Texas Ignored Flood Warning System Funding for a Decade, Leaving Families Vulnerable

In Kerr County, Texas, tragedy struck on the Fourth of July when a sudden flash flood claimed at least 120 lives, including dozens of young campers. Yet this catastrophe was not unforeseeable — for more than a decade, state and local agencies failed to seize an affordable opportunity to install a flood warning system designed to save lives. How Did We Let Safety Take a Back Seat? The proposed system near Camp Mystic would have cost just around $1 million—roughly equivalent to what Kerr County spends every two years on courthouse security or only 1.5% of its annual budget. This...