After deadly flooding left uprooted trees, wrecked homes and washed up debris across parts of Northwest Travis County over the Fourth of July weekend, County Commissioners approved an extension to the local disaster declaration July 8.

“This is going to be a long recovery,” Commissioner Ann Howard said.

The update

Travis County Judge Andy Brown emphasized the critical role of emergency responders in saving lives during the floods and announced that additional search and rescue teams were deployed the morning of July 8.

As of Tuesday morning, seven fatalities have been confirmed in Travis County, and 10 people remain missing, a news release states.

What residents should know

Flood victims in need of immediate supplies, can stop by three local locations to pick up recovery kits from H-E-B pop-up distribution centers:

• Leander: Round Mountain Baptist Church
  • 14500 Round Mountain Road., Leander
  • 8 a.m.-5 p.m., July 8 - until further notice
• Liberty Hill Middle School
  • 13125 SH 29, Liberty Hill
  • 10 a.m.-5 p.m., July 8 - until further notice
• Burnet Train Depot Parking Lot
  • 401 E Jackson St., Burnet
  • 8 a.m.-5 p.m., July 8 - until further notice

At all three sites, volunteers are distributing water, snacks, first aid kits, cleaning supplies, gift cards and more to flood-impacted communities, a spokesperson for the company said in a statement. H-E-B is also providing meals to rescue workers and first responders.

AT&T will be establishing a Wi-Fi hotspot at the Round Mountain Baptist Church distribution center, as reception in the area can be “spotty.” UFCU is also onsite to help impacted residents locate important documents that may have been displaced or lost in the flooding event. Local mental health care provider Integral Care is available for those in need of support.

The American Red Cross is also assisting residents in the area by providing shelter, food and essential supplies, as well as emotional support and help with recovery planning. Those interested can call 1-800-733-2767.

Moving forward

As floodwaters recede, Brown noted that work will begin shifting to long-term recovery.

County executives from the Office of Emergency Management and other involved department heads highlighted several resources available for residents impacted.

Commissioners approved an immediate transfer of $4 million from the emergency reserve to provide liquid funding for immediate needs in the area.

Until further notice, fees at the FM 1431 Citizens Collection Center will be waived, where impacted residents can drop off household trash.

This collection center is located at 2625 Woodall Drive, Leander. The current hours are Thursday-Saturday, 8 a.m.-3:50 p.m.

Additionally, the county will be partnering with a third party contractor to assist in debris removal.Residents in affected unincorporated areas are asked to separate debris into categories like large appliances, construction debris and vegetative debris and place them curbside without blocking any roadway, right-of-way or access to property.

More information on preparing for curbside debris pickup will be available after a contract with a vendor is finalized, according to the county’s news release.

The Austin Disaster Relief Network is available to help with cleaning out homes, debris and tree pickup and tarping, by calling 211, or 512-806-0800 or by visiting www.crisiscleanup.org.

A burn ban is also in effect from July 8–Aug. 5 for Northwest Travis County, including areas along Big Sandy Creek, Cow Creek, and other flood-impacted low-lying zones.

Travis County Fire Marshal Gary Howell recommended the ban to reduce fire risks from flood debris and support ongoing search and rescue operations.

This ban on outdoor burning does not affect prescribed burns conducted under the supervision of a prescription burn manager. It also does not affect outdoor welding, cutting or grinding operations, and outdoor hot works operations conducted under county safety guidelines.

Items worth mentioning

Officials encourage locals to document damages to homes and property as state and federal dollars may be available under local and state disaster declarations.

As recommended by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Travis County residents who experienced damage are encouraged to:

• Document the damage by taking photos
• Make a list of damaged or lost items
• Save receipts for expenses for temporary housing and other cleanup efforts in order to aid with insurance claims and other aid programs

Residents are also asked to report damage to the Texas Department of Emergency Management by going to www.damage.tdem.texas.gov. This damage reporting tool helps the state understand where the most affected areas are and allocate resources.

Roads

Travis County Transportation and Natural Resources crews have been on the ground since the weekend, inspecting county-maintained roads, bridges, and other infrastructure to assess damage and ensure public safety.

As of Tuesday, the status of county maintained roads is as follows:

• Round Mountain Pass (Highwater) - Closed
• Big Sandy Lane (Highwater) - Closed
• Windy Valley Road (Highwater) - Opened
• Fulkes Road (Highwater) - Opened
• Live Oak Road (Highwater) - Opened
• Long Hollow Road (Highwater) - Opened
• Fawn Drive (Highwater) - Opened
• Juniper Trail (Highwater) - Closed
• River Fern Court (Highwater) - Closed
• Cottonwood Street (Highwater) - Closed
• Daffan Lane (Highwater) - Opened
• Decker Lake Road (Highwater) - Opened
• Round Mountain Road at Big Sandy Lane (Damaged Bridge) - Closed
• Nameless Road at Travisso (Highwater) - Closed

Residents who notice damage to county roads that haven’t yet been assessed by TNR can call 512-854-9433 to report it.

Status of other roads not under the jurisdiction of Travis County may be found at www.atxfloods.com.Rebuilding

Commissioners approved a motion that eliminates permitting fees for those seeking to rebuild.

“We certainly don't want to increase the hardship that [residents] are going through,” Floodplain project manager Shawn Snyder said.

Residents in the impacted areas will need to show proof that their insurance will not pay for the fee in order to get it waived. Additional information about Travis County’s permitting process can be found on the county’s permitting website.