The Texas Legislature has begun a critical examination of the catastrophic flash floods that devastated Central Texas earlier this month, with a first hearing held last week in Austin and a second scheduled for later this week in Kerrville — the epicenter of the tragedy.
The disaster, which claimed more than 130 lives across the Hill Country, including nearly 30 campers and counselors from Camp Mystic near Kerrville, has become one of the deadliest flooding events in Texas history. Two people in Kerr County remain missing.
The Joint Select Committee on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding, made up of House and Senate members, held its first session Wednesday to question state and local officials about the emergency response, flood warnings, and whether the devastating outcome could have been mitigated with better systems in place.
A 'Rain Bomb' With Little Warning
The hearing began with a sobering video presentation from meteorologist Pat Cavlin of KHOU, describing the unique weather event that triggered the catastrophe — a convergence of slow-moving thunderstorms and remnants of Tropical Storm Barry.
“This was like a mini tropical storm,” Cavlin explained. “A freak event, with localized, prolific heavy rain that funneled directly into the Guadalupe River system.”
Over a foot of rain fell within hours in a region with natural terrain that channels water rapidly. Flash flood watches were issued mid-afternoon on July 3. By 4:03 a.m. the next day, a flash flood emergency was declared for Kerr County. Just 17 minutes later, the Guadalupe River at Hunt surged past major flood stage.
“The wall of water that came down the Guadalupe gave people little time to react,” Cavlin said. “It was every worst-case scenario happening at once.”
TDEM Chief: 'We Are Responsible, But Not In Charge'
The bulk of the nearly six-hour hearing centered on Nim Kidd, head of the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM), who was grilled for nearly three hours on what the state knew — and when — about the storm’s severity.
Kidd said TDEM had been monitoring potential rainfall starting July 2, when initial forecasts predicted two to five inches in some areas. But by the time real danger materialized, it was too late for a large-scale coordinated warning or evacuation.
“On the morning of July 3, we saw a spike in calls,” Kidd said. “By 10 a.m., we’d received 468 inquiries.”
Despite sending boat squads to Kerr and Tom Green counties ahead of the storm, Kidd admitted there was no centralized system to guarantee local officials were receiving and acknowledging life-threatening weather updates from the National Weather Service.
“There is no system today that ensures every county judge, mayor, or emergency manager is getting the same real-time weather intelligence,” Kidd said, acknowledging the communication gap.
State Sen. Jose Menendez (D-San Antonio) pressed Kidd on whether TDEM had ensured local leaders in Kerr County were fully informed in the early hours of July 4.
“You see the problem with that?” Menendez asked. “I do,” Kidd responded.
Calls for Standardized Emergency Training
Senators also expressed concern over the lack of standardized training for local emergency managers, pointing out that unlike EMTs or firefighters, emergency coordinators can be appointed without formal certification.
“To be an emergency manager in Texas, you just need a signature,” Kidd admitted, calling for legislative reform.
Sen. Charles Schwertner (R-Georgetown) likened the urgency of disaster alerts to matters of national security: “You wake up the president during an attack. In this case, the county judge is the president — and we need to be sure they get the warning.”
River Authorities in the Hot Seat
The committee also turned its attention to river authority officials, who manage flood control infrastructure and alerts.
Tara Bushnell, general manager of the Upper Guadalupe River Authority (UGRA), detailed the group’s past efforts to improve flood warning systems, including a 2016 interlocal agreement with Kerr County and the City of Kerrville. But she conceded that while UGRA is not part of emergency response, the warning system’s stream gauge in Hunt was destroyed during the flood.
“We improvised a temporary gauge with salvaged parts,” Bushnell said, getting it back online by the evening of July 5.
David Collinsworth of the Brazos River Authority told lawmakers his group covers a massive region — 44,000 square miles across 72 counties — and uses social media to notify the public of flood releases.
But senators were skeptical that this was enough. Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston) asked whether it was time to reintroduce sirens as part of a layered alert system.
“If we’re trying to get that last ounce of attention during a flood,” Bettencourt said, “maybe it’s time to mix old-school sirens with new tech.”
Looking Ahead: Policy, Reform, and Relief
Wednesday’s hearing made clear that lawmakers are weighing serious legislative reforms in the aftermath of the Hill Country floods. Among the Senate’s top priorities this session are three still-unfiled bills that aim to:
Reform Texas’ disaster preparation protocols
Modernize and standardize emergency warning systems
Provide direct relief funding to flood-ravaged communities like Kerrville
The committee’s next stop is Kerrville on Thursday, July 31, where members are expected to hear directly from local officials and residents. Lawmakers are hoping the testimony will help shape a unified response and long-term plan to protect Texans from future flash flood disasters.
