Williamson County residents and business owners whose homes or buildings were damaged during the recent floods are encouraged to report their damages to the Office of Emergency Management.

County Judge Dan Gattis signed a disaster declaration Nov. 6 following the floods, which mostly affected the Brushy Creek area in Round Rock and Hutto.

Emergency Management Coordinator Jarred Thomas said the county declaring a disaster is different from, but related to, the county receiving a federal (or presidential) disaster declaration, which could lead to relief funding.

"I don't think Williamson County will, by itself, register a presidential disaster declaration," Thomas said. "However, there's widespread damage, so our numbers may help Travis County because all our numbers throughout the state may warrant a presidential disaster declaration. It can be a cumulative effect."

Thomas said representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Small Business Administration will be in the county on Saturday, Nov. 9, to assess reported damages and decide if the affected areas are eligible for relief funds.

"If we didn't declare, then we would not be eligible for certain levels of funding," he said. "It doesn't guarantee we're going to get [funding], but that's why we did it; we want to make sure we don't pass up an opportunity to help someone recover from this flood."

So far, Thomas said he is aware of about 20 homes and multiple dams with flood damage. Senior Director of Infrastructure Robert Daigh said Nov. 5 he was aware of about $120,000 in road and infrastructure damages around the county.

"If we don't know they got flooded, we can't start to provide assistance, if we get it," Thomas said.