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FEMA removed parts of Camp Mystic from floodplain map: AP
The Associated Press reports that parts of Camp Mystic were removed from FEMA's 100-year flood plain after an appeal by the camp. 27 campers and counselors were killed at the all-girls camp in Hunt, Texas in the flooding on July 4.
KERR COUNTY, Texas - The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) removed many Camp Mystic buildings from its 100-year floodplain map for Kerr County, according to a report from the Associated Press.
Dozens of buildings were removed from FEMA's floodplain map after appeals from Camp Mystic, a prestigious girls' summer camp.
At least 27 campers, counselors and owner Dick Eastland were killed in the flooding in the early morning hours of July 4th.
Parts of Camp Mystic removed from 100-year floodplain map
Source: FEMA
What we know:
FEMA added Camp Mystic to the National Flood Insurance map in 2011, which would have required the camp to have flood insurance and tighter regulations for future construction projects.
The appeals process that happened with Camp Mystic and FEMA regulators is not uncommon.
It is similar to when a homeowner appeals a property value appraisal.
The camp appealed to be removed from the national flood insurance map three times.
In 2013, 15 of the camp's buildings were removed. 15 more were removed in 2019 and 2020.
What we don't know:
It is not clear if the change would have had any impact on what happened at Camp Mystic.
What they're saying:
"It was puzzling to me that they would be spending their efforts doing that when many of their structures were in high-risk areas, and it seems to me like time and resources would have been better spent physically moving those structures away from the most risky areas," said Sarah Pralle, associate professor of political science at Syracuse University.
HUNT, TEXAS - JULY 07: Debris is piled up at the entrance to Camp Mystic on July 07, 2025 in Hunt, Texas. Heavy rainfall caused severe flash flooding along the Guadalupe River in central Texas, leaving more than 80 people reported dead, including chi …
Pralle reviewed the findings in the Associated Press report.
"I just think this is a very important wake-up call and i hope that it leads to communities taking these risks very seriously, even if it involves extra costs in terms of flood insurance and in terms of insuring that the structures and buildings are safer, particularly when you have young people whose lives are at risk," she said.
"People are going to bring civil claims about this they'e going to challenge what happened here in court and the camp administration, the camp management, is going to say look, we went to the government, and we talked to them, and we worked this out," said David Coale, a constitutional law attorney.
The Source: Information in this article comes from the Associated Press and interviews by FOX 4's Shaun Rabb with Syracuse University's Sarah Pralle and attorney David Coale.