Flooding

Construction has begun on the Lubbock Psychiatric Center southeast of the city. The $121 million maximum-security facility was approved by the state legislature in 2023. The USDA is on the ground in Kerr County and across the Hill Country to help farmers and ranchers recover from Fourth of July flooding. Texas Public Radio's Brian Kirkpatrick reports on the losses and assistance.

A panel of Texas House and Senate lawmakers held a joint meeting Wednesday where they discussed the state's response to the devastating July 4 flash flooding that left more than 130 dead.

The Legislature will look at proposals for emergency preparedness in a special session that was already planned over hemp laws. A bill to help build emergency systems failed in the spring.

Just 7% of homeowners in Texas have flood insurance through the federal government, which runs the biggest flood insurance program in the country. That percentage drops to 2% when you move inland, to areas like Travis and Kerr counties.

Texas lawmakers start a 30-day special session July 21. They will tackle consumable THC, flood dangers, new congressional districts, abortion pills and other conservative priorities.

The Mesquite Mile project began in 2020, combining regional plants and human infrastructure to mitigate flooding in the Heart of Lubbock neighborhood. The city has seen streets flood this summer with severe weather and storms across the state. But in May 2025, the Mesquite Mile’s NEA grant was withdrawn.

A crisis communication expert says everyday notifications are weakening the impact of life-saving emergency alerts.

The first State Flood Plan, published last year, identified $54 billion in flood mitigation, warning and data needs. The state has awarded around $660 million since the plan was published, with a special legislative session coming.

Experts say outlandish claims of weather manipulation are hindering disaster preparedness and emergency response.

The country singer's brother and sister-in-law passed away and their children are missing after the devastating floods that hit Texas on July 4.