Hays County Is Prepared For Heavy Rainfall

Remember: Turn Around, Don’t Drown.

As many of you know, Hays County is in what is known as “Flash-Flood Alley” and we take the potential for heavy rainfall seriously. We’ve prepared for these types of events for decades.

In preparation for potential heavy rainfall expected Sunday night through Tuesday morning, the Hays County Office of Emergency Services is talking daily with the State Emergency Operations Center (as is standard when severe weather is possible) and the National Weather Service, and is closely monitoring the weather. All Department Heads and Elected Officials as well as local governments and response agencies have been advised of the potential for severe weather/possible flooding and have prepared as necessary.

Hays County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center is staffed and prepared to call in additional personnel if needed.

Hays County Transportation Department is ready to call in additional personnel as needed and as always in these potential situations have located barricades throughout the County that can be placed across low water crossings if needed. Hays County has some 175 low water crossings.

Out of the 18 low water crossing with sensor locations in Hays county, 4 are currently not active: 2 of them – Post Road and Hidden Valley Road – are waiting on new bridges and 2 are in the process of being repaired: Wayside Drive and Uhland Road. All four of these locations have lockable swing gates that can be closed if needed.

TEXSAR swift water rescue teams are on standby to supplement the five local teams located throughout Hays County.

Major emergency information and road closures are online at www.haysinformed.com. Hays County partners with ATX floods to include road closures on the ATX extended map, which is available at www.haysinformed.com.

If there is a need to open the Emergency Operations Center we will notify the media.

The USGS has monitors on area rivers that report information to the NWS, which in turn uses it to let local governments know about flood conditions. This rather unwieldy link below will show you the area map and you can click on the grey marker for information about a specific gauge.