Devastating flooding on upper Guadalupe River mars Fourth of July holiday

A Fourth of July weekend that should have been a cause for celebration instead turned into a somber event marred by the deaths of at least 110 people due to flooding on the Guadalupe, Llano and Colorado rivers and their associated tributaries.

Flooding began in the early morning hours of Friday, July 4, as rainfall caused the Guadalupe River to surge more than 26 feet within less than an hour, sending a wall of deadly water down through the basin into summer camps, RV parks, resorts and other areas where people had congregated to observe Independence Day festivities.

In Gonzales County, the river reached a crest of just 23 feet by Sunday afternoon, far below what is even considered to be minor-stage flooding and below the flooding that occurred when the Oct. 14, 2021, rain bomb dropped 13.2 inches of rainfall on the county and caused flooding along both the San Marcos and Guadalupe rivers, according to County Emergency Management Director Jimmy Harless.

While Gonzales County and much of the Guadalupe River basin below Canyon Lake was spared from the devastation and death caused by rising waters, the death toll climbed to 87 in Kerr County alone, including 30 children, with another 161 people reported missing.

Kendall County and Travis County each reported seven dead, while Burnet County has confirmed five deaths. Williamson County is reporting three deaths with Tom Green County reporting one.

The hardest hit area in Kerr County was the century-old Camp Mystic, which serves as a nondenominational summer camp retreat for Christian girls. At least 27 campers and camp staff were killed, while five more campers and a counselor remain missing.

Artist GiGi Miller, who grew up in Gonzales, posted on Facebook her memories of Camp Mystic as she spoke of hearing about the heartbreaking loss of life at a place that meant so much to her, including the death of beloved co-owner Dick Eastland, who lost his life trying to protect his young charges.

“When I woke up on the 4th of July and learned of the unfolding tragedy on the Guadalupe River in the Texas Hill Country, I was devastated,” she posted. “I grew up in Gonzales, Texas (and have experienced devastating Guadalupe floods locally), but I spent many summers and mid-winters at camps around Kerrville, and I have been in love with the people and breathtaking natural beauty of the region ever since.

“(Dick Eastland) took me fishing every year and always helped me get the fish off of my hook. He made us girls all feel special no matter what fish we caught (or how small they were). Mystic, and its God-loving people with servant’s hearts, played an essential role in shaping me into who I am today.”

One of Miller’s first commissions was creating a large Guadalupe Bass sculpture, lovingly called “Lupe,” for the Kerrville Main Street Committee. The sculpture has weathered the storms and flooding and has begun to serve as a rallying point for the Kerr County community during a time of great sorrow.

“I know that God will work through this community of God-loving individuals to bring them back, and to unite their spirits to rebuild even as they continue to grieve the loss of loved ones. And I know that I am just one among millions of people, not just Texas-wide, but world-wide, who want to help contribute however we can to that monumental task,” Miller wrote.

Area relief agencies were reportedly overwhelmed with food and supply donations to the point of asking donors to work with agencies like the Kerrville Area Chamber of Commerce for their Rebuilding and Recovery Fund to give monetary donations only. First responders were also asking non-essential personnel to remain off roadways until search and recovery teams could complete their missions and asked that all drones be grounded so as not to interfere with aircraft still searching for those missing.