Living with this river means staying informed. Here's every official channel in one place — five minutes of setup that matters.
After the July 2025 floods, Kerr County began building a county-owned outdoor warning siren network along the Guadalupe. The first sirens are installed and live, with dozens more planned countywide — and the system got its first real test in the July 2026 flash flood, when the sirens activated as intended. The county operates the sirens; the Upper Guadalupe River Authority runs the river gauges and River Hub that inform them.
Two things every resident should know: sirens are an outdoor layer — you may not hear one inside with the AC running — and no siren replaces your own awareness when heavy rain is falling upstream. That's why the checklist below pairs them with phone and radio alerts.
West Kerr's low-water crossings are the most dangerous places in any flood — most flood deaths happen in vehicles. Where to check before you drive:
The rule locals live by: Turn Around, Don't Drown. Any water over the road — even a few inches, even on a crossing you've driven a thousand times — means turn around. Water depth and road condition under it are unknowable from the driver's seat.
This community learned these lessons the hard way and takes real pride in how neighbors look out for each other now. If you're new here — welcome; set up your alerts this week, and you'll be one of the neighbors who's ready.
Pair this page with our floodplain guide — zones, insurance, elevation, and the questions to ask before you offer.