The July 4 Floods in Texas Weren't a One-Off. They Were a Warning.

"On July 14 this past summer, I pulled up to the Kerrville Kroc Corps Community Center, dodging puddles and sinkholes from a recent thunderstorm in a town where the last thing needed was more rain. I was there as a volunteer to help people impacted by the worst flooding central Texas had seen since record-keeping began. Ten days prior, in the early hours of July 4, heavy thunderstorms in Kerr County led the Guadalupe River to rise 26 feet in less than 45 minutes."

"After walking inside the community center with my friend and her sister, we signed in as part of the disaster response volunteer group that focused on receiving and sorting donations, managing intake forms, shopping for specific needs and loading bundled donations into vehicles. As cogs in the wheel of efficiency that seems to only develop during times like this, we were given a quick tour of the community center before we were assigned specific roles."

"Born and raised in San Antonio and Hunt, Texas, I grew up playing in the Guadalupe River. To escape the summer heat, I spent countless hours exploring the water's unique limestone banks and bald cypress trees, scouting for spots to set up a folding chair or rope swing. To me, the river was an idyllic landscape for exploration. But the Guadalupe River is also unpredictable and powerful. The area's rocky, clay-like soil absorbs water poorly."

Heavy thunderstorms caused the Guadalupe River to rise 26 feet in under 45 minutes on July 4, killing at least 135 people, mostly in Kerr County. The disaster led to high-level fallout, including the resignation of the FEMA head and ongoing lawsuits. Volunteers at the Kerrville Kroc Corps Community Center sorted, packed, and distributed donations, identifying consistent needs such as sheets and shoes. The response revealed gaps in preparedness for future disasters. The Guadalupe River, while familiar and beloved, sits in terrain with rocky, clay-like soil that absorbs water poorly, making the area prone to flash floods.

Read at State of the Planet