People living at the flood-prone Mariposa Ranch Subdivision credited pumps deployed by Cameron County's emergency management division for alleviating problems associated with heavy rain on Thursday.
The two pumps were manned by county public works employees.
Each pump funneled water around the clock from the subdivision's drainage canal that surrounds some 100 homes.
Linda Cantu, who's lived at the subdivision for six years, said the county's proactive efforts worked well.
"It [water] started to pool where it normally does and whoever was down there turned it on ... And we haven't had any trouble... No phone calls... No nothing... So it worked really well," she said.
Humberto Barrera, Cameron County's Emergency Management Coordinator, described how flood water was diverted through hoses to a secondary canal system away the subdivision.
"The more water that falls into here... We suck it out and put it in here... Keeping them dry," he said.
Barrera snapped photos following last week's storm.
They showed submerged vehicles in the subdivision.
With the pumps pre-deployed before rain from Tropical Storm Arlene, Barrera said the water was never able to rise in drainage canal.
"We get the notification the rain is coming... And it's going to be a lot of rain... We're going to be prepared," he said.
Barrera called Thursday's tropical rain a dry run for hurricane season.
While the county is prepared for the worst, he fears people may become too complacent with their own plan of action should a hurricane hit.
"This could be the year that changes your life forever... There is no substitution for preparation," he explained.
Cantu said she's got her plan of action in place and is just thankful the county does too when it comes to safeguarding her subdivision.
"It's nice to know somebody in the county is looking out for us."
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