Bruce Clements of the Williamson County Office of Emergency Management briefed the Commissioners Court on debris management stemming from the July 5 floods, describing extensive piles of river and tributary debris and work to remove, chip and haul material for recycling.

Clements said contractors have processed about 2,568 haul‑out loads of debris, equaling roughly 130,000 cubic yards of mulch after grinding. He said the material is being taken to Austin Wood Recycling in Hutto. The county’s contractor is running seven days a week and individual trucks typically make three to four trips per day, Clements said. He described the piles as “enormous” and showed drone footage to illustrate scale.

Clements told the court the Texas Division of Emergency Management is funding the state share so that FEMA covers 75% of the cleanup costs and the state will cover the remaining 25% including the local cost share the county would normally pay. He explained FEMA will remove trees only if they lean beyond FEMA’s threshold (he said FEMA evaluates leaning trees and pays for removal when they are leaning more than 30 percent).

The county has prioritized the worst‑affected stretches; Clements estimated crews have cleared about 10% of the total waterways but focused on the most hazardous locations. He also said applications to have debris removed would be accepted until “the 30 first of this month” (transcript phrasing), and that, under FEMA rules, the contractors plan to finish the work before Christmas — “probably by mid‑December,” he said. Clements encouraged residents to visit the county flood recovery web page for instructions and to apply for debris removal.

Clements described public‑safety, ecological, infrastructure and hydrology risks from unremoved debris, including wildfire fuel, hazards to boat rescue crews, impeded wildlife movement, sedimentation and scour that can undermine bridges and road shoulders. He said some piles are being ground into mulch and hauled to the Hutto recycling facility and that local organizations have shown interest in replanting native grasses in cleared areas to control erosion. Georgetown has activated its own debris contract and is working in some river areas, Clements said.

The presentation was informational; no county appropriation or procurement decision was taken at the meeting.