MILAM COUNTY, Texas (KRHD) — Milam County Commissioners are taking a look at road damages Thursday, following heavy rain Wednesday morning.
- Several roads in Milam County are closed due to washout or flooding after rains Wednesday.
- Precinct 2 Commissioner James Denman estimates about $280,000 in repairs in just Precinct 2.
- The county is applying for grants, but Denman says they may go over its $350,000 to $400,000 budget.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Milam County Commissioner James Denman tells me he's been repairing roads year round to prevent washouts like this in our neighborhoods.
But it's becoming too much to handle, especially after heavy rain on Wednesday.
"When the ground is wet, there's no place for the water to go, water makes it own path — through the road, under the road, through the field, whatever," Denman said.
Roads are washing out faster than commissioners can keep up, and it's costing tax payers more than they expected.
"We're probably looking $280,000 just in precinct two damage from the floods," he said.
But the county sets aside about $350,000-400,000 a year for road materials.
"Materials gone up, fuels gone up, and we've asked for more. There's just no more available," he said.
We asked our Meteorologist Caleb Chevalier exactly how much rain fell in the county.
"Milam county has received estimates from the national weather service about 15 to 20 inches of rain, but there are some isolated spots in the county, especially on the northern end that could have received about 20 to 25 inches of rain within the past 90 days," Chevalier said.
But it can't be said for remainder of the season.
"It would be hard to nail down exactly how much you're gonna get over the course of the summer. In general though, I would say that treat it like every summer that we are going to see a sharp drop off in rain probably," he said.
But conditions can always change
If more heavy rains come, Denman believes some roads will wash before repairs can even settle.
"We have put out a lot of gravel. We will probably go over budget," Denman said.
