FEMA removed dozens of Camp Mystic buildings from 100-year flood map before expansion, records show

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: AP

Updated 7:17 AM EDT, July 12, 2025


Federal regulators repeatedly granted appeals to remove Camp Mystic’s buildings from their 100-year flood map, loosening oversight as the camp operated and expanded in a dangerous flood plain in the years before rushing waters swept away children and counselors, a review by The Associated Press found.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency included the prestigious girls’ summer camp in a “Special Flood Hazard Area” in its National Flood Insurance map for Kerr County in 2011, which means it was required to have flood insurance and faced tighter regulation on any future construction projects.

That designation means an area is likely to be inundated during a 100-year flood — one severe enough that it only has a 1% chance of happening in any given year. Located in a low-lying area along the Guadalupe River in a region known as flash flood alley, Camp Mystic lost at least 27 campers and counselors and longtime owner Dick Eastland when historic floodwaters tore through its property before dawn on July 4.

The flood was far more severe than the 100-year event envisioned by FEMA, experts said, and moved so quickly in the middle of the night that it caught many off guard in a county that lacked a warning system.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/texas-flood-camp-mystic-map-records-investigation-e12bee8d5f88301363861ca12c19b929

[tanyev]

1. I wondered why those sleeping cabins were so close to the river.

Sure, it’s pretty, but the danger should have been obvious after the 1987 flood. The buildings could have been used for other camp activities, but wouldn’t you want sleeping children to be as far away from the flood plain as possible?

I guess altering the map with a virtual Sharpie was a lot cheaper than building more cabins on higher ground.

[LiberalArkie]

12. The thing is that if the warning sirens had been installed and the campers instructed to move to places above

the flood area, they would have been ok. But with no warning they were a death trap.

[DENVERPOPS]

21. AND, most to important to keep in mind..........

*THEY* were given the Ten Million for a warning system from Biden and Dems, years ago...... AND *THEY* CHOSE TO NOT ONLY KEEP THE MONEY, RATHER THAN RETURN IT......... BUT TO SPEND THE MONEY ON SOMETHING ELSE?THEY FELT WAS FAR MORE IMPORTANT??????......................

THE PEOPLE IN THAT COMMUNITY HATED THAT THE MONEY CAME FROM THE DEMS, THEY ADDITIONALLY HATED THAT THEY WERE BEING TOLD WHAT TO DO WITH IT,.................

SO,...... I AM WONDERING......... WHO ARE THEY GONNA BLAME AND HATE NOW, FOR THEIR HORRIFIC LOSSES.......

[LiberalArkie]

22. Biden or Obama.. Always. They are incapable of admitting any fault. Part of southern conservatism

[Passages]

2. Criminal failures.

[3Hotdogs]

3. Keep in mind, the constant maggot complaint about how over-regulation stifles growth and limits our freedom

to live as God intended 'merican life to be lived.

[twodogsbarking]

11. amen

[riversedge]

4. To be crude--no important people died--this will fade away in a week or so..........

Yes, horrible to have happened--yet will anything of importance happen??

[travelingthrulife]

5. Children of wealthier people though. Maybe they will buy a clue.

[Ol Janx Spirit]

6. It's far too early to talk about flood control. Thoughts and prayers are the most that can be done...

...in this moment. You can't just take away people's floods because of a few unfortunate deaths....

[Javaman]

10. This is so very far from over

I seriously doubt that the very wealthy “Christian” people who lost kids are going to let this go with “thoughts and prayers”

There will be firings and prison terms coming.

[harumph]

16. You know it.

https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/5390667-kansas-city-chiefs-owners-family-mourns-loss-of-9-year-old-cousin-in-texas-floods/

A granddaughter of Lamar Hunt

[Girard442]

7. From the linked AP article:

Pralle, who reviewed the amendments for AP, noted that some of the exempted properties were within 2 feet (0.6 meters) of FEMA’s flood plain by the camp’s revised calculations, which she said left almost no margin for error. She said her research shows that FEMA approves about 90% of map amendment requests, and the process may favor the wealthy and well-connected.

Emphasis mine.

I guess reading the article makes us evil, too.

[coffeenap]

8. Just so shortsighted, or something.And so tragic.

I went to a beautiful camp on the shores of Lake Erie in far eastern Ohio long ago. The stage, the mess hall, the sports fields were the closest to the shore. The cabins were set far back into the woods, up and away from any possible storm surges. It's tough to comprehend the thinking that would put sleeping campers and staff in harm's way, whatever the percentage of possibility.

[myohmy2]

9. it...

...wasn't an act of God, it was an act of stupid humans...

...

[FakeNoose]

13. How many of those grieving parents have regrets now?

Maybe those parents could have been more vigilant about the lack of safety measures and possible dangers of that summer camp?

I remember the days over 40 years ago when my son attended summer camp in upstate New York. There was never a mention about any possible dangers to the kids or to the camp counselors, who were only a few years older than the campers. Parents are made to think that summer camps are completely safe, and our children are in good hands. Well ... maybe not!

[moonshinegnomie]

14. the camps have been there for 100 years

and the building have been there for a long time too. I dont think them being on the flood map would have made any difference. especially since they are in an unincorporated area with no real zoning
What would have is flood alarms along teh river which didnt exist thanks to maga morons. and like ive said county officials should be jailed for negligent homicide. their actions directly lead to the deaths.

