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The Bandera County Historical Commission received the 2025 Distinguished Service Award from the Texas Historical Commission for accomplishments in 2024.
Photo by Jessica Nohealapa’ahi
July 13, 2026
Bandera County commissioners submit comprehensive flood plan
By Jessica Nohealapa’ahi
The Bandera Prophet
Commissioners, in partnership with the Bandera County River Authority and Groundwater District, unanimously approved the submission of Bandera County’s Senate Bill 3 (SB3) Outdoor Warning Siren Project Plan to the Texas Water Development Board for funding through the SB3 Grants Program. The Flood Early Warning System integrates hydrologic analysis, real-time monitoring, flood hazard mapping and public warning infrastructure to support flood preparedness and emergency response throughout the upper Medina River and upper Sabinal River watersheds.
SB3, which mandates the installation of outdoor warning sirens in areas prone to flash flooding, was signed Sept. 5, 2025, triggering the grant program. In Bandera County, the long-term flood resilience strategy includes the proposal of 14 new monitoring locations; the addition of eight real-time stream gages, six rainfall gages, and eight outdoor warning signals expanding county coverage by 70 percent; and public outreach and education.
The total grant request is $1.25 million; no match is required. The estimated annual operational and maintenance is $70,000, an cost that BCRAGD will share.
“In the 110 years of the history of Medina Lake, every decade this lake was full. Since 1978, there’s been seven floods. I was here for six of them. This is going to happen again, and that’s why we need to do this,” Pct. 2 Commissioner Bobby Harris said. “We’re due to fill up again. I’ve been a victim. I had 32 inches of water in my place in 2002. The early warning is the most important part. When it happens in Medina, we know it’s going to happen at Medina Lake. I had four days to get stuff to high ground. The early warning system is what’s going to save lives.”
In other business, commissioners came to consensus on the next fiscal year’s block grant requests, pending approval of the final budget.
The only decreased request came from the Utopia Library, which asked for $500. Requests that were the same as last year include Bandera County Boys & Girls Club requested $10,000; Bandera Regional Honors Veterans requested $1,500; Silver Sage Community Center requested $75,000; the Hill Country Crisis Council requested $2,500.
Increased requests came from CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) requested $6,000, which was a $4,000 increase over last year. Commissioners voted to approve $2,000, the same as last year.
Kids Advocacy Place, a suborganization of the Hill Country Crisis Council, requested $2,500, $1,000 more than last year.
“This is for the kids. That is our future,” Pct. 1 Commissioner Troy Konvicka said, who motioned to approve the increasee, which passed 3-1.
The San Antonio Food Bank requested and was approved for $15,000, which was a $2,000 increase over last year.
SB3, which mandates the installation of outdoor warning sirens in areas prone to flash flooding, was signed Sept. 5, 2025, triggering the grant program. In Bandera County, the long-term flood resilience strategy includes the proposal of 14 new monitoring locations; the addition of eight real-time stream gages, six rainfall gages, and eight outdoor warning signals expanding county coverage by 70 percent; and public outreach and education.
The total grant request is $1.25 million; no match is required. The estimated annual operational and maintenance is $70,000, an cost that BCRAGD will share.
“In the 110 years of the history of Medina Lake, every decade this lake was full. Since 1978, there’s been seven floods. I was here for six of them. This is going to happen again, and that’s why we need to do this,” Pct. 2 Commissioner Bobby Harris said. “We’re due to fill up again. I’ve been a victim. I had 32 inches of water in my place in 2002. The early warning is the most important part. When it happens in Medina, we know it’s going to happen at Medina Lake. I had four days to get stuff to high ground. The early warning system is what’s going to save lives.”
In other business, commissioners came to consensus on the next fiscal year’s block grant requests, pending approval of the final budget.
The only decreased request came from the Utopia Library, which asked for $500. Requests that were the same as last year include Bandera County Boys & Girls Club requested $10,000; Bandera Regional Honors Veterans requested $1,500; Silver Sage Community Center requested $75,000; the Hill Country Crisis Council requested $2,500.
Increased requests came from CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) requested $6,000, which was a $4,000 increase over last year. Commissioners voted to approve $2,000, the same as last year.
Kids Advocacy Place, a suborganization of the Hill Country Crisis Council, requested $2,500, $1,000 more than last year.
“This is for the kids. That is our future,” Pct. 1 Commissioner Troy Konvicka said, who motioned to approve the increasee, which passed 3-1.
The San Antonio Food Bank requested and was approved for $15,000, which was a $2,000 increase over last year.