Texas Administrative Code › Title 31 - NATURAL RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION › Part 10 - TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD › Chapter 361 - REGIONAL FLOOD PLANNING › Subchapter A - GENERAL INFORMATION › Section 361.10 - Definitions and Acronyms

Current through Reg. 49, No. 28; July 12, 2024
(a) 1% Annual Chance
				  Flood Event--Flood event having a 1% chance of being equaled or exceeded in any
				  given year, also referred to as the base flood or 100-year flood.
(b) 0.2% Annual Chance Flood Event--Flood
				  event having a 0.2% chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year, also
				  referred to as the 500-year flood.
(c) Board--The governing body of the Texas
				  Water Development Board.
(d)
				  Critical Facilities--Facilities and infrastructure that are critical to the
				  health and welfare of the population and that are especially important
				  following flood hazard events.
(e)
				  Emergency Need--The need for projects and actions to address a flood hazard
				  that is expected to cause the loss of function of critical facilities or to
				  alleviate immediate threat to life and property from flooding such as imminent
				  anticipated failure of infrastructure.
(f) Executive Administrator (EA)--The
				  Executive Administrator of the TWDB or a designated representative.
(g) FEMA--Federal Emergency Management
				  Agency
(h) FIRM--Flood Insurance
				  Rate Map
(i) Flood--A general and
				  temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of normally dry land area
				  from overflow of inland or tidal waters or from the unusual and rapid
				  accumulation or runoff of surface waters from any source.
(j) Flood-prone--Areas with known risk of
				  flooding primarily during storm events either from existing inundation maps,
				  studies, and/or historic knowledge of flood events. Flood-prone areas may
				  include, but are not limited to, the floodplain, the floodway, the flood
				  fringe, wetlands, riparian buffers, or other areas adjacent to the main
				  channel.
(k) Floodplain--That area
				  of land subject to periodic inundation by floodwaters.
(l) Floodplain Management--The operation of
				  an overall program of corrective and preventative measures for reducing risk
				  and impact of flooding.
(m) Flood
				  Mitigation--The implementation of actions, including both structural and non-
				  structural solutions, to reduce flood risk to protect against the loss of life
				  and property.
(n) Flood Management
				  Evaluation (FME)--A proposed study to identify and assess and quantify flood
				  risk or identify, evaluate, and recommend flood risk reduction
				  solutions.
(o) Flood Management
				  Strategy (FMS)--Flood risk reduction solution ideas and strategies that do not
				  belong in FME or FMP categories. Examples may include regulatory enhancements,
				  development of entity-wide buyout programs, and public outreach and
				  education.
(p) Flood Mitigation
				  Project (FMP)--A proposed project, both structural and non-structural, that has
				  a non-zero capital costs or other non-recurring cost and that when implemented
				  will reduce flood risk, mitigate flood hazards to life or property.
(q) Flood Planning Region (FPR)--A geographic
				  area designated by the Board pursuant to Texas Water Code §
										16.062.
(r) Flood Risk--Generally describes the
				  hazard from flood events to life and property, including the likelihood of a
				  hazard occurring; the magnitude of the hazard; the number of people and
				  properties exposed to the hazard; and the vulnerability and resilience of the
				  people and properties exposed to the hazard.
(s) Flood Risk Map--A map that shows flood
				  risk for Texas communities at some level of detail using best available
				  data.
(t) GIS--Geographic
				  Information System
(u) GLO--General
				  Land Office
(v) HUC--Hydrologic
				  Unit Code level (e.g., HUC10) as delineated by the United States Geological
				  Survey.
(w) Hydrologic and
				  Hydraulic Model--Mathematical model created utilizing computer software that
				  simulates rainfall runoff flow to estimate the extent of water levels and
				  flooding and to test potential ways to reduce flood risk.
(x) Nature-based Flood Mitigation--Mitigation
				  approaches involving the use of natural features, materials, and processes to
				  reduce the risk and impacts of flooding.
(y) Neighboring Area--Any area, including but
				  not limited to upstream and downstream areas, potentially affected by the
				  proposed FMP.
(z) Negative
				  Effect--An increase in flood-related risks to life and property, either
				  upstream or downstream of the proposed project. The RFPG may adopt a standard
				  that is more restrictive than the standard provided in TWDB guidance.
(aa) Planning Group Sponsor--A political
				  subdivision designated by the Regional Flood Planning Group as authorized to
				  receive funds for developing or revising regional flood plans. A Planning Group
				  Sponsor must have legal authority to conduct procurement of professional
				  services and enter into the contracts necessary for regional flood
				  planning.
(bb) Political
				  Subdivision--County, city, or other body politic or corporate of the state,
				  including any district or authority created under Article III, Section 52 or
				  Article XVI, Section 59 of the Texas Constitution and including any interstate
				  compact commission to which the state is a party and any nonprofit water supply
				  corporation created and operating under Chapter
				  67 of the Texas Water
				  Code.
(cc) Potentially Feasible
				  Flood Mitigation Project or Potentially Feasible Flood Management Strategy--An
				  FMP or FMS that is assessed or considered to be permittable, constructible,
				  economically viable, and implementable.
(dd) Regional Flood Plan (RFP)--The plan
				  adopted or amended by a Regional Flood Planning Group pursuant to Texas Water
				  Code §
										16.062 (relating to
				  Regional Flood Plans) and this chapter.
(ee) Regional Flood Planning Group (RFPG)--A
				  group designated by the Board that develops a Regional Flood Plan, pursuant to
				  Texas Water Code §
										16.062.
(ff) Residual Risk--The remaining flood risk
				  in an area after the completion of an FMP or FMS or set of FMPs or FMSs that
				  reduce flood risk in that same area.
(gg) State Flood Plan (SFP)--The most recent
				  State Flood Plan adopted or amended by the Board under Texas Water Code §
										16.061 (relating to State
				  Flood Plan).
(hh) State Flood
				  Planning Database--A database to be developed and maintained by the TWDB that
				  stores data related to Flood Planning. It is used to collect, analyze, and
				  disseminate regional and statewide Flood Planning data.
(ii) State Population Projections--Population
				  projections contained in the most recently adopted State Water Plan as further
				  assembled geographically based on HUC watershed or other appropriate
				  flood-related geographic features determined by the TWDB.
(jj) TWC--Texas Water Code
(kk) TWDB--Texas Water Development
				  Board