July 2025 Central Texas floods
Updated: Wikipedia source
On July 4, 2025, destructive and deadly flooding took place in the Hill Country region of the U.S. state of Texas. During the flooding, water levels along the Guadalupe River rose rapidly. As a result, at least 135 people were killed, at least 117 of them in Kerr County. The flooding was caused by a mesoscale convective vortex with enhanced tropical moisture. Flooding began on the morning of July 4, after significant rainfall accumulated across Central Texas. Six flash flood emergencies, which included the cities of Kerrville and Mason, were issued the same day. The Guadalupe River rose about 26 ft (8 m) in 45 minutes, surging an estimated 29 ft (8.8 m) in the Hunt area, where more than 20 children were declared missing from a summer camp. July 5 saw more flash flood warnings for the Burnet County, Texas area, Williamson County, Texas area, Travis County, Texas area including Lake Travis, which is part of the Colorado River watershed, and the lower San Gabriel River (Texas). The worst effected area in NW Travis County was the Sandy Creek neighborhood, which saw devastating damage in the wake of the floods. A total of 9 people died in Travis County, 3 in Williamson County, and 5 in Burnet County. In the span of a few hours, the equivalent of four months worth of rain fell across the Texas Hill Country region, with the highest rain totals being 20.33 in (516 mm). The flood was the deadliest inland flooding event in the United States since the 1976 Big Thompson River flood, surpassing flooding from Hurricane Helene in 2024. On July 12, the Weather Prediction Center declared a moderate risk for the same area in Central Texas, with the potential for significant to major flash flooding. Throughout the overnight hours of July 12 into the next day, several flash flood warnings were issued, including a flash flood emergency for San Saba County. The resulting additional rainfall caused the Lampasas River to rise over 30 ft (9.1 m). After the disaster, Texas governor Greg Abbott signed a disaster declaration for several counties in Central Texas, and U.S. president Donald Trump signed a federal disaster declaration for Kerr County. Over 2,000 volunteers arrived in Kerr County to help with the search and rescue. Numerous firefighter and search and rescue teams from around the U.S. scoured the Guadalupe River for survivors and victims. Various organizations responded to the area with food, equipment and manpower. Kerr County did not have a dedicated flood warning system, despite prior proposals from local officials citing the area's high flood risk. For National Flood Insurance Program purposes administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the floodplain or special flood hazard area is defined as the area that would be flooded by a base flood which "has a one percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year", also known as a 100-year flood. The 2011 Kerr County flood insurance rate map showed Camp Mystic, a Christian girls' summer camp, as being in a special flood hazard area. However, following various appeals from the camp, several buildings were removed from the hazard area, as the camp continued to operate and expanded in and around the flood plain.