The organizations working together to help the flood victims said that 'no additional in-kind donations (clothing, food, supplies) are needed in Kerrville.' They said the best way to help is with monetary donations.

Rob Albach knew every bend along his favorite stretch of the Guadalupe River, and before setting out, he warned of the hazards. “We got sweepers,” he said of the overhanging branches that can brush a kayaker off their seat.

Rain rushing to the Guadalupe took it from a depth of less than 8 feet to 37.5 feet, a deluge with as much volume as an aircraft carrier over five minutes.

Plans to develop a flood monitoring system in the Texas county hit hardest by deadly floods were scheduled to begin only a few weeks later.

With more than 170 still missing, communities must reconcile how to pick up the pieces around a waterway that remains both a wellspring and a looming menace.

The State Flood Plan, published last year, identified $54 billion in flood mitigation, warning and data needs. The state has awarded around $660 million since the plan was published, with a special legislative session coming soon.

This month’s deadly floods in Kerr County carry echoes of another Hill Country disaster that took place 38 years ago this week.

At least 132 people have died. State and local leaders say getting an exact figure of the missing is difficult because so many people were visiting the Guadalupe River on the holiday weekend.