KERR COUNTY, Texas – In the aftermath of the Guadalupe River flood that ravaged the Hill Country on July 4, claiming over 100 lives in Kerr County, questions are still mounting about the timeline of how local officials prepared and responded to the catastrophe.
More than 100 people died in Kerr County, including 27 children and counselors from Camp Mystic, an all-girls camp. As of Sunday, Aug. 3, two people remain missing.
Nearly a foot of rain fell in the area before sunrise on July 4, with residents, vacationers and campers saying they were caught off guard when a wall of water swept through the area.
Despite multiple warnings issued by the National Weather Service and state agencies, officials have said no one saw the potential flood coming.
The National Weather Service sent out a series of flash flood warnings in the early hours on Friday before issuing flash flood emergencies, a rare alert notifying of imminent danger.
“A very dangerous flash flooding event is ongoing across south-central Kerr County into northwest Bandera County, where 3-7 inches of rainfall has occurred the last 2-3 hours,” NWS Austin/San Antonio posted on X at 3:06 a.m. July 4. “Heavy rainfall continues in this area and a Flash Flood Warning is in effect.”
The 911 calls came shortly after, emergency call logs obtained by KSAT show.
During a joint state House and Senate committee hearing on July 31, three Kerr County leaders told lawmakers they were either asleep or out of town as the flooding unfolded.
As the community grapples with the devastation and seeks answers, the following timeline sheds light on the critical moments of one of Texas’ deadliest floods.
Leading up to the storm
- 5:47 p.m. Wednesday, July 2: Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) announces the agency activated state emergency response resources in anticipation of flooding in West and Central Texas.
- Morning of Thursday, July 3: The National Water Center issues a Flood Hazard Outlook, identifying flash flood potential for Kerrville and surrounding areas, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
- 10 a.m. Thursday, July 3: County judges and city mayors are invited to attend a daily call to discuss weather forecasts, according to comments by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and a regional coordinator reaches out personally to officials in the area. According to Patrick: “The message was sent. It is up to the local counties and mayors under the law to evacuate if they feel the need.”
- Approximately 1:45 p.m., Thursday, July 3: A Flood Watch is issued for Kerr County.
- 6:22 p.m. Thursday, July 3: National Water Center warns of considerable flooding risks north and west of San Antonio, including Kerrville, according to the Department of Homeland Security
- 8:54 p.m. Thursday, July 3: NWS Austin/San Antonio posts on X that the updated flood watch includes Bexar County. “Rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches with isolated 5 to 7 inches are possible across the Flood Watch area,” the post reads.
When the warnings began on July 4
- 1:14 a.m. Friday, July 4: A Flash Flood Warning with “Considerable” tag is issued for Bandera and Kerr counties, triggering Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) and NOAA Weather Radio notifications, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
- Approximately 2:37 a.m. Friday, July 4: The Flood Watch is extended until 1 p.m. July 4.
- Between 3 a.m. and 3:30 a.m. Friday, July 4: Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice runs on the river trail and “everything was fine,” he says later.
- Between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. Friday, July 4: Floodwaters begin to inundate Camp Mystic. Young campers, counselors and staff are roused from sleep and begin a desperate rush to higher ground, according to social media accounts. Some girls had to climb through cabin windows. One staffer says she was on the roof with water rising toward her at 4 a.m.
- 3:06 a.m. Friday, July 4: NWS Austin/San Antonio posts on X that a “very dangerous flash flooding event is ongoing across south-central Kerr County into northwest Bandera County.”
A very dangerous flash flooding event is ongoing across south-central Kerr County into northwest Bandera County, where 3-7 inches of rainfall has occurred the last 2-3 hours. Heavy rainfall continues in this area and a Flash Flood Warning is in effect. Turn Around, Don’t Drown! pic.twitter.com/Zn2VUzGlsR
— NWS Austin/San Antonio (@NWSSanAntonio) July 4, 2025
- Approximately 3:19 a.m. Friday, July 4: A River Flood Warning is issued for the Guadalupe River at Hunt.
- Approximately 3:28 a.m. Friday, July 4: A Downstream River Flood Warning is issued for the Guadalupe River in Kerrville.
- Approximately 3:30 a.m.: Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha told lawmakers this is when emergency responders realized they had an “all-hands-on-deck” situation, when dispatchers received a call from a family stranded on their roof requesting air evacuation. Leitha told this to lawmakers during a legislative hearing on Thursday, July 31. Emergency call logs show dispatchers in Kerr County started to receive flood-related calls around 3:30 a.m.
- Approximately 3:36 a.m. Friday, July 4: A Flash Flood Warning is issued for south-central Kerr and northwest Bandera Counties.
- Approximately 3:56 a.m. Friday, July 4: A new River Forecast Warning is issued for the Guadalupe River at Hunt.
- Approximately 4:04 a.m. Friday, July 4: A Flash Flood Emergency is issued.
