Pralle Speaks With Texas Tribune About Camp Mystic, Flood Zones
August 13, 2025
Texas Tribune
A Texas Tribune analysis found that 13 summer camps along the Guadalupe River, including Camp Mystic where 27 people died in the July 4 flooding, are built on land highly prone to flooding. Many camp structures sit in the 100-year floodplain or even floodways, but most are “grandfathered” out of current regulations and pay lower insurance rates.
Lawmakers are now considering bills that would require camps to develop flood disaster and evacuation plans, though experts warn outdated flood maps underestimate the risks.
“Unfortunately, I'm not surprised,” says Sarah Pralle, associate professor of political science. “We overbuild in flood zones everywhere across the country…but with camps it's especially worrisome. You're not just putting yourself at risk, you're putting these children at risk who you're supposed to be looking out for their safety.”
Read more in the Texas Tribune article, “Along Guadalupe River, more than a dozen summer camps have structures in flood zones.”
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