Lampasas County: Flash flooding in central Texas on Sunday forced the suspension of search and rescue operations for missing flood victims, as river levels surged dangerously in Lampasas and Kerr Counties. Heavy rainfall, already devastating areas recovering from the deadly Fourth of July floods, has prompted new Flash Flood Emergencies, road closures, and evacuation orders across the Hill Country.
Authorities said the Lampasas River at Adamsville rose nearly 14 feet in just two hours, triggering a fresh round of flood warnings in Lampasas County. Torrential rain also caused parts of Sulphur Creek to overflow in Lampasas, with roads and bridges across San Saba and Kerr Counties deemed impassable. A Code RED alert was issued early Sunday morning for residents along the Guadalupe River, where forecasters warned it could rise to nearly 15 feet.
“This is absolutely a punch to the gut for people here in Kerrville, Texas,” said FOX Weather Correspondent Katie Byrne. “We are along the Guadalupe. We are getting heavy downpours right now.”
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Flash Flood Emergency Declared in Lampasas and San Saba Counties
The Flash Flood Emergency in San Saba County, home to Colorado Bend State Park, came after rainfall totals of 6 to 9 inches were reported. At Kempner, the Lampasas River reached 32.45 feet, just shy of the 33-foot mark considered “major flood stage” by the National Weather Service.
The Lampasas River in Kempner Texas at FM 2313. pic.twitter.com/Jdcqnxq89y
— Kevin Ramirez (@TXTornadoChaser) July 13, 2025
“There is a Flash Flood Emergency for Colorado State Park, where six to eight inches of rainfall has already fallen this morning,” said FOX 7 Austin Meteorologist Adaleigh Rowe. “There’s more on the way. So, if you do live in that area… make sure you are moving to higher ground now.”
Residents across Lampasas County were urged to avoid travel. “Turn around, don’t drown,” the San Saba County Sheriff’s Office warned, citing high water, road closures, and dangerous creek crossings such as Cherokee Creek.
Search Operations Paused as Conditions Deteriorate
The Ingram Fire Department ordered rescue teams to evacuate the Guadalupe River corridor on Sunday morning, citing high risk of new flash flooding. The search for more than 170 missing people—part of the July 4 disaster that killed at least 129 across Texas, including several campers at Camp Mystic—was suspended for the first time since the event.
Lampasas River at Maxdale Bridge just south of Killeen, Texas. pic.twitter.com/OXVUhMqrUv
— Kevin Ramirez (@TXTornadoChaser) July 13, 2025
“Numerous secondary roads and bridges are flooded and very dangerous,” the National Weather Service said in a bulletin. Forecasters noted that rainfall rates reached 3 inches an hour, with saturated ground increasing the flood threat.
“If you live near water, and it starts raining, get to higher ground,” officials said in the Code RED warning.
Kerrville Residents Rattled by New Round of Flooding
In Kerrville, a city still reeling from last week’s floods, emergency alerts were sent to phones Sunday morning warning residents along the Guadalupe River to evacuate. Katie Byrne reported live from the area, noting, “They’re expecting the river to reach flood stage once again, a little over a week after catastrophic flooding here.”
The flooding has added emotional strain to a region still processing significant loss. Rescue teams on standby say they will resume recovery efforts as soon as conditions allow.
More Rain Expected Through Sunday Night
Meteorologists from NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center said much of Central and West Texas remains under a Level 3 of 4 flash flood threat. Forecast models show that intense rain bands will continue to sweep through Sunday night, with localized totals of 10+ inches possible in some pockets.
The Guadalupe River, already rising near Hunt and Ingram, could submerge the Highway 39 bridge if rainfall continues.
Meanwhile, heat alerts have been posted across western states, and Canadian wildfire smoke continues to drift into parts of the Midwest, affecting air quality in cities like Minneapolis and Green Bay.
