SO THIS IS A MULTIDIMENSIONAL PROCESS.
THIS IS NOT JUST A FIX AND EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE.
NO, WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO, BUT I WANNA APPLAUD EVERYBODY HERE WHO HAS PARTICIPATED TODAY AND WE WANT TO SHOW THAT ALTHOUGH WE HAD SOME BIG ISSUES TO DISCUSS TODAY, WE HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN PEOPLE WHO DIED ON JUNE THE 12TH, ESPECIALLY HERE IN BEXAR COUNTY.
I, MY HEART AND SYMPATHIES GO OUT TO THE HILL COUNTRY AND TO KERRVILLE AND
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TO KIRK COUNTY.BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, THE REVIEW, SO TO SPEAK, IS WHY COULDN'T THIS WARNING PROCESS BE MORE IN REAL TIME? AND SO THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT STEP FORWARD.
SO AT THIS TIME I'M CLOSING THE PRESS CONFERENCE.
I'M EXCUSING THE GROUP AND IF YOU WANT TO GO TALK TO 'EM SOME MORE, THEY'RE AT YOUR
THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH, UH, PRESS I WILL RECESS.
IF THERE'S ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR TODAY PURSUANT TO MY PR PROCESS, I WILL COME BACK OUT, GIMME A BREAK TO JUST CATCH MY BREATH.