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211 Pages·2011·7.04 MB·English

Hazard Mitigation Plan
MAVERICK COUNTY, TEXAS
“Cover the Border”

2011 - 2016

July 11, 2011
Prepared by

THE RIO GRANDE INSTITUTE

Under authority of:
Honorable David Saucedo, County Judge
Maverick County Commissioners Court

Mayor of Eagle Pass
City of Eagle Pass City Council

in partnership with officials from Maverick County, the City of Eagle Pass, the Kickapoo Traditional
Tribe of Texas and the Middle Rio Grande Development Council

For more information, visit our website at:

www.riogrande.org
Table of Contents

Table of Contents...............................................................................................................................1

Introduction.........................................................................................................................................5

Chapter 1. Planning Process.............................................................................................................6
1.1. Purpose.............................................................................................................................6
1.2. Participating jurisdictions..............................................................................................6
1.3 Planning partners............................................................................................................6
1.4 Planning process..............................................................................................................7
1.4.1. Open public process..............................................................................................8
1.4.2. Hazard identification .........................................................................................12
1.4.3. Risk assessment ...................................................................................................13
1.4.4. Mitigation strategies ...........................................................................................14
1.4.5. Implementation and monitoring ......................................................................15

Chapter 2. Goals................................................................................................................................19

Chapter 3. Description of the County...........................................................................................21
3.1. History............................................................................................................................21
3.2. Watersheds.....................................................................................................................22
3.3. Topography....................................................................................................................23
3.4. Climate............................................................................................................................23
3.5. Population......................................................................................................................23
3.6. The Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas...................................................................25

Chapter 4. Assets at Risk................................................................................................................27
4.1. Study area definition.....................................................................................................27
4.2. Assets at risk ..................................................................................................................30
4.3. Critical facilities and infrastructure............................................................................30

Chapter 5. Risk Assessment..........................................................................................................33
5.1. Introduction
5.1.1. Hazards addressed in this plan...................................................................33
5.1.2. Disaster declarations.....................................................................................33
5.1.3. Risk assessment process...............................................................................34
5.1.4. Loss estimates ......................................................................................…… 35
5.1.5. Hazard profiles..............................................................................................37

5.2. Severe Thunderstorms.................................................................................................39
5.2.1. Description of the hazard.............................................................................39
5.2.2. Measurement .................................................................................................39
5.2.3. Previous occurrences....................................................................................39

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5.2.4. Geographic areas affected............................................................................40
5.2.5. Probability of future disasters.....................................................................40
5.2.6. Vulnerability..................................................................................................40
5.2.7. Potential impact.............................................................................................40

5.3. Flooding.........................................................................................................................42
5.3.1. Description of the hazard.............................................................................42
5.3.2. Measurement .................................................................................................44
5.3.3. Previous occurrences....................................................................................44
5.3.4. Geographic areas affected............................................................................46
5.3.5. Probability of future disasters.....................................................................50
5.3.6. Vulnerability to flooding..............................................................................50
5.3.7. Potential impact.............................................................................................50
5.3.8. Previous mitigation actions..........................................................................53

5.4. Hazardous materials incidents....................................................................................56
5.4.1. Description of the hazard.............................................................................56
5.4.2. Measurement .................................................................................................57
5.4.3. Previous occurrences....................................................................................58
5.4.4. Geographic areas affected............................................................................59
5.4.5. Probability of future disasters.....................................................................66
5.4.6. Vulnerability..................................................................................................66
5.4.7. Potential impact.............................................................................................69

5.5. Wildland fire.................................................................................................................70
5.5.1. Description of the hazard.............................................................................70
5.5.2. Measurement .................................................................................................70
5.5.3. Previous occurrences....................................................................................71
5.5.4. Geographic areas affected............................................................................71
5.5.5. Probability of future disasters.....................................................................74
5.5.6. Vulnerability..................................................................................................74
5.5.7. Potential impact.............................................................................................74

5.6. Drought...........................................................................................................................75
5.6.1. Description of the hazard.............................................................................75
5.6.2. Measurement .................................................................................................76
5.6.3. Previous occurrences....................................................................................76
5.6.4. Geographic areas affected............................................................................77
5.6.5. Probability of future disasters.....................................................................78
5.6.6. Vulnerability..................................................................................................78
5.6.7. Potential impact.............................................................................................79

5.7. Tornadoes ......................................................................................................................80
5.7.1. Description of the hazard.............................................................................80
5.7.2. Measurement .................................................................................................80

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5.7.3. Previous occurrences....................................................................................81
5.7.4. Geographic areas affected............................................................................82
5.7.5. Probability of future disasters.....................................................................84
5.7.6. Vulnerability..................................................................................................84
5.7.7. Potential impact.............................................................................................84

5.8. Fuel pipeline failure......................................................................................................85
5.8.1. Description of the hazard.............................................................................85
5.8.2. Measurement .................................................................................................85
5.8.3. Previous occurrences....................................................................................85
5.8.4. Geographic areas affected............................................................................86
5.8.5. Probability of future disasters.....................................................................90
5.8.6. Vulnerability..................................................................................................90
5.8.7. Potential impact.............................................................................................91

