AUSTIN, Texas – Hundreds of homes and businesses were damaged by last week’s floods in the Texas Hill Country, and the danger is not over yet for towns downstream.
Read more Triple-digit heat, tropical storm to push Texas power grid to near record-high demand
What we know:
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said nearly 600 homes and 100 businesses were damaged or destroyed across Kerr, Kendall and Comal counties during the floods that killed two people. Abbott said the highest water level during the event was 37.8 feet on the Guadalupe River in Comfort, Texas, where one of the flood-related deaths happened.
State teams rescued at least 530 people during the worst of the floods, according to the governor.
“As the floodwaters are now receding in most of these areas, we are now transitioning into the process of the cleanup and the rebuilding,” Abbott said. “The state is working and will continue to work with local officials to expedite debris removal, as well as to accelerate the rebuilding process.”
A woman drives past vehicles and golf carts washed out of Buckhorn Lake Resort and onto the shoulder of the Interstate 10 frontage road near Goat Creek Road by flooding, July 17, 2026. (Sara Diggins/The Austin American-Statesman / Getty Images)
What’s next:
However, as the rebuilding begins in areas hit hard last week, concerns remain for areas downstream. Abbott said he is extremely concerned about the towns of Carrizo Springs and Cotulla.
“Both are facing very serious challenges right now, and we urge great caution by all the residents there, provide great support, to all the first responders and the local officials there because, we as a state and our local communities still have to get them through, the remaining challenges over the next 48 to 72, maybe even longer than that,” Abbott said.
Dig deeper:
Texas Department of Emergency Management Nim Kidd said his office is still investigating a barge that broke loose during the floods and slammed into a bridge in Kerrville.
Read more Heat advisory for Houston on Tuesday: What it means
“The equipment has been recovered and moved, and the bridge is being assessed right now,” Kidd said.
According to Kidd, the barge was being used to remove debris from last year’s catastrophic flooding in the Kerrville area.
When asked whether the barge was properly secured before the storm, Kidd said conversations need to happen.
“Yeah, it’s a private company that owns that,” Kidd said. “We need to ask the company if they are going to do something different next time.”
Related
Tropical Depression 2 strengthening in Gulf as it heads toward Texas
Southeast Texas is facing a heightened threat of tropical weather later this week, as a developing system in the northeastern Gulf is projected to march toward the Texas coast.
Looking Ahead:
Even as recovery begins from the most recent floods, officials are already looking ahead to what could be coming to the region later this week.
A tropical storm forming in the Gulf of America is forecast to be in Texas by this weekend, and that could lead to heavy rainfall moving over some waterlogged areas.
Read more Judge issues temporary restraining order in Paramount – Warner Bros. merger