Live updates: Flood recovery underway as rivers remain swollen across South Central Texas

Kerr County officials said Friday that there are no reports of anyone missing following this week's flooding, a sharp contrast to last year's devastating disaster.

Sheriff Larry Leitha said the county was better prepared for this flood event and that the new flood warning system, including its backup failsafe, performed as intended.

"The good news and the best news right now is that we don't have any reports of anybody missing, and I'm really proud of that," Leitha said. "So I think we're in really good shape."

Officials also outlined the extent of the damage. Kerr County Commissioner Tom Jones said six of the county's 19 bridges sustained major damage, though some have not yet been fully assessed because crews have not been able to safely reach them.

One person died in Kerr County after the mobile home he was in was swept away by floodwaters. State officials have confirmed a second flood-related death in Uvalde County, bringing the statewide death toll to two.

Flooding along the Nueces River has destroyed part of the FM 481 bridge southwest of Uvalde, cutting off a key connection between Uvalde and Eagle Pass.

The Texas Department of Public Safety said powerful floodwaters washed away a section of the bridge after days of heavy rain dropped as much as 20 inches in parts of Uvalde County. Images released by DPS show a large portion of the crossing missing.

Known locally as Old Eagle Pass Road, FM 481 is an important rural route linking U.S. 90 in Uvalde with U.S. 57 toward Eagle Pass. Its closure is expected to create lengthy detours for residents, ranchers, agricultural workers and commercial traffic.

While U.S. 90 through Uvalde has reopened after earlier flooding, officials warn that many roads across the region remain closed or damaged. Drivers are urged to obey barricades and avoid roads and bridges until they have been inspected and reopened by transportation officials.

TxDOT has not announced when the FM 481 bridge will be replaced.

Floodwaters continue moving downstream along the Nueces River Friday, creating dangerous conditions in Zavala County as communities brace for additional flooding.

Residents along Curtis Bourne Road near Crystal City have been told to evacuate after officials warned floodwaters are expected to reach homes in the area.

The Zavala County Sheriff's Office is also urging residents near the river, particularly in the Averhoff Landing and Chula Vista subdivisions, to prepare for possible flooding as water levels continue to rise.

The National Weather Service forecasts major flooding near Asherton, southwest of Crystal City. Forecasters warn the river could spread more than a mile wide, inundating Farm-to-Market Road 190 and making Highway 85 impassable.

Officials urge residents to monitor updates from the Zavala County Sheriff's Office, follow evacuation instructions if issued, and never drive through flooded roadways.

Storms once again struck parts of Central and West Texas overnight Thursday into Friday morning, leading to more flash flood warnings in areas that have already experienced torrential rainfall over the past week.

Kerr, Edwards, Real, Crockett, Schleicher, Sutton and Mason counties were among the areas under flash flood warnings Friday morning, according to the National Weather Service. Multiple rivers in Texas, including the Guadalupe, Pedernales, Nueces, Rio Grande, San Antonio, Llano and Frio rivers were also under flood warnings.

Friday's additional rainfall risk comes after it was confirmed two people died in floods that struck the Kerrville and Uvalde areas. Thursday's flooding led to evacuations, hundreds of rescues, and damage to roads and buildings.

Some cities in Texas, including Ingram, Uvalde and Kerrville, have seen more than 20 inches of rain between Monday and Thursday, according to preliminary NWS data.

Read more about Friday's flood risk here.

Travis County Emergency Services is warning that flash flood emergencies along the Pedernales River could cause dangerous conditions in and around Lake Travis. Authorities said residents should stay away from fast-moving or debris-filled water “for the next couple of days.”

“Swimming at Reimers Ranch Park is NOT recommended due to all the rain upriver,” Travis County Emergency Services said.

They urged “extreme caution” if boating, and said to avoid any flooded roads, boat ramps, parks or low-water crossings.

Additionally, the Lower Colorado River Authority said it had begun opening floodgates at Wirtz Dam and at Starcke Dam, which would cause water to move downstream to Lake Travis and cause high flow conditions.

“LCRA projects Lake Travis will rise to between 680 and 681 feet above mean sea level through Friday. Additional inflows could cause the lake to rise into its flood pool,” LCRA said.

Gov. Greg Abbott and top Texas emergency management officials had a clear message for Texans on Thursday evening: Life threatening flooding remains a risk throughout South Central Texas.

"We are not out of this scenario yet," said Nim Kidd, citing forecasts predicting an additional 10 to 15 inches of rain over already flooded areas — and new ones to the north and west of Kerrville.

Over the next 24 hours, Abbott said Uvalde and Johnson City are at the most risk overnight.

