Overview

• Rescue teams continue to scour debris-strewn riverbanks after the record flood, focusing on body recovery and searches for missing residents and campers.
• The Texas Legislature has formed bipartisan committees and scheduled a July 23 hearing in Austin to review proposals for automated flood sirens and enhanced alert systems.
• Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and other officials have backed sirens that trigger automatically at set water levels, though researchers stress they must supplement cellphone alerts, signage and community outreach.
• National Weather Service push alerts on July 4 failed to provide adequate lead time, prompting calls for a multi-channel approach to warn both locals and out-of-town visitors.
• Hydrologists attribute the flood’s destructive surge—rising from under 8 feet to a record 37.52 feet in just over five hours—to heavy rain on limestone hills with thin soils that accelerated runoff into the Guadalupe basin.