Why It Matters
Severe flooding in Texas’s Hill Country has displaced hundreds of residents and damaged critical housing stock, with water still moving downstream toward vulnerable communities. The scale of destruction—particularly to owner-occupied homes—signals a lengthy recovery process for Kerr County and raises concerns about compounding disaster risk as another tropical system approaches the Texas coast.
What Happened
Governor Greg Abbott visited Kerrville on Monday following an aerial survey of flood-damaged areas across Kerr County. The swift-moving floodwater destroyed or caused heavy damage to 135 homes, with an additional 490 homes sustaining damage. About 100 businesses in the county also suffered damage.
The Guadalupe River crested at 37.08 feet in Comfort before receding to approximately 5 feet downstream. Abbott cautioned that the subsiding water levels in Kerr County do not indicate the threat has fully passed, noting that water aggregation flowing downstream could still pose hazards to communities further south.
The flooding proved more severe than the Hill Country’s previous major flood event in July 2025, though that earlier disaster resulted in a higher death toll. Abbott stated that “the majority of impacted residents are owner-occupied single-family homes indicating a substantial need for long-term housing, recovery, repair and rebuilding assistance.”
By the Numbers
135 — homes destroyed or heavily damaged in Kerr County
490 — total homes damaged in Kerr County
100 — businesses damaged in Kerr County
37.08 feet — peak height of Guadalupe River in Comfort
5 feet — current Guadalupe River level downstream
Zoom Out
Texas’s Hill Country region has experienced repeated major flooding in recent years, with July 2025 marking a severe flood event that claimed numerous lives across the state. The recurring nature of these disasters reflects broader patterns of intense precipitation and flooding affecting Texas communities, stressing the need for sustained disaster response and long-term recovery infrastructure. Texas has mobilized shelters and emergency response efforts following the latest event, while the Hill Country faces another major flood within a year, displacing residents once again.
What’s Next
Downstream communities including Cotulla, Tilden, and Carrizo Springs face continued flooding risk as water moves through river systems. Abbott warned that clearing skies in Kerr County should not be mistaken for an end to the flooding threat. A tropical system developing in the Gulf is expected to reach the Texas coast Friday morning, potentially compounding flooding challenges across the state.