Mapping Texas river basins to improve flood resilience

Commissioned by the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB), Fugro is undertaking an elevation‑mapping project to support flood‑risk and infrastructure planning across south central Texas.

Fugro is mapping the Guadalupe, San Antonio, Lower Colorado, and Lavaca river basins to support flood‑risk and infrastructure planning across south central Texas.

The work spans the Guadalupe, San Antonio, Lower Colorado, and Lavaca river basins, covering approximately 41,381 square kilometres (15,977 square miles) across 34 rapidly growing communities. Many of these areas have faced repeated flooding in recent years, prompting local authorities to update hazard‑mitigation plans and improve drainage, transport and water systems.

Fugro is delivering the work through the Texas Geographic Information Office (TxGIO), which provides consistent, high‑quality geographic data used by agencies across Texas for planning and public‑safety applications.

As a long-time partner of the Strategic Mapping Program (StratMap) at TxGIO, Fugro is using high‑accuracy airborne lidar mapping methods to provide state and local partners with an accurate view of the landscape as it exists today. To streamline data collection and improve data quality across the project area, the approach uses precise satellite positioning to reduce the need for new ground reference stations, while Fugro’s cloud‑based processing systems help accelerate data delivery to the state.

Mary Ellen St Romain, LiDAR programme specialist at TxGIO, said: “Up‑to‑date elevation data is a critical resource for communities working to understand flood risk and strengthen their infrastructure,

“This project will ensure planners, engineers and emergency managers have credible information to support decisions that protect people and property.”

Keith Owens, Fugro’s commercial director for remote sensing and mapping in the Americas, added: “South central Texas is growing fast, and flood maps need to keep pace with that growth.

“By updating elevation data across these river basins, communities can plan drainage, roads, and development with a clearer understanding of today’s flood risks.”

 Aerial data collection began on 10 January 2026 and was completed on 16 February 2026. Fugro will deliver mapping products to the state in stages through January 2027.

Once data is reviewed and approved by the state, the new elevation dataset will be released for public use through the TxGIO DataHub.