Texas Porch

Floodways

The Rio Grande Has a System of Engineered Floodways

A network of engineered floodways runs through the Lower Rio Grande Valley to carry overflow away from communities.

Hidalgo County Home & Property

The Rio Grande used to flood the lower valley regularly. A network of interior floodways was built to move extra water toward the Gulf of Mexico. These man-made channels run through parts of Hidalgo County. The International Boundary and Water Commission operates and maintains this infrastructure.

A floodway is a channel set aside to carry floodwater. Land inside or next to a floodway has strict building rules. It is also likely to sit inside a mapped flood zone.

If you are looking at property near one of these channels, check its flood zone status at the FEMA Flood Map Service Center. The TWDB's regional flood planning resources can also help you understand how the floodway system affects a specific address.

Source to confirm: TWDB – Region 15 Lower Rio Grande Flood Planning

More Hidalgo County notes

Property Tax Basics

Two Separate Offices Handle Your Property Taxes

Hidalgo County has one office that values your property and a different office that collects the taxes—you need to know which to contact.

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Homestead Exemption

A Homestead Exemption Can Lower Your Tax Bill

If your home is your main residence, you can file for a homestead exemption that reduces how much of its value gets taxed.

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Taxing Units

Your Tax Bill Comes From Many Different Entities

Hidalgo County has 56 active taxing units, so your total tax bill is the sum of rates from several different entities.

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Agricultural Valuation

Farm and Ranch Land Can Be Taxed on Productivity, Not Market Value

Texas law lets qualifying farmland and ranchland be taxed on what it produces rather than what it could sell for, which can cut the tax bill significantly.

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