Officials in Kempner are on high alert after the Lampasas River surged more than 30 feet in just a few hours Sunday morning, following heavy overnight rainfall upstream.
“We received an alert this morning, around 4:30, that major flooding was possible and headed our way,” said Captain Todd Burkett with the Kempner Volunteer Fire Department.
According to Burkett, the river’s rise was swift and dangerous. “The water kept rising as we were out surveying the bridges,” he said. “It had rose over two foot in 20 minutes.”
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Data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration showed the river was only two feet above its normal level at 4:30 a.m. By 10 a.m., it had climbed to 33 feet, nearing the flood threshold for U.S. 190.
“It’s scary… it’s scary for everybody,” Burkett said, noting that large hay bales—each weighing up to 1,000 pounds—were seen floating downstream. “There’s large amounts of debris, which will be a big effort to clean up.”
Out of caution, one RV park along the river was evacuated. “The water was getting close to the bottom of the park and we didn’t want to take a chance of another wall of water coming down to take/sweep away all the trailers,” Burkett said.
/**/Thankfully, the flooding did not result in widespread damage. “The major roads have not flooded,” he confirmed. “We had some backroads that had smaller creeks that did flood, which were shut down during that time and they have since been reopened.”
As of Sunday evening, the Lampasas River had dropped below 10 feet and continued to recede. However, Burkett cautioned residents to remain vigilant. “We will still be in a flood watch until about 2:45 in the morning so just keep an eye out,” he said. “We don’t expect any more rain at this point, but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen.”
This latest flood follows the catastrophic flooding that struck Kerrville and the Texas Hill Country over the July 4 weekend. In Kerr County alone, more than 100 lives were lost and dozens remain missing after the Guadalupe River surged over 25 feet in less than an hour. Entire summer camps were devastated, and search and recovery efforts are expected to continue for months.
Experts have called the Kerrville disaster one of the most extreme flash floods in Texas history. The region’s hilly terrain and narrow waterways funneled torrential rain into powerful currents, sweeping away homes, vehicles and people with little warning. Compounding the tragedy, Kerr County lacked a siren warning system, contributing to the high number of casualties.
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As communities in Kempner, Kerrville, and across Central Texas recover from these back-to-back floods, many are turning to prayer for peace, healing and protection.
Please continue to pray for all those impacted by these devastating floods across Texas.
James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.
