Drought Disaster Declared In Hidalgo County

EDINBURG, Texas – Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez has issued a disaster declaration due to the ongoing drought.

The declaration goes into effect immediately and lasts for seven days though Hidalgo County Commissioners Court may vote to extend the declaration when it meets next Tuesday, April 16.

Cortez’s declaration activates the county’s emergency management plan and allows Hidalgo County to begin to tap into statewide funding to mitigate any drought related problems, including an ongoing threat of wildfire.

Here is the declaration:

WHEREAS, as of the 9th day of April 2024 the County of Hidalgo has suffered a prolonged period of exceptional drought conditions that pose a threat of imminent disaster;

WHEREAS, significantly low rainfall and prolonged dry conditions continue to increase the threat of wildfires across portions of the County; and

WHEREAS, these drought conditions pose an imminent and continuous threat of widespread or severe damage, injury or loss of life or property and to public health, municipal water supplies, and agriculture production; and

WHEREAS, the Governor of Texas Greg Abbott issued a disaster proclamation on July 8, 2022 and amended and renewed that declaration most recently on March 17, 2024, certifying the exceptional drought conditions throughout the state of Texas; and

WHEREAS, the Texas Division of Emergency Management has confirmed that those same drought conditions continue to exist in Hidalgo County and other counties in Texas; and

WHEREAS, the statewide incident identified as 22-0019 Texas Statewide Drought reflects the impact and damages sustained as a result of the current and existing conditions on the rest of the State, to include Hidalgo County, Texas; and

WHEREAS, Section §418.108 (a) of the Texas Government Code provides that the presiding officer of the governing body of a political subdivision may declare a state of local disaster;

NOW, therefore, be it proclaimed by the Judge of the County of Hidalgo

1. That a state of disaster is declared for the County of Hidalgo, Texas; pursuant to §418.08(a) and (b) of the Texas Government Code.
2. Pursuant to $418.018(c) of the Texas Government Code, this declaration of a local state of disaster shall be given prompt and general publicity and shall be filed promptly with the County Clerk.
3. Pursuant to §418.018d) of the Texas Government Code, this declaration of the local state of disaster activates the County emergency management plan.
4. That this proclamation shall take effect immediately from and after its issuance.

ORDERED this 9th day of April, 2024.

Richard F. Cortez, Hidalgo County Judge

Attest: Arturo Guajardo, Jr., County Clerk.