[RussBLib]

26. It appears Kerr County DID have a warning system

...but they didn't activate it until 2 days after the floods. And as we have heard, Camp Mystic has a no tech policy, so they would not have heard them even if the system was activated.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2025/07/11/texas-flooding-alerts-kerr-county-emergency/

Kerr County did not use its most far-reaching alert system in deadly Texas floods

Local officials used the system more than two days after the recorded height of the floods.

The Texas county where nearly 100 people were killed and more than 160 remain missing had the technology to turn every cellphone in the river valley into a blaring alarm, but local officials did not do so before or during the early-morning hours of July 4 as river levels rose to record heights, inundating campsites and homes, a Washington Post examination found.

Kerr County officials, who have come under increasing scrutiny for their actions as the Guadalupe River began to flood, eventually sent text-message alerts that morning to residents who had registered to receive them, according to screenshots of the texts. But The Post’s review of emergency notifications that night found that even as a federal meteorologist warned of deteriorating conditions and catastrophic risk, county officials did not activate a more powerful notification tool they had previously used to warn of potential flooding. The National Weather Service sent its own alerts through this system, beginning at 1:14 a.m. on July 4.

[Americanme]

15. Is this some of that burdensome regulation and red tape that they're always crying about?

Requiring flood insurance and tighter rules on where to build?

[ananda]

17. Me: Saddened but not surprised.

Sheesh -- Magats!

[ToxMarz]

18. Things like that happen all the time

People want their waterfront property and can't stand being told no by the federal Govt. They want their freedumbs! It a constant fight by wealthy developers to get local Govt officials to give them access to 'valuable' property. It's not FEMA as an agency being stupid, but political pressure.

Just had new expensive lake front homes in my area completely obliterated by flooding. The reason they were all new expensive homes is because that area had never previously been developed. BECAUSE IT'S IN A (former) FLOOD ZONE. But the wealthy smartest guys in the room finally got their way.

[Attilatheblond]

31. Imagine the fun that will ensue if Team Trump finds a way to sell off Public Lands

It won't just be timber and mining industries moving in. Land Developers will be eager to build resorts and hotels in beautiful places where city people should not live due to hostile weather, few services, and geographical conditions that require constant active planning to handle emergencies yourself. Planning and life skills are required to live away from cities and the communal services/safety they provide.

The parts of Montana that have been developed as alternative playgrounds for the very rich who are annoyed by common folk in Jacksonville break my heart. There have been more than a couple of examples of how local governments have had trouble explaining to nuevo pioneers that the roads don't get plowed every morning and likely won't ever be paved, the deer WILL eat your flowers, and emergency personnel cannot be at your immediate beck and call if something goes wrong. But those developers are happy to show you pretty pictures of your future home site, and take your money of course.

Yep, step right up, folks, and get YOUR piece of heaven with a picture window on the Yellowstone geysers. Enjoy life and forget city life and things like emergency services, roads that are plowed in winter, and nearby facilities. Help us take paradise and put up a death trap.

[Initech]

19. So... destroying the evidence? That's a crime!

Sorry but I will never vote or support what these psychopaths are doing. Fuck Trump.

[Lancero]

20. Once in a century, and it ended up being far stronger than predicted. Act of God perhaps?

Seems like Texass has been having some sort of once in century storm every other year.

[Buddyzbuddy]

23. So, what the AP is reporting is, somebody(s)

came along with a marker or eraser and either redrew the parameter of the danger zone or erased the buildings from within the parameter. The zone map that was developed by engineers using proven scientific methods that predict events and results just like this from occurring.

That should be, at the very least criminal negligence. If people aren't held accountable this will continue to happen. This kind of thing happens all the time, in third world countries and Florida and Texas. Seriously.

[BumRushDaShow]

24. FEMA has a flood map tool - I put the camp address in and here is their map

https://msc.fema.gov/portal/search?AddressQuery=2689%20Highway%2039%2C%20Hunt%2C%20Texas%2078024.

Main starting page - https://msc.fema.gov/portal/home

[Buddyzbuddy]

27. Thank you BRDS. You are a fountain of information.

[BumRushDaShow]

30. Most welcome!

I know these tools are around and I remember looking at (static) FEMA flood maps awhile ago but that app lets you do a search by address/zip and it will pull up the location and add the flood zones overlay!

[DENVERPOPS]

25. Regretfully

you can't cure stupid or indifference...........

This whole shit storm is getting bigger exponentially every day, and I get the distinct feeling.....We.Ain't.Seen.Nothing.Yet......

We are a long long ways past KATIE BAR THE DOOR...............

[Buddyzbuddy]

28. This is true.

[Beartracks]

29. So this is what happens when Republicans push for, and get, "looser regulations."

Republicans always claim that over-regulation strangles businesses, but it's PEOPLE that always suffer when businesses are under-regulated.

================

[DENVERPOPS]

34. "Looser Regulations"

by this crowd should be "Loser Non-Regulations" , because that is what happens to the Citizens..........

The Corporations are the MAJOR ONES that profit when regulations are thrown out or not implemented......

These "New Republicans" are trying to go back to the GILDED AGE of ROBBER BARRONS at an accelerating rate....

[OverBurn]

32. The answer is obvious there are too many gays in that area of Texas, just God punishing.

See how stupid that sounds MAGA idiots.

[flamingdem]

33. I just found out that the twin grandchildren of the

Lawrence family were lost in the flood. Their grandfather was the editor at the Miami Herald.

Beautiful twin girls.