"The people in that area need to be very cautious," Abbott said.

The governor and other officials stressed the need to stay off the road for people in flooded areas.

He also confirmed that there have been two deaths as a result of the floods: A man near Comfort died after he was swept away in an RV, and another man died after he was swept away while driving north of Uvalde.

More than 2,000 emergency responders are currently working across the impacted areas, where they've undertaken more than 230 rescues so far.

Abbott added that while they aren't seeing the same type of flood like in Kerrville last year, he's making sure to keep in contact with the summer camps that are currently in session.

Dozens of high-water rescues and evacuations have the mayor of Kerrville counting his blessings. Mayor Joe Herring said during a press conference that Thursday's flooding was a regional event and that timely, accurate warnings saved lives.

“We were blessed in Kerr County with warnings, and I'm thankful that those warnings saved lives,” said Herring. “Having to be in front of you again so soon after last year's (July 4) flood is hard, but I'm thankful for the team of the City of Kerrville, who is working hard to protect the citizens of Kerrville.”

More than 20 inches of rain fell in the Kerrville area over the past two days, including at least 8 inches that fell within a two-hour period overnight. That flooding caused creeks and rivers to swell.

Town Creek, Quinlan Creek and Dietert Creek, and the Guadalupe River, overflowed and flooded significant portions of Kerr County, according to the city’s police chief.

“We urge everybody in the community, please avoid flooded roadways, turn around, go back, stay away from low water crossings. They're dangerous. We don't want people getting hurt,” said Chief Jerel Haley.

Nearly 50 evacuations of residences and rescues were conducted, Haley said.

“A large number of the people who were (rescued) were people who had driven into high-water areas that they should have never gone into, and so a lot of the evacuations were just us assisting those drivers and passengers to get out of those vehicles and get to safety,” he said.

Kerville Public Works Director David Barrera said a water plant continues to remain offline but that there are no issues with water pressure.

“Our surface water plant is currently offline due to river conditions and loss of power. However, we've transitioned over to our groundwater wells. We don't have any issues right now with the system pressure. We've been able to maintain at least 20 psi (pounds per square inch), and have not had to issue any boil water notice, and don't anticipate that either,” he said.

Heavy rains and flood warnings are expected to continue Thursday night and into Friday.

Former Kerrville Mayor Judy Eychner watched the Guadalupe River rage Thursday afternoon as flooding pummeled the town where she’s lived for 35 years.

“You just wonder how so much water can get in one place at one time,” she said.

Eychner served as the Hill Country city’s leader from 2022-24. After last year, she’s no stranger to severe flooding in this area. But this time was different, she said. The water came steadily for days.

“It just doesn’t stop,” she said. “Last year, it was like a tsunami and came so quickly.”

Though Eychner’s home is elevated on a hill, water still made its way inside this morning, she said. But she was most worried about all the pieces of Kerrville that had only just begun to recover from the tragic flooding of a year ago — like the trees, now even more stooped from the pressure of wind and water, and many of the homes and businesses located upstream.

“They’re ruined again,” she said. “They will have to start all over again.”

Eychner said she fears that the back-to-back floods will mean fewer people send their children to camp in the area and fewer people make Kerrville their home. However, she was cautiously optimistic that improved warning systems, including the “CodeRed” alerts that pinged her phone throughout the night, had saved lives this year.

“From that standpoint, we're fortunate. We are blessed that things have taken place that will prevent that kind of loss of life,” she said. “But it is going to hurt.”

First responders rescued more than 30 people along the Pedernales River in the early morning hours on Thursday as floodwaters surged through the area near Fredericksburg.

Sean Doerre, director of communications for the city of Fredericksburg, said fire and EMS personnel made the rescues as the Pedernales rose nearly 24 feet between 5 and 9 a.m.

Doerre said the brunt of those rescues occurred by an RV park near the river off Highway 16 along the Pedernales.

“Our crews were on the ground and when those floodwaters started to come up, they went door to door in that RV park, getting people awake, getting them out of their homes, out of their RVs and moving them to higher ground,” Doerre said. “A couple of rescues occurred from cars getting stranded and then some residential areas that quickly got surrounded by water and they couldn't get out.”

Doerr said state partners helped provide air support and swift boats to areas that local ground crews could not reach.

Stretches of Gillespie County saw between 15 and 20 inches of rain early Thursday morning and forecasters say those areas could see more rain overnight. The National Weather Service expects some scattered showers Thursday night that could impact already-soggy soil and trigger more flooding.

Doerre said officials are especially worried about the communities of Tivydale, Doss and Harper, which were the hardest hit on Thursday morning. He’s urging people to stay off roadways if they can Thursday night and Friday morning.

