Hays County Commissioners approved the county’s latest multi-jurisdiction plan to mitigate weather hazards as the area continues to grapple with flood risks, severe storms, drought and more.

The details

The Commissioners Court unanimously approved the 2025 Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan at a meeting July 8.

The purpose of the mitigation plan is to reduce the impacts of weather hazards on people and property through following goals, as stated in the plan document:
  • Enhance county and community capabilities to protect life, property, economy and natural systems from natural hazards
  • Protect new and existing properties
  • Implement measures to assist with improving water conservation efforts in the county
Hazard mitigation plans are also required in order to apply for federal grant opportunities.

The plan includes input and action plan priorities from various stakeholders within the county, which include:


The plan details a list of priority actions for the jurisdictions to incorporate. The priorities are ranked from low to high priority.

County and city stakeholders created their priority items to best fit their jurisdiction, meaning not every jurisdiction holds the same priorities. Some high priority items from the various jurisdictions include, but are not limited to:
  • Structurally reinforcing buildings for natural hazards such as wind, floods, etc. in critical county and city buildings
  • Continue purchase of backup emergency generators in critical buildings in Hays County
  • Continue efforts to improve and expand existing low-water crossing and road blocking systems
  • County will pursue potential options to provide discounts to flood policy holders
  • Voluntary buyouts for one or more affected properties in the City of Buda
  • Installation of permanent weather radio system and weather station at Dripping Springs City hall with back-up power source


High priority actions will be implemented immediately as funding becomes available, according to the mitigation plan document.



The why

County growth, from development to a rising population, demonstrates a need to mitigate impacts of various weather events, the plan document states.

“While large portions of the County remain rural in nature, the regional population and economic growth is being felt in the area and underscores the need to plan for mitigation of future hazards to protect people and property,” the mitigation plan states.

Additionally, a rise in more frequent, violent weather events and its potential impact on communities and their property pushes the need for the new mitigation plan, as stated in the document.


“With climate change affecting weather patterns and sea level rise on the Texas coast, these and other hazards are forecast to become more frequent and greater in magnitude in the future,” the document states.

The mitigation plan listed hazards such as floods, wildfires and extreme heat as highly likely of frequency from 1997-2023, with medium to high severity levels.

For example, floods events from 1997-2023 had a high likelihood of frequency, with high severity, property damages over $224.63 million, crop damages costing $330,000, 15 deaths and over 175 injuries.

Hailstorms had the second highest cost in property damage at over $100.7 million, despite a lower rate of frequency.


The mitigation plan points to flooding and hailstorms as “priority hazard[s] from which to protect people and property within the Hays County planning area.”

Other likely hazards include droughts, hailstorms, severe winterstorms and windstorms as likely, with low to high severity levels.

Judge Ruben Becerra said recent floods in Kerr County and surrounding Central Texas areas demonstrated the importance of alert systems and hazard infrastructure.

“We have a system in place that is helping us protect our residents in ways that others don't," he said at the July 8 meeting. “That was made abundantly clear over this weekend.”


How we got here

County officials began work to update the mitigation plan in 2023. Officials held two community meetings, had a forum for public comment, sent out a community survey and worked with the city, county and school district stakeholders to create the plan.

Hays County officials also cooperated with Langford Community Management Services and Rojas Planning.

What’s next?

Following approval of the 2025 mitigation plan, participating jurisdictions will work on their priority list of action items. Stakeholders will work on implementing the action items with timelines ranging from within the next two years to more than five years.