5.9. Dam failure.....................................................................................................................92
5.9.1. Description of the hazard.............................................................................92
5.9.2. Measurement .................................................................................................94
5.9.3. Previous occurrences....................................................................................95
5.9.4. Geographic areas affected............................................................................95
5.9.5. Probability of future disasters.....................................................................97
5.9.6. Vulnerability..................................................................................................97
5.9.7. Potential impact...........................................................................................100

5.10. Conclusions................................................................................................................101
5.10.1. Summary of economic impacts..............................................................101
5.10.2. Optional mitigation actions considered ...............................................103

Chapter 6. Mitigation actions.......................................................................................................105

6.1. Summary of mitigation actions.................................................................................105
6.2. Maverick County.........................................................................................................116
6.3. City of Eagle Pass........................................................................................................151

Appendices
A. Maverick County and Eagle Pass Local Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee...195
B. Cover the Border Regional Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee ...........................196
C. Adoption Resolutions (pending signature) ......................................................................199
D. Public hazard survey results.............................................................................................201
E. Flood Studies.......................................................................................................................207
F. Critical Facilities.................................................................................................................208

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ANNEX A – The Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas
(forthcoming)

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Introduction

Maverick County is uniquely at risk from a range of disasters, precipitated by weather events and
accidents. Risks are likely to increase as weather patterns change, global temperatures rise and
population grows. Exposure to hazards that can originate across the border presents a special
challenge. While control of Mother Nature or human behavior may not be achievable, experience has
shown that much disaster damage is preventable.
Under the leadership of the County Judge and the Mayor of Eagle Pass, local officials are aggressively
taking steps to protect people and property from disaster. As a result of an effective consortium of
citizens and local and regional officials, a new vision for hazard mitigation is being realized.
This document, Cover the Border, Hazard Mitigation Plan for Maverick County, 2011 – 2016, was prepared
by Maverick County and the City of Eagle Pass under the auspices of the non-profit Rio Grande
Institute and in partnership with the Middle Rio Grande Development Council. It is a five-year
blueprint for the future, aimed at making the County more disaster-resistant by reducing or
eliminating the long-term risk of loss of life and property from the full range of disasters. It is designed
to help build more robust and sustainable communities that, when confronted by disasters, will sustain
fewer losses and recover more quickly. In addition, the Plan will serve as a basis for future funding that
may become available through grant and technical assistance programs offered by the state or federal
government.
This Plan identifies and assesses the potential impact of eight hazards that threaten the County and sets
forth mitigation actions and plans to reduce risk. Hazards include:

• Severe thunderstorms
• Flooding
• Hazardous materials incidents
• Wildland fire
• Drought
• Tornadoes
• Fuel pipeline failure
• Dam failure

Chapter 1 addresses how the Plan was prepared and identifies the participants in the planning process.
Chapter 2 articulates the vision, goals, and objectives that guided the development of the Plan. Chapter 3
profiles the County’s geography, population and economy. Chapter 4 identifies assets at risk. Chapter 5
provides an overview of the natural and human-caused hazards the may affect the County and analyzes
them in terms of the probability and consequences of their occurrence. Chapter 6 sets forth proposed
mitigation action plans to reduce risk. In the future, a separate annex covering the Kickapoo Traditional
Tribe of Texas will be included as Annex A.

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1. The Planning Process

1.1. Purpose
The purpose of this plan is to help make Maverick County and the City of Eagle Pass more disaster-
resistant by reducing or eliminating the long-term risk of loss of life and property from a range of
natural and human-caused disasters.
Hazard mitigation is any sustained

action taken to reduce or eliminate
1.2. Participating jurisdictions
the long-term risk to human life

and property from all hazards.
This plan covers Maverick County and the City of Eagle Pass,
Texas. It was prepared by the participating jurisdictions under the leadership of the Rio Grande
Institute and in partnership with the Middle Rio Grande Development Council. The Maverick County
Judge and the Mayor of Eagle Pass provided leadership for the development of the plan. Technical
support was provided by Lacy Associates, LLC of Austin, Texas. AECOM Engineering conducted the
risk assessment. In the future, a separate annex will be included to cover the Kickapoo Traditional
Tribe of Texas. The Kickapoo Tribe, located within the County, is considered an important stakeholder
and partner, and actively participated in the development of this Plan. The Tribe’s risk is of concern
and is separately included in the risk assessment to facilitate their future coverage in the Plan.
The Plan was developed in accordance with the provisions of the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000, as
amended, and the Code of Federal Regulations (44 CFR 206). It was started in January 2005. In April
2010, participating jurisdictions joined the Rio Grande Institute’s Cover the Border plan. A draft was
submitted to the State Division of Emergency Management on October 25, 2010 for Federal Emergency
Management Agency review. The Federal Emergency Management
Agency approved the plan on ____(date) and it was adopted by the
Maverick County Commissioner’s Court and Eagle Pass City
Council on ____ and _____ (dates), respectively.
1.3 Planning Partners
The Rio Grande Institute

The Rio Grande Institute sponsored the development of this plan which is an extension of the
Institute’s Cover the Border plan for counties stretching from Pecos County to the Lower Rio Grande
Valley. The Institute is a non-profit organization headed by William C. Skeen. It is devoted to
stewardship of the economic, cultural and natural resources of the U.S.-Mexico borderlands area.
(www.riogrande.org).

