Flood Infrastructure Fund (FIF)

The FIF program allows for a wide range of flood projects. Only Flood Management Evaluations (FME), Flood Mitigation Projects (FMP), and Flood Management Strategies (FMS) recommended in an amended regional flood plan approved by the TWDB are eligible for financial assistance. Upon adoption of the first state flood plan in 2024, only FMEs, FMPs, and FMSs recommended in the Board-adopted state flood plan will be eligible for financial assistance. Eligible project examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

Planning Phase Activities

• Preliminary engineering
• Project design
• Feasibility assessments
• Coordination and development of regional projects
• Obtaining regulatory approvals
• Hydraulic and hydrologic studies

Construction/Rehabilitation Phase Activities

• Drainage infrastructure (e.g., channels, ditches, ponds, pipes, etc.)
• Flood control infrastructure
• Flood mitigation infrastructure
• Retention basins
• Detention ponds
• Sustainable infrastructure
• Nonstructural flood mitigation
• Development of or amendments to flood related codes
• Permeable pavement
• Erosion control
• Levees
• Pump stations
• Rehabilitation of existing infrastructure taking into consideration methods of improved resiliency (not including costs associated with current or future operations and maintenance activities)
• Property acquisitions determined to be the best solution for highest-risk properties
• Restoration of riparian corridors, floodplains, coastal areas, and wetlands
• Natural erosion and runoff control
• Reasonable number of improvements to ancillary systems directly related to the project as determined by TWDB

Nature-Based Solution Activities

• Green stormwater infrastructure
• Stormwater parks
• Living shorelines
• Protection and restoration of riparian corridors, floodplains, coastal area, wetlands

Other Eligible Activities

The assistance is also able to support activities that may not traditionally be thought of as flood projects. These include:

Political subdivisions may apply for financial assistance for flood projects. Specifically, eligible political subdivisions are cities, counties, and any district or authority created under Article III, Section 52 or Article XVI, Section 59 of the Texas Constitution.

Other political subdivisions and nonprofit water supply corporations operating under Chapter 67 of the Texas Water Code are only eligible to apply for financial assistance for the Flood Management Evaluation (FME) Category (formerly Category 1).

The FIF program provides opportunities for loans with an interest rate of 0% and grants, with the methodology for determining the eligible grant amount based on the category in which the project falls.

The FIF application is a two-step process: Abridged Applications provide the TWDB with information needed to prioritize projects according to criteria described in further detail in the most recently approved Flood Infrastructure Fund IUP.

Applicants whose projects rank within the program's available capacity are invited to submit full financial assistance applications, which provide more detailed financial, legal, engineering, and other information. Once the technical review process has been completed, the project is presented to the Board for funding consideration.

Information from a submitted abridged application will be shared with the Flood Information Clearinghouse Committee (FLICC), a new cooperative effort between the TWDB, General Land Office, Texas Division of Emergency Management, and other state and federal agencies that administer flood mitigation financial assistance programs. After review by the FLICC, the applicant may be advised of other available source(s) of funding.

To provide you with a single point of contact at the TWDB, our project implementation staff is organized into seven regional project implementation teams. Each team is led by a manager that serves as the primary point of contact for both our existing and future customers. For assistance with the application or any questions related to your project, please look up contact information for your Regional Team.