5 questions about Texas’ new flood warning systems

1. What happened this week in Texas?

New storms triggered catastrophic flash floods in parts of Texas’ Hill Country, some of the same areas devastated by deadly floods in July 2025. At least two people died and hundreds needed rescue, though newly installed warning systems appear to have helped many residents evacuate in time.

2. How does this compare to last year’s disaster?

Last year’s floods killed 136 people, including 28 girls at a sleepaway camp, after officials missed opportunities to warn residents and were reluctant to order evacuations. This week’s storms served as an early test of the flood warning improvements made in the year since, showing both progress and remaining gaps in protecting a region known as Flash Flood Alley.

3. What improvements were made after last year’s floods?

Kerr County and the city of Kerrville issued wireless alerts this time, something they failed to do in 2025, while newly installed flood sirens sounded in Ingram and Kerr and Kendall counties. State Sen. Paul Bettencourt authored 2025 legislation funding the sirens, and 28 additional counties are now eligible for similar funding. Private companies like River Sentry and Hohonu have also stepped in, installing siren towers and water-level sensor technology along the Guadalupe River.

4. Did the new systems work for everyone?

No. National Weather Service alerts don’t always include the highly localized information that municipal and county alerts provide, and some areas, including Uvalde County and Batesville, reported receiving no local warnings before floodwaters arrived. Residents like Jaclyn Gonzales and Kat Sprawls said they only learned of the danger through phone calls from friends, not official alert systems.

5. What do officials say about the response so far?

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the state was far better prepared this year and that the improvements saved lives. Local officials, including Upper Guadalupe River Authority Manager Tara Bushnoe and Comfort Assistant Fire Chief Danny Morales, said their new sirens were used to warn residents to seek higher ground, though some people still resisted evacuating.

For more on this report, read “Texas Hill Country floods test new warning systems after last year’s deadly disaster” from The Associated Press, published on The Washington Times.