“Unfortunately, this event is not over for us yet,” Doerre said. “But on the positive side, so far, we have no injuries or no fatalities to report in Gillespie County.”

The area, which was previously under a flood emergency, is now under a flash flood warning until 8 p.m.

Michelle Brown and her coworker were passing through Kerrville in an 18-wheeler early Thursday when rain intensified outside their truck. The pair were on their way to Humble, Texas, hauling a load from California, she said.

When Brown’s partner attempted to pull over to safety, the truck was pulled into the rising waters of a nearby creek.

“I don’t know exactly where it was at,” Brown said, “but it was very scary. We went underwater.”

Brown said she could see other stranded vehicles nearby — including what appeared to be a fire and rescue vehicle. She said first responders saw them and came to their aid.

“We were inside the truck, and then they had us tie the rope around [ourselves],” she said. “Then they pulled us to the other side. And we were underwater the whole time.”

Brown said a tree struck her side while the emergency workers pulled her from the truck, so she and her partner were taken to the hospital.

By early this afternoon, she was waiting in a Kerrville hotel lobby, still wearing hospital scrubs, waiting to try to get a room. Physically, she felt okay, though the condition of her 18-wheeler was less certain. When the weather is safe, a wrecker will come out to retrieve the truck and survey the damage, she said.

But Brown doesn’t expect the ordeal to slow her down for long.

“We keep on trucking,” she said. “Don’t no rainstorm stop us. We get back on the road and keep on going.”

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller declared an agricultural emergency Thursday, activating state resources to help producers recover as flooding continued to damage farms and ranches across Central and South Texas.

The declaration opens the Texas Department of Agriculture's Hay and Feed Hotline to coordinate donations, activates the privately funded State of Texas Agriculture Relief Fund to help cover uninsured agricultural losses such as fencing and livestock disposal, and increases outreach for the AgriStress Helpline, which provides mental health support and connects producers with disaster assistance.

Miller said it's too early to estimate losses because many flooded areas remain inaccessible, but he expects the damage will rival last July’s Hill Country floods.

"I think it's going to be comparable. I really do," Miller told The Texas Newsroom. "I think the magnitude of the floods is just as bad."

Officials in Kendall County say nearly 200,000 cubic feet of water per second came through the Guadalupe River on Thursday morning during the storms.

“Fortunately, like last year, we suffered no loss of life,” said Donnell Evans, a supervisor with Kendall County Road and Bridge. “Property damage and damage to roads and bridges are prevalent throughout the county.”

With more rain expected and significant amounts of water on the ground, Evans says they haven’t been able to do a full assessment of the damage at this point.

Evacuation centers in the county held around 68 residents at one point. A second wave of flooding waters is expected to flow toward Kendall County this afternoon.

The NWS extended a flash flood warning in parts of Kerr County until 7 p.m., including the cities of Hunt, Ingram and Kerrville. A flood warning means that flash flooding is actively occurring in the area. Residents are urged to immediately seek higher ground and avoid walking or driving into floodwaters.

Several other flash flood warnings remain in effect throughout the region. That includes the Guadalupe River from Center Point to Bergheim until 3:30 p.m.; the Pedernales River in Central Blanco County and Southern Gillespie County until 4:30 p.m.; and Uvalde County until 4:15 p.m.

Gillespie County Judge Daniel Jones issued a disaster declaration Thursday morning. Jones told KUT News he filed the declaration at 9 a.m. as the Pedernales River reached near-historic highs after overnight and early morning flooding.

The declaration allows the county to more quickly take advantage of relief and recovery funding from the state. Ahead of the life-threatening flooding, Gov. Greg Abbott issued state disaster declarations on Wednesday for 59 counties in the path of the slow-moving front which has dumped 20 inches of rain on stretches of the Hill Country since Monday evening.

Youth summer camps across South Central Texas and the Hill Country are responding to heavy rainfall that triggered life-threatening flash flooding across the region Thursday morning.

Camp La Jita, a Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas overnight camp in Uvalde County — located on the banks of the Sabinal River — evacuated its campers Tuesday when the flood warnings began, spokesperson Gia Calucci said.

The decision was part of the camp's updated flood plan developed following last year's floods.

In a press conference Thursday, Gov. Greg Abbott said the brunt of the flooding is hitting areas downstream of Kerrville, while most of the summer camps are located upstream.

Read more from KERA News

The city of Kerrville's police department said on Facebook that most of the high waters had receded but told residents to continue sheltering in place unless they absolutely needed to be on the roads.

