Six months later, the ground is finally dry. But honestly, if you walk along the banks of the Guadalupe River today, you’ll see that things aren't back to normal. Not even close. We're looking at the Texas flooding latest news from a perspective of recovery, lawsuits, and a legislative scramble to make sure 2025 never happens again.
It was July 4th. A day for brisket and fireworks turned into a nightmare when the Guadalupe rose 26 feet in just 45 minutes. Basically, a wall of water caught everyone sleeping—literally.
The Current State of the Hill Country Recovery
As of January 2026, the death toll from that summer catastrophe has settled at a staggering 135 people. Most of that heartbreak happened in Kerr County. While the national news cameras have long since packed up, the "Revive Kerrville" initiative is still out there every single day. They’re fixing roofs. They’re replacing fences that just vanished.
You’ve got volunteers like Ryan Welch from Texans on Mission still coordinating repairs for families who didn't have the "right" insurance. Because here is the thing: many of these folks lived in areas that weren't even on the high-risk flood maps.
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- FEMA Denials: Only about 20% of disaster aid applications in Kerr County have been approved so far.
- The Missing: Heartbreakingly, two people—including an 8-year-old girl—are still missing six months later.
- Infrastructure: The bridge over Cow Creek on RM 1431 is back open, but many smaller crossings are still "sketchy" at best.
Why Texas Flooding Latest News is Dominating the Courts
People are angry. You can't blame them.
The most high-profile part of the Texas flooding latest news involves the legal battles surrounding Camp Mystic. If you haven't been following, 25 campers and two counselors lost their lives there when the river surged. Now, four separate lawsuits are moving through the system.
The families are alleging negligence. They want to know why there was no warning. They want to know why the camp expanded into areas that were historically prone to water, even if the "official" maps had been changed.
On the flip side, the camp’s attorney, Mikal Watts, argues that the tragedy was an unpredictable "1,000-year event." He's pointed to the fact that even the National Weather Service struggled to pinpoint exactly where that tropical moisture would dump.
Legislation and the $300 Million Promise
Governor Greg Abbott recently signed a massive package of flood protection bills. It’s a lot of money—nearly $300 million. Most of that is going into actual hardware. We’re talking about real-time sirens along the Guadalupe and the Llano rivers.
The goal is simple: no more "silent" floods.
During the July disaster, some local officials admitted they were literally asleep or out of town when the water hit. There was no automated system to wake people up. These new laws are supposed to bridge that gap by 2027.
What the Weather Experts are Saying Now
Forecasters at the National Weather Service in Austin and San Antonio are keeping a very close eye on the Gulf. While January 2026 has started off relatively dry, there’s this "weather whiplash" everyone is scared of.
We just came out of a severe drought in early 2025, and then—boom—the deadliest inland flooding in U.S. history since 1976.
The ground in the Hill Country is unique. It’s mostly limestone and thin soil. When it rains 20 inches in a few hours, the ground doesn't soak it up. It just acts like a slide, sending everything straight into the river basins.
Actionable Steps for Texans Right Now
If you live anywhere near a Texas waterway, "wait and see" isn't a strategy anymore.
- Check the iSTAT Tool: If you still have damage from the summer that hasn't been reported, use the Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool. It helps the state justify more federal funding.
- Look at the New Maps: NOAA is working on "Atlas 15," which will update rainfall frequency data. Don't rely on 10-year-old flood maps.
- Get a Weather Radio: Don't depend on your phone. If a cell tower goes down in a storm, your apps won't save you. A hand-cranked NOAA weather radio is about $30 and works when everything else fails.
- Review Your Policy: Standard homeowners insurance almost never covers "rising water." You need a separate flood policy through the NFIP or a private carrier.
The landscape of the Hill Country has changed. The river is quiet for now, but the scars are everywhere—in the snapped cypress trees and the empty lots in Kerrville. Stay vigilant, because in Texas, the weather doesn't give you a second chance.