- Approximately 4:20 a.m. Friday, July 4: Leitha says he was first alerted to the flooding at this time. Leitha told this to lawmakers during the July 31 hearing.
- 4:22 a.m. Friday, July 4: Firefighter calls for a CodeRED alert as water covers Highway 39 in Hunt, Kerr County dispatch audio obtained by KSAT Investigates confirms. “Is there any way we can send a CodeRED to our Hunt residents asking them to find higher ground?” the first responder asked. “10-4 standby. We have to get that approved with our supervisor,” a county dispatcher replied, before telling the first responder that a water rescue team was en route.
- 4:23 a.m. Friday, July 4: NWS posted on X that “a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION and a Flash Flood EMERGENCY is in effect.”
River crests and emergency response
- 4:35 a.m. Friday, July 4: Guadalupe River in Hunt crests at 29 feet.
- 4:45 a.m. Friday, July 4: Guadalupe River in Kerrville crests at 23 feet.
- 5:01 a.m. Friday, July 4: Leitha told lawmakers the CodeRED went out to the public at this time. However, KSAT has seen no records showing any alerts being sent out through the system until 5:34 a.m.
- Approximately 5:30 a.m. Friday, July 4: Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, the top executive of Kerr County, says he woke up at this time, but was out of town at Lake Travis. Kelly told this to lawmakers in the July 31 hearing.
- Approximately 5:30 a.m. Friday, July 4: William “Dub” Thomas, Kerr County’s emergency management coordinator, was first awakened by his wife at this time. Thomas told this to lawmakers in the July 31 hearing.
- 5:36 a.m. Friday, July 4: A Flash Flood Emergency for the Guadalupe River from Hunt through Kerrville and down to Center Point is issued.
- 6:32 a.m. Friday, July 4: NWS posts on X, “Widespread rain, some heavy, continues across the Hill Country. A Flash Flood Emergency is ongoing for south-central Kerr County, including the Guadalupe River. Move to higher ground if you are along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County! Otherwise avoid travel through the county.”
- 7:15 a.m. Friday, July 4: Guadalupe River in Center Point crests at 21 feet.
- Just before 9 a.m. Friday, July 4: Kerrville’s off-duty firefighters called to their respective stations, according to internal Kerrville emails released to KSAT Investigates following a public records request.
- 9:19 a.m. Friday, July 4: NWS posts on X, “Heavy rainfall is pivoting south into Kerr and Gillespie counties. Another 2-4 inches of rain possible in these areas. Flash Flood EMERGENCIES are in effect for Kerr County. Avoid travel through this area. Elsewhere, light to moderate rainfall ongoing for portions I-35 corridor.”
- 10:52 a.m. Friday, July 4: Comfort sounds its flood sirens.
- 11 a.m. Friday, July 4: Guadalupe River in Comfort crests at 35 feet.
- 11:29 a.m. Friday, July 4: Camp Mystic parents receive an email noting that the grounds have “sustained catastrophic level floods” and are without power, water and internet. Parents with a daughter who is not accounted for have been contacted directly, according to the camp.
- 11:30 a.m. Friday, July 4: Local officials hold their first news conference. Asked what kind of warnings went out to residents, Kelly says the county does not have a warning system. “We had no reason to believe that this was going to be any, anything like what’s happened here,” Kelly says. “None whatsoever.”
- 7:15 p.m. Friday, July 4: Guadalupe River at Ammans Crossing crests at 50 feet.
- 9 p.m. Friday, July 4: Gov. Greg Abbott signs a disaster declaration at a news conference.
- 5 a.m. Saturday, July 5: Guadalupe River in Spring Branch crests at 29 feet.
Kerr County leaders were asleep or out of town
Kerr County officials have said they did not expect such an intense downpour, which was equivalent to months’ worth of rain for the area.
During a July 31 hearing from the state Senate and House joint committee on disaster preparedness and flooding, three Kerr County leaders said they were asleep or out of town when the major flood event was unfolding.
Thomas, Kerr County’s emergency management coordinator, told lawmakers that he was sick the day before the flooding occurred and missed two calls with Texas Emergency Management officials. Leitha and Thomas both acknowledged being asleep when the crisis started.
Kelly, who holds a position in Texas that functions as the county’s chief executive officer, testified that he was out of town at Lake Travis, located near Austin, the morning of the flood.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick addressed Kelly’s delayed response.
“Judge Kelly, I never saw you on Day 1. I came here (Kerrville) from Austin. In this room, I talked to the sheriff multiple times,” Patrick said, in part. “I talked to the mayor multiple times. We had a meeting when we got here. Everyone was here, and you were not.”
Patrick said that during a meeting, he asked everyone about Kelly’s whereabouts.
In a press conference the day of the flood, Kelly said, “Rest assured: no one knew this kind of flood was coming.”
“We have floods all the time,” he said. “This is the most dangerous river valley in the United States, and we deal with floods on a regular basis. When it rains, we get water. We had no reason to believe that this was going to be anything like what’s happened here, none whatsoever.”