“You can help us by staying off the streets and allowing first responders to work,” the Kerrville Police Department said. “There is a lot of people driving around to take a look and that is not helpful. Please stay home unless your travel is urgent.”

The city also reiterated its call to conserve water in light of a water line break on the Arcadia Loop bridge near the Guadalupe River. The city says crews are working to restore water to residents in the area.

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The city’s public utility says that nearly 1,800 customers are without power, but crews are working to restore service. However, the utility said, hazardous conditions may prevent crews from accessing certain neighborhoods

“We are hopeful that we can restore power today wherever conditions permit,” the Kerrville Public Utility Board said. “However, customers in flooded or otherwise inaccessible areas should be prepared for extended outages, particularly if floodwaters remain high or additional damage is discovered.”

Residents in need of shelter should go to Calvary Temple Church.

The National Weather Service reported that between 20 and 25 inches of rainfall had occurred in areas of South-Central Texas between Monday evening and late Thursday morning.

“Thunderstorms were very slow moving and produced locally heavy rainfall rates of 2-4"/hour that produced flash and river flooding, which led to a flash flood emergency,” the NWS said in an update.

Preliminary measurements show more than 19 inches of rainfall in Kerrville and more than 21 inches in Uvalde. The greatest concentration was around Knippa, Texas, a small community near Uvalde, where more than 26 inches had fallen.

NWS said estimates will be updated every 12 hours.

Organizations across Texas have started mobilizing in response to the flash flood emergencies in the Texas Hill Country. Here’s how you can support:

• Donations to Mercy Chefs, which provides hot meals for affected communities, support families, emergency crews and volunteers. 
• The Community Foundation of the Hill Country has set up a relief fund for nonprofits and civic organizations in need of assistance.
• Youth Peace & Justice Foundation, founded after the Uvalde school shooting, opened a fund today for families affected by flash floods in Bexar and Uvalde counties. You can donate here.
• Austin Pets Alive started organizing a response to the flood July 14. You can support their work by adopting or fostering pets or by donating. Funds are used for personal protective equipment and triage supplies as their teams work in disaster areas to help animals. 
• The American Red Cross told KXAN they are sending resources to Uvalde County. You can donate here.

The Lower Colorado River Authority plans to open multiple floodgates on Thursday following severe flooding in the Texas Hill Country.

At 12:07 p.m., the LCRA said floodgates at the Wirtz Dam and Starcke Dam would open later in the day.

"Flows will be fast and water levels will be higher than usual downstream of the dams. Take action to protect people and property," the agency said.

The LCRA cautioned residents that the situation is dynamic and may change as the rain continues or water flow fluctuates.

The agency also urged people to take precautionary measures, avoid unnecessary travel and avoid flooded roadways if traveling.

At least one person has died in dangerous overnight flooding that prompted evacuations and damaged homes, schools and roads in the Hill Country.

Gov. Greg Abbott said Thursday that officials were working to confirm additional details about the victim.

As of Wednesday, more than 1,300 people helped respond to the floods that hit a wide swath of Texas, Abbott said. More than 70 people have been rescued.

Abbott said flooding of the Guadalupe River was more severe downstream from Kerrville than upstream, where many summer camps are located.

"Right now, I am informed that none of those camps are facing any type of danger," he said at an 11 a.m. press conference on Thursday.

The area around Comfort, Texas, is experiencing the brunt of the flooding, Abbott said.

Lawmakers are pointing to the impact of legislation passed in the aftermath of the July 2025 floods as the Hill Country once again sees major flooding.

After more than 130 people died last year, the state Legislature passed measures to tighten safety for youth camps, fund flood warning sirens, expand weather monitoring infrastructure and invest hundreds of millions of dollars in flood mitigation and disaster preparedness.

State Sen. Charles Perry, a Lubbock Republican who authored several of the Legislature's flood-related measures, said some of the quickest changes came through new safety requirements for youth camps.

"One of the parents actually texted me and said the kids are safer today because of that bill," Perry said.

State Sen. Paul Bettencourt wrote on social media Thursday that flood warning sirens were used in Kerr County this morning due to heavy rainfall, which he said “gave those that heard them and others downstream notice to get to higher ground immediately.”

Perry also noted that the state's flood response should be viewed as a long-term effort built over multiple legislative sessions.

Video of the Guadalupe River taken around 9 a.m. in Comfort, Texas, shows floodwaters brushing treetops.

Residents in the Hill Country shared what they were seeing Thursday morning as flooding continued.

Stuart Gross, the code enforcement officer in Ingram, told Houston Public Media the damage is more significant than the catastrophic July 4 floods that hit the area last year.