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The Middle Rio Grande Development Council

The Middle Rio Grande Development Council worked in partnership with the Rio Grande Institute
and the County and City. Since 1970, the Middle Rio Grande Development Council has served the
communities and residents in a nine-county region with services related to workforce development,
planning and grant writing. With partner agencies, the Development Council is providing 911
emergency mapping and addressing, elderly ombusmen and access to aging services. As operator for
the Middle Rio Grande Workforce Board, the Development Council provides job seeker services to the
unemployed members of the communities through nine workforce centers, one in each of the nine
constituent counties.

1.4 The planning process

The process used to develop this plan was organized into five major steps. Each of those is addressed
below. As you will note, many individuals participated in the planning process, each with unique
roles. The Rio Grande Institute, under the leadership of Bill Skeen, President, managed the Hazard
Mitigation Planning Grant; provided overall leadership and coordination with all participating
jurisdictions; chaired meetings; provided technical support with the assistance of Lacy Associates, LLC
and AECOM Engineering; coordinated with stakeholders and neighboring jurisdictions and with
“Sister Cities” through the Transboundary Risk Assessment and Mitigation Project; and conducted
outreach to the public by posting the plan on their website. The Middle Rio Grande Development
Council issued meeting invitations; hosted the kick-off meetings and mitigation workshops;
coordinated public notices and newspaper announcements; and ensured the active participation of
their Border Directors.
Maverick County and City of Eagle Pass officials participated in all aspects of the planning process,
attending and actively contributing ideas at all meetings. The Maverick County Emergency
Management Coordinator served as the liaison with the County Judge and Commissioners Court; and
worked with individual Commissioners on issues of concern in their areas; served as liaison to the City
of Eagle Pass; planned and executed the County’s open public meetings; and posted the draft plan. The
City of Eagle Pass Emergency Management Coordinator served as the liaison with the Mayor and City
Council; worked with individual Council members on issues of concern in their areas; served as liaison
to the County; planned and executed the City’s open public meetings; and posted the draft plan.
Together with other team members, the Emergency Management Coordinators profiled hazards,
assisted in the risk assessment, developed mitigation actions and action plans, and reviewed drafts.
From the outset, County and City officials were responsible for outreach to the public in their
geographic areas. The public provided ideas and recommendations at public meetings and in writing.
Lacy Associates, LLC, compiled the plan based on the active and extensive input from Maverick
County, the City of Eagle Pass and other participants; monitored email comments; and developed
proposed revisions based on comments received. AECOM Engineering conducted the risk assessment.
The Maverick County Emergency Management Coordinator will be responsible for implementing,
monitoring, updating and amending the Plan, working in close coordination with the City of Eagle
Pass Emergency Management Coordinator.

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1.4.1. Open public process
(Step 1)

Planning Teams.
The first step in developing the plan was to organize
planning teams and establish an open public process. In January, 2005, a
local Maverick County Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee and Action
Team was established by the County Judge and the Mayor of Eagle Pass. This
Committee was composed of community leaders and local, regional, state and
Federal officials (Appendix A).
The Committee was recognized by Maverick County Commissioner's Court
on March 3, 2005 in an open public meeting. The Committee met nine times to
identify and prioritize hazards and to develop goals, objectives and a
mitigation strategy. Each member on the committee was asked to contribute
ideas, provide information and technical support, and review draft materials.
Input was received from citizens, stakeholders, the business community,
County employees and other public sector representatives. Together, the
members identified and discussed hazards facing the County and City and
developed action steps to be undertaken. Each member also contributed to the development of
guidelines for the County/City hazard mitigation partnership.
Maverick County and the City of Eagle Pass also served on a Regional Cover the Border Hazard
Mitigation Planning Committee, formed in April 2010 under the auspices of the Rio Grande Institute
(Appendix B). It consists of cities and counties in the nine-County Middle Rio Grande region, the
Kickapoo Traditional Tribe, the Middle Rio Grande Development Council as well as local, regional,
State and Federal government officials and stakeholders. The Regional Hazard Mitigation Planning
Committee held two Kick-Off Meetings to discuss the objectives, scope of work, the planning process,
roles and responsibilities and the timeline. The Committee held three Mitigation Workshops to
identify and rank hazards and develop mitigation action plans (Table 1-1). The Committee served as
the principal mechanism to coordinate with neighboring communities, agencies, businesses, academic,
non-profits, and other interested parties. As a follow-up to the regional workshops, the local Maverick
County/City of Eagle Pass Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee met with Cover the Border officials
on June 16, 2010 in Eagle Pass to finalize mitigation actions.

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