In a part of Texas where the American South gives way to the Southwest, the Hill Country rolls across a vast expanse of a vast state, with fields of lavender, vineyards, a constellation of rivers and lakes — and the many people who have been lured by its natural splendor and rustic vibe.
But the flash floods that swept through Kerr County on Friday — and the warnings that more could come — were an abrupt and agonizing reminder of the peril that lurks behind the idyll.
The region has also become known as “Flash Flood Alley,” a recognition of a recurring threat that has taken lives and upended communities over the years. A propensity for high levels of rainfall combined with thin soil, exposed bedrock and steep terrain make it especially vulnerable.
“This is the most dangerous river valley in the United States,” the Kerr County judge, Rob Kelly, told reporters on Friday. “We deal with floods on a regular basis.”
At least 27 people were killed and many others remained missing after the Guadalupe River surged beyond its banks on Friday, in and around Kerrville, Texas, a city of about 25,000 people. The river rose nearly 30 feet in just an hour and a half.
Longtime residents remember the Guadalupe River rising 29 feet one morning in 1987. Ten teenagers were killed after the bus they were in was swept away near Comfort, less than 20 miles from Kerrville.
In Wimberley, a small city roughly 90 minutes east of Kerrville, 13 people were killed and hundreds of homes were destroyed and damaged in 2015 when the Blanco River rose nearly 30 feet within a couple of hours.
Still, the region’s appeal has only intensified. Subdivisions and housing developments have sprouted up as part of the explosive growth that has radiated out from the city of Austin in recent years. The region has long drawn retirees and others looking for a life that feels a tad more rural. The area is also a destination for camping, hiking, riding and other tourist activities.
The attraction, in part, is an atmosphere that many regard as a quintessential vision of Texas, with dance halls playing a homegrown version of country music and easy access to nature and wide-open space.
Kerr County, which has been devastated by the recent flooding, has been growing steadily in population. In Kerrville, the county seat, there are barbecue joints, taquerias, inns, shops and campgrounds, all set just off the winding banks of the Guadalupe River.
Rick Rojas is the Atlanta bureau chief for The Times, leading coverage of the South.
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