“My neighborhood, I've lived there a long, long, long, long time. I've never seen it flood. It flooded today,” Gross said. “It was crazy.”

Former Fredericksburg Mayor Tim Crenwelge also said the flooding is worse than what he experienced last year.

“The water came up, but not at this height,” he said, referring to last year. “It's just unbelievable, but if everybody heeded to the warning signs and got out, I don't think we'll see the deaths. But destruction, it could be there again."

Christian Blood, who lives outside of Kerrville, says the threat of tornadoes prompted him to seek shelter.

“What led me to get my family out of our home and go to a parking garage in Kerrville was multiple late night and/or early morning tornado warnings in Uvalde,” he said.

Major flooding pushed the Pedernales River in Fredericksburg to 34 feet just before 10 a.m. Thursday, according to the Lower Colorado River Authority. That’s the highest flood stage since June of 1979, according to the National Weather Service. Forecasters say the river could crest at nearly 35 feet later this morning, according to an NWS forecast just before 10 a.m.

The river’s banks jumped from just 9 feet at 4 a.m. Thursday to nearly 33 feet in just five hours.

The NWS is cautioning residents to seek higher ground in affected areas along both the Guadalupe and Pedernales rivers and said the rivers will likely have “multiple crests” on Thursday, meaning the water levels could subside briefly before another surge of floodwater.

“This can create a false sense of security, as rivers are likely to experience a brief recession before the next flood wave arrives,” the NWS said on social media.

The Austin Fire Department told KUT News it sent one swift boat team and two members of its Helicopter Search and Rescue Team to assist Kerrville after potentially catastrophic overnight flooding in the Hill Country along the Guadalupe River.

The city of Kerrville is encouraging residents to reduce water use as a precaution after issues at its water plant. The city said it has switched to groundwater well sites to maintain supply.

The city said in its Facebook post at 7:07 a.m. that there were no issues with the water supply, and that the conservation request was a preventative measure.

Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly has signed a local disaster declaration, according to the county’s Facebook page. The declaration activates the county’s emergency management plan.

Kelly also sent a letter to Gov. Greg Abbott requesting further assistance.

“The impact of this threat has damaged local roads and sewer systems as well as flooded several homes, schools, and structures,” Kelly said. “I have determined that this incident is of such severity and magnitude that an effective response is beyond the capability of Kerr County to control.”

Kelly asked Abbott to declare a state of emergency for the county.

National Weather Service officials say a “deadly” wave of floodwater is heading down the Pedernales River near Fredericksburg. The agency said flash flooding is already occurring and urged residents to seek higher ground immediately just after 8:40 a.m. The river topped out at more than 31 feet Thursday morning near Fredericksburg and is “rapidly rising,” the NWS said.

The emergency is in effect until 4:30 p.m. Thursday.

The affected area includes parts of the Pedernales in Gillespie and Blanco counties. Affected cities include Fredericksburg, Johnson City, Stonewall, Blumenthal, Rocky Hill, Luckenbach, Cain City, LBJ State Park, Albert, Hye, Rocky Creek, Tivydale, Pedernales Falls State Park, Harper and LBJ National Historical Park.

“This is an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation,” the service said.

There are multiple flash flood emergencies in effect across the region, a rare designation reserved for “severe threat to human life” and expected “catastrophic damage,” according to the National Weather Service.

A flash flood emergency is active for central Kerr County, including Kerrville and Hunt, until 3 p.m. The NWS said at 7:31 a.m. that between 4 and 12 inches of rain have fallen, with 1 to 2 inches more possible.

A flash flood emergency for Uvalde County continues until 4:15 p.m. The National Weather Service said at 8:23 a.m. that between 10 and 20 inches of rain had fallen over the past 48 to 60 hours, with 2 to 4 inches more possible.

There is also a flash flood emergency for the Guadalupe River between Center Point and Bergheim until 11:30 a.m.

Calvary Temple Church is now open as an emergency shelter for flood evacuees, Kerr County announced in a Facebook post.

The church is located at 3000 TX-534 Loop in Kerrville. A separate shelter has opened in Ingram, a few miles northwest of Kerrville, at City West Church, located at 3139 Junction Highway.

In a 7:27 a.m. post, the city of Kerrville said that residents who live along Quinlan Creek, a waterway that flows into the Guadalupe River, should evacuate to higher ground.

A shelter-in-place order is in effect for the city of Kerrville, as of 4:12 a.m.

“Move to the highest safe level of your home or building. Do not travel unless absolutely necessary,” the city posted on its Facebook page.

City officials urged residents to avoid areas that typically flood, like low-water crossings.

The post also urged people to only call 911 for life-threatening emergencies.