Since 2016, the subject of a “flood warning system” for Kerr County has come up at 20 completely different county commissioners’ conferences, based on minutes.
The thought for a system was first launched by Kerr County Commissioner Thomas Moser and Emergency Administration Coordinator Dub Thomas in March 2016.
Moser famous that neighboring counties had way more superior flood warning systems than Kerr County, “although that is most likely one of many highest flood-prone areas in the whole state.”
A downed signal is seen close to a crossing of the Guadalupe River after a flash flood swept by way of the realm, July 5, 2025, in Ingram, Texas.
Julio Cortez/AP
Kerr County’s current water monitoring mechanisms weren’t “flood management or flood warning techniques,” Thomas defined, including, “I believe we’d like a system that may be operated or managed by a centralized location.”
Following the March 2016 assembly, the flood warning system was mentioned at 10 extra commissioners’ conferences that yr. However after the county didn’t safe FEMA grant funding to implement the system, it appeared to fall off the agenda.
Bushes emerge from flood waters alongside the Guadalupe River on July 4, 2025, in Kerrville, Texas.
Eric Vryn/Getty Pictures
In a November 2020 dialogue of a brand new FEMA emergency alert program, Thomas famous, “We have been attempting to get a brand new Flood Warning System right here. We’ve not been in a position to do it.”
The final time commissioners talked about the flood warning system was in July 2021, meeting minutes present. However since then, different native authorities our bodies in Kerr County have mentioned the potential of a brand new flood warning system for the realm.
Officers comb by way of the banks of the Guadalupe River after a flash flood swept by way of the realm, July 5, 2025, in Hunt, Texas.
Julio Cortez/AP
In April, the Higher Guadalupe River Authority, a authorities physique that manages the watershed, convened a special meeting of its Board of Administrators. The board voted unanimously to pick out a agency known as Kisters “to develop a Flood Warning System in Kerr County.”
Assembly minutes present the corporate was slated to obtain a contract value as much as almost $73,000 as a part of the proposed system, the standing of which is at present unclear.
When the realm flooded on Friday, Ingram Metropolis Council Member Ray Howard obtained three flash flood alerts from the Nationwide Climate Service, however none from Kerr County authorities, he advised ABC Information.
“The river got here up so quick,” Howard mentioned. “There’s nothing you are able to do about that, however there needs to be early warning techniques to get one thing, a warning, sooner.”
Particles rests on a bridge over the Guadalupe River after a flash flood swept by way of the realm, July 5, 2025, in Ingram, Texas.
Julio Cortez/AP
Howard famous that cash has been a barrier to implementing such a system.
“We have to get funding for that,” he added, “for sirens or one thing that is going to assist out the neighborhood.”
However 2016 meeting minutes present there was additionally opposition to a flood warning system amongst some commissioners, with one saying, “the considered our stunning Kerr County having these rattling sirens going off in the midst of [the] night time, I’ll have to begin ingesting once more to place up with y’all.”
One other commissioner voted against submitting a grant software for the warning system, saying he thought “this complete factor is a bit extravagant for Kerr County.”
As a substitute, a number of county officers argued that the county’s informal system of “river calling” — primarily a telephone tree to warn camps of imminent flooding — was adequate.
Howard disagrees: “Clearly calling from one place to a different is not quick sufficient,” he advised ABC Information.
