Almost exactly a year after the Guadalupe River killed more than 130 people in Kerr County, the Texas Hill County is flooding again with force. This week’s flood storms forced hundreds of rescues and left South Central Texas facing a life-threatening catastrophic flood.
Five Days, Two Feet of Rain
Unfortunately, the rain fell for five straight days, from Monday, July 13, through Friday, July 17. In the hardest-hit parts of Uvalde and Kerr counties, up to 28 inches of rain were measured, which is around 2.5 feet. Most of it landed over northern Uvalde County, but the effects spread across the entire region.
By Wednesday night, the ground couldn’t take any more. Since dry, sun-baked soil doesn’t absorb heavy rain well, most of the water ran straight off the hills and into the rivers. Resultantly, the Guadalupe River rose into major flood stage near Kerrville and Comfort.
Moreover, the Llano River did the same downstream. It dropped below moderate flood stage at Junction, then rose again and hit major flood stage at Mason by Friday evening. At one point, analysts measured the Llano moving at more than 60,000 cubic feet per second, which isfast enough to turn a normally calm river into something genuinely dangerous. Even Lake Travis, near Austin, felt the effect. Officials said it was close to 100 percent full for the first time in years.
Why This Region Floods So Often
The Texas Hill Country floods more than most places for a simple reason. Its ground and shape make it that way. Ultimately, thin soil sits on top of limestone rock, and the land is cut through with steep hills and narrow creek beds.
So, when heavy rain falls here, rather than soaking the rainwater into the ground, it runs off fast, and rivers can rise by several feet in an hour. This part of Central Texas is known among meteorologists as Flash Flood Alley, which is one of the most flood-prone regions in the country.
That same terrain turned deadly last July (2025), when the Guadalupe River rose about 26 feet in under an hour overnight, catching sleeping campers and residents off guard. More than 139 people died, most of them in Kerr County. This week’s flooding was still serious, but people had more warning this time, and that appears to have made a real difference.
The Damage and the Response
Officials have confirmed two deaths so far. 65-year-old John Mark Steward of Kerrville, who was swept away while trying to move an RV overnight, and one other victim. A major disaster was declared across 28 counties.
On the other hand, the rescue numbers show how serious the flooding got. Rescue workers carried out more than 147 rescues and led 89 evacuations, pulling people from flooded cars and homes. Aviation crews flew supplies into Kerr County camps that were completely cut off by high water. Fortunately, the campers remained safe, but flooded roads kept regular deliveries from reaching them for days.
Moreover, the flooding also damaged basic infrastructure. More than 1,000 homes and businesses lost power across Gillespie, Kerr, and Kendall counties. In this emergency state, Kerrville‘s water treatment plant went offline, and the city administration asked residents to limit water use while crews worked on repairs. Moreover, in Uvalde, a bridge collapsed, and the main U.S. 90 highway was shut down for several days before reopening as the water went down.
However, there was one clear success story. After last year’s floods, Kerr County installed new emergency sirens along the Guadalupe River to warn campers if the water started rising fast. This week was the first real test for these infrastructural rearrangements. Fortunately, all of these sirens worked except one, which worked after a five-minute delay. But during floods, each second counts.
How This Compares to 2025
People in the Hill Country don’t need anyone to point out the comparison to last year. Last year’s flooding killed more than 100 people and left over 160 missing, with the flooded grounds of Camp Mystic near Hunt becoming the most well-known part of that disaster.
This year’s flooding covered a wider area of South Central Texas and hit the Nueces River basin hard as well, but thanks to earlier warnings and the new sirens, the death toll has stayed much lower so far.
How to Help
Precautionary measures should be taken at every level:
- Catch up with credible weather apps like the World Weather Online app (Android version or iOS version) to update yourself on the latest weather happenings.
- Look for local flood warnings periodically.
- Make an emergency kit containing water, food, an emergency light, and medical emergency items.
Although by Friday afternoon, river levels were dropping in most places, flood warnings remained in effect as water continued to move downstream. For a region that has now flooded badly two summers in a row, the advice from officials and analysts hasn’t changed: watch the water, not the clock. If you see it rising on the road ahead of you, turn around.
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