TEMPLE - Coke County Soil and Water Conservation District hosted two flood control tours in Bronte, Texas. Due to heavy flooding in the area in 1953, Kickapoo Creek Water Control and Improvement District (KCWCID) was founded and six flood control structures were built in East Coke County. As of today, the KCWCID along with assistance from Coke County Soil and Water Conservation District and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) maintain the structures.
Local soil and water conservation districts (SWCD) and other watershed co-sponsors in Texas (such as KCWCID) are responsible for maintenance and repairs on these structures, and the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB) assists local SWCDs by providing state funds and facilitating the delivery and leveraging of federal funds when available. There are over 2,000 flood control dams in the state and the level of commitment and coordination on the local level is critical.
State Senator Charles Perry and State Representative Drew Darby’s Chief of Staff, Jason Modglin, were invited by the Coke County SWCD to visit Bronte to get a firsthand look at the flood control structures and the many assets the dams protect. Also in attendance were representatives from Coke County SWCD, NRCS, TSSWCB and the Coke County Commissioners Court. The tours consisted of on-site location viewing of two dam structures. Both dams offered a great deal of insight into the importance of maintaining and repairing dam structures. Presentations were made to the attendees about technical assistance required to maintain dams throughout the county.
The TSSWCB’s flood control programs provide grants to local sponsors of flood control dams to address operation, maintenance, and repair of dams. For more information on the agency’s program, go to http://www.tsswcb.texas.gov/floodcontrol.