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, including at least one camp that's evacuated its campers from the area.
Many summer camps in the area have taken additional precautions this year after last July's catastrophic flooding along the Guadalupe River killed at least 139 people — including 25 campers and two counselors — at Christian girls camp Camp Mystic. The fallout prompted lawmakers to approve new safety requirements and invest in expansive weather monitoring infrastructure.
Camp La Jita, a Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas overnight camp in Uvalde County located on the banks of the Sabinal River, evacuated their 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.
At least one person had died from the flooding as of Thursday afternoon.
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.
"Right now, I am informed that none of those camps are facing any type of danger," he said.
He also said he was told that the reported death was not a camper.
Laura Hodges, director of Kickapoo Kamp For Girls near Kerrville, said the camp is not in danger as cabins are on a hill along Turtle Creek, which flows into the Guadalupe. Still, each session of campers practice flash flooding drills, which involve meeting at a muster zone, accounting for each camper, and going up the hill in cabin groups. Kickapoo Kamp did not flood last year, she said.
"Everything is good here, it's a little bit worse than last year, but not as far as the kids go," she said.
At Camp Stewart for Boys in Hunt, staff are closely monitoring the weather, director Valarie Buihner said. The camp is located by the North Fork of the Guadalupe, which Buihner said "is not bad" as of Thursday morning. She said the camp's safety precautions can be found on their website.
Camp C.A.M.P., and overnight camp for children and adults with disabilities that sits along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, issued a popup message on their website stating that while travel to the area is not safe, everyone at the camp is safe due to its location on the ridge 80-feet above the river.
Campers and staff will remain "safely sheltered in in their cabins" according to their Emergency Action Plan, the statement said. A spokesperson told KERA that there is "no risk of flooding" on the property.
Camp Honey Creek For Girls, which sits along a creek that feeds into the Guadalupe in Hunt, said they are following their "normal flood (and) rain precautions," which keep campers away from the creek in their cabins when there is lightning.
"We have plans, and then we're following through with them, just like we always do," said camp director Sandra Schmitt.
Dylan Duke is KERA's breaking news reporter. Got a tip? Email Dylan at dduke@kera.org.
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