WESLACO - Improvements Hidalgo County has worked on since last year’s June floods made a difference during the recent storms, but the system was still overwhelmed.

Precinct One Commissioner David Fuentes says the area needs to close $1.5 billion worth of drainage improvements; a huge amount of need with not a lot of funding.

“We want people to call this home; we want them to know they can be here and raise a family here and the quality of life is good,” says Fuentes.

Drainage District Manager Raul Sesin explains the Mercedes lateral helped tremendously.

"That area, it's full but all the area that was inundated last year, it's not inundated there so we made that improvement and we're going to continue to make those improvements," says Sesin.

Sesin says in the next 24 to 48 hours, most neighborhoods should drain.

Fuentes says engineers are still working to develop more plans, studies, and models to improve drainage.

The Hidalgo County Emergency Management coordinator tells us the state of Texas is already pre-deploying assets in Willacy, Cameron, and Hidalgo Counties such as rescue vehicles, and water rescues.

For more information watch the video above.