Texas misses flood-reform recommendations

KERR COUNTY, Texas — Kerr County residents told Houston Public Media on July 8 that they feel more prepared for disasters than they did before the July 4, 2025 floods, even as state lawmakers have yet to enact some of the policy changes recommended after the disaster. The July 2025 flooding killed more than 100 people in Kerr County, according to Houston Public Media’s reporting on the anniversary coverage. (houstonpublicmedia.org) Local rebuilding and mutual-aid efforts have continued over the past year, including new warning infrastructure and private fundraising for victims. State action, however, has centered more on emergency deployments and local system upgrades than on the training and oversight changes raised after legislative review. (communityimpact.com) ### What has changed in Kerr County since the floods? Houston Public Media reported on July 8 that residents in some of the hardest-hit Guadalupe River neighborhoods said they had taken practical steps to prepare for future flooding and still planned to remain in their communities. (houstonpublicmedia.org) The outlet said that, even after seeing the river swell during the 2025 disaster, some residents cited neighborhood ties and familiarity with river conditions as reasons for staying. On June 29, Houston Public Media also reported that the Upper Guadalupe River Authority and Kerr County rolled out a flood warning system update one year after the disaster. That update came alongside continued questions about who would be responsible for operating the system. (houstonpublicmedia.org) ### Where did the money for recovery go? The Central Texas Community Foundation said in a one-year impact report released July 1 that it generated $9.4 million in donations for people affected by the July 2025 floods. Community Impact reported that the Round Rock-based nonprofit detailed its fundraising and support efforts in the year since the flooding hit the Hill Country. (houstonpublicmedia.org) That figure offers one of the clearest measures of the local response outside government. Community Impact attributed the number to the foundation’s report and said the money was raised to support those affected by the floods. ### Which reforms have not been carried out? (houstonpublicmedia.org) Hill Country News reported that state lawmakers had not addressed recommendations on emergency-coordinator training and volunteer vetting a year after the floods, despite hearings and proposals following the disaster. The outlet said those recommendations emerged after reviews of the emergency response. Houston Public Media reported separately on June 18 that a report heading to Texas leaders cited emergency planning failures before the 2025 flood at Camp Mystic in Kerr County, including the absence of written emergency plans and problems with evacuation and reunification. (communityimpact.com) That reporting added detail to the broader debate over what procedural fixes were still pending. ### What has Governor Greg Abbott done instead? Governor Greg Abbott said on June 15 that he directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to activate additional state emergency response resources as flood threats continued across large parts of Texas. The governor’s office said the state also moved to 24-hour operations at the State Emergency Operations Center to support local requests. (hillcountrynews.com) Abbott’s office said on June 2 and June 11 that he had also ordered state resources mobilized ahead of separate storm and flood threats earlier in the month. Those state actions included rescue capacity, operational support and other emergency assets tied to active weather threats. (houstonpublicmedia.org) ### What is still being built or decided? Houston Public Media reported on July 2 that Kerr County had new flood sirens, but that the activation plan remained a work in progress. The report said leaders had promised major changes after the 2025 flood and that questions remained a year later about how some of the new warning tools would be used in practice. The next concrete milestones are local implementation decisions. (gov.texas.gov) Kerr County and the Upper Guadalupe River Authority are still defining operating responsibility for the warning system, while state officials continue to use the Texas Division of Emergency Management and the State Emergency Operations Center for flood response during the 2026 threat period. (houstonpublicmedia.org 1) (houstonpublicmedia.org 2) (gov.texas.gov)