By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
County Judge Lewis G. Owens Jr. assured county residents he and the four county commissioners are ready to deal with any problems caused by anticipated heavy rains.
Owens addressed the flooding issues during the “Judge’s Comments” portion of today’s regular July meeting of Val Verde County Commissioners Court.
Owens said, “For the last two or three days, we’ve had a lot of reports about excessive flooding, that it was coming, (somebody posting) 10 to 12 inches. Those rainfall numbers are cumulative, over a period of four days.
“We did have a lot of rainfall, and I think we’ve probably all seen the videos from up around Pandale (in north-central Val Verde County) and the Devils River, how it’s running. We have had the state call, and I appreciate Nim Kidd (chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management) texting and our state representative texting, to make sure that we were okay.
“Our constituents, our people here in Val Verde County, were really concerned because of these videos. One of the main things we need to understand … is that we’ve got a lake that (is) at 16 to 19 percent of capacity, so all that water in those videos we’re seeing runs into this lake, so (that water) is not going to run downstream,” Owens said.
He told the court he doesn’t expect the federal government to open the gates at Amistad Dam to release all the water
concerned about flooding on rivers north of Del Rio. Owens made his remarks during the
“Judge’s Comments” section of the county commissioners court July regular term meeting this
morning. (Photo by Karen Gleason)
flowing into the reservoir, especially considering the lake is at such a low level.
Owens said, “We’ve been having conversations with members of the court in case something happens. Do you need something? Don’t forget to call us. As soon as I hear something, I’ll call you all. All of (the commissioners) are prepared in case we get a flooding event. I don’t see that happening, but we’re prepared.
“I was on the phone with the (Del Rio) mayor on Monday, and on the phone with the sheriff, with Amanda (Aldaco, the city’s emergency management director) and Rowland (Garza, county emergency management coordinator), several days this week already,” Owens said.
The county judge said “rubber boats” have been staged in Del Rio in case of local flooding.
He added, “We just don’t see that (flooding) fixing to happen here. Are we prepared? We are prepared. But the flooding on rivers we’ve seen in other places — Uvalde, our prayers go out to them — but we’re not seeing that here in Val Verde County, and if it is towards the north, where there are some of these streams that are swollen, are going into the lake. It’s not coming down here.”
Owens said he also spoke with a county resident Tuesday who asked if the county would put out sandbags. He said he told the caller that if the court determined there was a public purpose to give out sandbags, it would, but neither he nor any commissioner would place sandbags at any individual residence.
“If you have an issue, you need to be rescued, call 9-1-1, call me, call the sheriff, and we’ll go get you,” Owens said.
He added, “We’re going to have some rain, (but) the rain that we were supposed to have didn’t happen. We’re supposed to get some rain later on this afternoon, and early tomorrow it’s supposed to blow up again, supposedly. We’ve had The Weather Channel in town. I just don’t see it happening here.
“And God forbid, if it does, we’ve been in constant communication with our state representative. He’s been calling. Nim Kidd, from the state emergency management, has been calling; TDEM has people here; they’ve been calling, checking on us. Fernando from TDEM has been calling and checking on us, and we’ve been having phone calls amongst ourselves, in case something goes wrong and pretty much checking on each other,” Owens said.
The county judge said on Tuesday a van from the county veterans service office was in Uvalde after torrential rains caused major street flooding there. The veterans service office called Val Verde County Sheriff Joe Frank Martinez, who in turn called the Uvalde County sheriff, who gave advice about which roads to use to circumvent the flooding.
“And an hour-and-a-half later, they were back in Del Rio,” Owens said.
Owens finished, “We’re in constant communication. What has been put out, the amount of rain, we might have it over a period of four days, but it is not going to happen all at once. Our community needs to feel safe and comfortable that your elected officials are in communication with each other, as well as with the state and emergency management.”
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com.
