Maverick County Advances Planning for $1.25 Million Emergency Warning System
By Jose G. Landa, Copyright 2026 Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc.
Maverick County officials met this week with engineering representatives to advance plans for a proposed outdoor warning system designed to improve emergency alerts and protect communities vulnerable to flooding.
The approximately $1.25 million proposal previously presented to Commissioners Court includes nine outdoor warning sirens and 14 real-time flood monitoring gauges throughout the county.
County Judge Pablo Garcia, Jr., Veterans Services Officer Miguel Chavez, Grant Administrator Isaak Ruiz, Building Inspector Israel Rodriguez and Planning Director Oscar Garza met with project engineer Alan Stanton of Streamline Engineering LLC and representatives from HDR Engineering to discuss technical details and grant requirements.
The meeting focused on finalizing the county’s SB 3 Outdoor Warning Siren Grant project plan before the end of October.
County officials described the funding opportunity as part of state efforts following the devastating 2025 Texas floods to strengthen emergency preparedness and public warning systems.
The latest discussions follow action taken September 23, 2026 when commissioners moved forward with the proposed siren and monitoring network.
Officials said at that meeting that grant funding was expected to cover construction costs without using local taxpayer funds.
Streamline Engineering developed a countywide hydrology model to identify areas and populations vulnerable to flooding.
Engineers also worked with the Joint Emergency Operations Center and City of Eagle Pass to determine potential siren locations.
Proposed coverage areas include Quemado, Elm Creek, Seco Mines near Seco Creek, North and South Heights, West Hacienditas, Tierra del Sol, the Kickapoo Reservation and areas associated with the Rio Grande and El Indio.
The proposed gauges would provide emergency personnel with real-time information about rising floodwaters, helping guide decisions on warnings, evacuations and other protective measures.
Engineers are conducting acoustic studies to evaluate siren coverage. During the September presentation, Stanton said each siren could be heard from more than a mile away, depending on placement and conditions.
Commissioner Robert Ruiz previously raised concerns about reaching residents with disabilities and other special needs.
Stanton said emergency management officials would address those procedures as planning continued.
Commissioners also approved a resolution authorizing negotiations with the City of Eagle Pass, Joint EOC, Maverick County Water Control and Improvement District No. 1, TxDOT and the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas regarding implementation, operation and maintenance.
The county’s latest update identifies the end of October as its target for completing the project plan.
The September presentation also identified a year-end deadline through the Texas Water Development Board funding process.
If funded and installed, the network would give emergency officials additional tools to detect dangerous conditions and provide earlier warnings to at-risk communities.
