Over the July Fourth weekend, the Texas Hill Country experienced catastrophic flooding that killed more than 100 people, left more than 160 others missing and caused widespread damage. One of the hardest hit areas was the town of Kerrville, where the nearby Guadalupe River rose rapidly early in the morning on July 4.
Kerrville flooded quickly
Between 2 and 7 a.m., the Guadalupe River in Kerrville rose from 1 to 36 feet in height, according to a flood gauge in the area. Major flooding is considered anything above 20 feet.
Outside Kerrville is Camp Mystic, which has been a summertime Christian haven for generations of Texas girls. The camp was hit hard by the floods. Officials say more than 20 campers and counselors died.
Nearly 20 camps are clustered along the Guadalupe River near Kerrville
An early morning flash flood swept through Camp Mystic on July 4. It’s one of nearly 20 camps along the Guadalupe River that serve school-aged children.
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Camp Mystic is not the only camp along the river. The area is dotted with camps serving school-aged children.
The camp complex, which sits along the Guadalupe River and Cypress Creek, sat on a known flood plain. Several other camps along the river are also in high-risk flood zones.
Many of the camps are in unincorporated areas and not subject to the same development rules found in cities. That said, cities and counties do have the authority to regulate what can be built in a designated flood plain.
Camps along Guadalupe River were built in or near flood zones
Most of the children’s summer camps along or near the Guadalupe River were either built in or close to high-risk flood zones, according to FEMA. Many camps are outside Kerrville city limits and part of unincorporated communities like Hunt, making building regulations a challenge.
The flood surges during the July Fourth storm were historic. In Kerrville, the Guadalupe River reached its highest level since 1987.
A similar disaster played out in the surrounding areas. In Hunt, the river reached its highest point since at least 1966. The community of Comfort, which is east of Kerrville, saw its highest flood surge since 1978.
The highest floodwaters in decades hit the Hill Country
Data from three flood gauges along the Guadalupe River shows the intensity of the 2025 Hill Country floods. Each bar shows the highest river levels recorded each year at the gauge sites.
Here is our guide on how to help those affected by the floods.
This post contains was first published on Texas Tribune and republished here under a Creative Commons License.
