Harlingen, TX Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Chapter 109, § 109-124 (Subdivisions)
- Drainage report must include
- hydrology, hydraulics, floodplain, soils data
- MS4 requirement
- stormwater facility maintenance agreement & easement
- Flood zone note
- finished floor 18–24 in. above curb
- Design storm
- per city Subdivision Development Guide frequency
Summary
New subdivisions in Harlingen must submit engineered drainage plans with hydrology and hydraulic calculations, floodplain data, and stormwater flow computations before the city will approve or record a plat.
Drainage facilities shall be provided and constructed as specified by the director of public works, and/or the city engineer. The proposed subdivision must have drainage plans. The drainage report must include detailed hydrology, hydraulic calculations, flood plain data, soils data, and other data as required by the city engineer.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4546847; v3 updated 2025-07-16).
Full Breakdown
Harlingen's subdivision ordinance (Chapter 109) requires every proposed plat to include a full drainage report reviewed by the city engineer or public works director, covering hydrology, hydraulic calculations, floodplain data, soils data, and design-storm runoff in cubic feet per second. Plats in a special flood hazard area need an engineer's flood elevation certificate, and lots near drainage inlets must have finished floors set six inches above the subdivision's other floors. Subdivisions must also include a stormwater facility maintenance agreement and easement to satisfy the city's MS4 stormwater permit before recording.
Violations & Fines
Plats missing required drainage reports, flood elevation certificates, or MS4 stormwater maintenance agreements are rejected by the planning and zoning commission and cannot be recorded with Cameron County.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who reviews stormwater drainage plans for new development in Harlingen?
Does Harlingen require a stormwater maintenance agreement for new subdivisions?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Harlingen
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Harlingen to another location·View the Texas environmental rules overview
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Stormwater Management in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle stormwater management.