Last week’s raging floods damaged at least 100 homes in Kendall County, closed roads, trapped motorists in high water and raised creek and river levels, but still wasn’t as deadly as the July 2025 catastrophe, officials said.
That was the assessment of emergency-response crews and local officials picking up this week after the torrential rains that swamped the area July 15 and for hours afterwards.
However, whether it was last year’s flooding disaster or last week’s, officials Tuesday, July 21, said the damage remains widespread and families need help.
“We currently have three families from Comfort and five from Boerne that were displaced from their homes and are in hotels,” said Bryce Boddie, Hill Country Family Services executive director. “Damage was a little more extreme than last year for Kendall County. The amount of damage in Comfort is staggering.”
The rising waters that roared through the Guadalupe River basin July Fourth, 2025, ended up claiming 139 lives. According to officials, this July’s deluge led to the deaths of two men, neither in Kendall County.
New warning measures implemented in the Hill Country, as well as the rains falling during daylight instead of overnight, helped prevent a major loss of life, officials said.
As of Tuesday, barricades still block two Boerne streets as waters continue to recede, with damage assessment still underway across Kendall County.
In Fair Oaks Ranch, neighbors coped with the aftermath of a treated wastewater spill after the rising waters from the storm knocked out a pump at a lift station.
Officials said Boerne City Lake remains closed until further notice, with water levels well above the 42 foot or 100% capacity mark.
City spokesman Chris Shadrock said the lake reached a high of 60 feet on July 15, when portions of the city received 9 inches to 10 inches of rain in a short period.
Speaking at a press conference Monday in Kerrville, Gov. Greg Abbott said about 100 homes in Kendall County have been assessed for damage — a number that officials expect will increase once the flood’s impact on residences and businesses in Boerne is updated.
Reports have about two dozen homeowners seeking assistance with cleanup.
On Tuesday, Boddie said his agency has fielded most requests out of the Comfort area, given the amount of damage prevalent there.
The Guadalupe River flows through Comfort and saw its waters last week rise to 37 feet, about 1 to 2 feet above the levels during the July Fourth, 2025 .
Though Boerne experienced flood damage this year that was not a factor last year, no lives were lost, officials said.
But some families are still facing an uphill battle, Boddie said. “There was a house in Ranger Creek that had 3 feet of water in it. That’s a family with a 9-monthold, and they weren’t ready for that,” he added. “So, we have a lot of resources aimed at that type of cleanup.”
He added his agency is working closely with Hill Country Daily Bread Ministries, which is handling food and clothing distribution.
Abbott conducted an aerial assessment of flood damage across the Kerrville area, observing impacts to neighborhoods, roadways, bridges and other critical infrastructure.
The city of Boerne and Kendall County have signed disaster declaration proclamations, designed to allow officials to expedite assessment and cleanup following the deluge, which saw the Guadalupe River peak in Comfort.
During Monday’s visits to Kerrville and Uvalde County, Abbott requested a Presidential Disaster Declaration to support Texas’ ongoing response and recovery efforts following the severe weather and flooding that took a toll on communities across the state.
The pair of roadways in Boerne that remained blocked off Tuesday are West Thiessen Street and Adler Road, where the heavy rain affected road and drainage construction.
Officials in Fair Oaks Ranch Tuesday said one roadway is still closed, Battle Intense. City crews have started draining the area, according to city spokesman Casey Parker. He expects the roadway to be open by mid-week.
The Public Works Department and crews from Emergency Services District No. 4 are busy clearing debris from city streets, he said.
On July 16, an “unauthorized discharge” of 75,000 gallons of wastewater occurred after significant flooding along Cibolo Creek inundated the Bottom of the Hill Lift Station, damaging electrical equipment and causing the wastewater pumps to become inoperable, officials said.
The pump failure also caused an upstream manhole at the end of Cojak Circle to back up and overflow.
The affected area extended from 29745 No Le Hace Drive northeast toward Cibolo Creek. Floodwaters from the heavy rains covered the lift station and manhole, making containment of the discharge futile at the time, officials said.
Staff Writer Veronica Rector contributed to this story.
“The amount of damage in Comfort is staggering.”
— Bryce Boddie, Hill Country Family Services
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