Latest news with #SanGabrielRiver
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
‘Lost everything': Williamson Co. family reflects after San Gabriel flooded home
WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) —The San Gabriel River rose to record levels on July 5, which caused evacuations, death and destruction in Williamson County. 'That bottom building that metal building that is our home,' said Montana Perales, who lived along the river in Weir, which is in Williamson County. Perales said it's hard to think about the impact the flooding had on her family. 'It would have been over my head,' said Perales as she described how high the water got in her downstairs apartment. 'It is devastating.' Her husband, three kids and their dog all had to leave their apartment when water started to rise. 'We started packing up as little as we could and we grabbed a few clothes and I grabbed my kids' favorite stuffies,' Perales said. They managed to get out OK, but their home was flooded. 'I mean we lost everything,' Perales said. 'All of our furniture, our main family vehicle.' LIVE BLOG: Texas community continues to grieve, works to assess damages after flood event She lost clothes, appliances, toys for her kids and their beds as well. She said it's difficult to answer her kids when they ask why they are staying in a hotel for so long. 'It's hard on them for sure,' Perales said. 'We had just bought my son a new bed, a big boy bed. He's 3, and he was so excited about it, and of course that is ruined.' On Friday the city of Leander held a press conference to talk about the flooding along the San Gabriel. 'It's never been this high,' said Leander Mayor Christine DeLisle.'I have lived here 15 years and I have never seen it this high.' Perales said she's now staying positive as they work to rebuild their life. 'We are very blessed that we were all able to make it out. Not many people were as blessed as we are, but now we don't know what to do,' Perales said. Perales said her husband was looking for work, but he has now been focused on the aftermath of the flooding. He works as a software developer and is now trying to find a job. If you would like to help the family you can donate here. The Williamson County Office of Emergency Management said on social media Gov. Greg Abbott announced Williamson County was added to the updated Presidential Disaster Declaration after the July 5 flood. 'Residents can now apply for FEMA disaster assistance online at or by calling 800-621-3362.' In another social media post, the emergency management said the Williamson County Commissioners Court 'approved the extension of its local state of disaster for an additional 60 days during a special meeting on Friday, July 11.' Additionally, commissioners approved up to $200,000 in landfill vouchers that will assist with flood clean-up. To learn more about the vouchers, visit the county website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Texas floodwaters damaged crops and endangered livestock. Now farmers and ranchers are cleaning up
BEND, Texas (AP) — Across a wide swath of Texas, the inundated rivers that ravaged communities also tore through farms and ranches. In the town of Bend, about two hours north of Austin, Boyd Clark waded into rising waters to help one of his stranded ostrich hens. Matthew Ketterman spent several agonizing hours trapped on top of his truck amid coursing rapids after driving out to check the fences on his exotic game ranch outside Burnet, about an hour south of Bend. And the overflowing San Gabriel River knocked Christmas trees sideways and staff had to get petting zoo animals into a temporary pen at Sweet Eats Adventure Farm in Georgetown, about 65 miles east of Ketterman's ranch. As authorities work to understand the extent of the loss of human life—as of Friday at least 120 people were killed more than 160 missing —farmers and ranchers are working to assess damage to their properties, crops and animals. Many are facing the task of caring for livestock while salvaging what crops they can and cleaning up the wreckage. While many farmers lean on a relentless optimism to get through the uncertainty of relying on the weather for a living, extreme weather disasters like catastrophic floods, droughts and wildfires can take a toll. The weather events also pose unique challenges to those who rely on seasonal tourist rushes or who might not have crop insurance. It's a double-edged sword: as some farmers turn to agritourism or niche crops to weather unpredictable markets, climate change is also intensifying many of the natural disasters that can make it more difficult for those experiments to succeed. Even the larger operations are not immune; farmers who produce all kinds of crops must plan for emergencies. 'We expect it to happen again. It's never a question of if, but when,' said Jon Meredith, co-owner of Sweet Eats, an agritourism outfit that mainly grows Christmas trees. 'And so we just continue to try to mitigate our losses and reduce our risk around events like this.' Still surveying the damage, starting repairs Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said there has been so much rain so quickly that some farmers are seeing complete loss or severe damage to their crops and infrastructure, in several counties and beyond the banks of overflowing rivers. 'We've had farm equipment washed down the river. We've had tractors underwater, so they're totaled, won't be able to use those. Irrigation equipment wadded up like a bowl of spaghetti,' Miller told The Associated Press. 'We're finding cattle dead on top of trees downriver. So it's pretty devastating.' Miller said there are resources available for farmers. Those include the State of Texas Agriculture Relief Fund, which helps farmers access disaster funding, the Hay and Feed Hotline, which donates animal feed and the AgriStress Helpline that provides 24/7 mental health support. Now comes the task of cleanup: repair miles of destroyed fence line, tally lost livestock and move debris from foliage and mud to piled-up picnic tables. After a harrowing night waiting for hours to be rescued, Ketterman, who had gotten stuck on his vehicle, felt lucky to be alive. But he and his team were also grieving the loss of a member who died in the flooding on his way to work. They lost some animals to the churning water, as well. 'We're in the hundreds of thousands of dollars of damage, but you know, at the end of the day that's just monetary and we'll recover from that,' he said. Disasters like floods can be tough for specialty farmers Small farms that offer experiences to visitors, don't sell to wholesalers or don't have crop insurance are especially vulnerable, said Hannah Burrack, professor and chair of the entomology department at Michigan State University, who has worked with fruit farmers in the aftermath of floods. Clark said ostrich growers can access some U.S. Department of Agriculture programs that cover the loss of grass that birds graze on, but otherwise there isn't much assistance. Ostriches also get too cold in heavy rain. And it cuts down egg production; the hens almost stop laying eggs and mud and water can ruin what few they do. 'It does definitely affect our production this year and our profitability,' Clark said. Burrack said that other crops for consumption like fruits and vegetables get submerged, they can no longer be sold. Unharvested plants in fields can build up, causing pest issues or creating an unpleasant experience for visitors. And once submerged, 'long-term echoes of these short-term stressors' can make trees more vulnerable to disease. Meredith said Sweet Eats was lucky the Christmas season is still months away; they still had a chance to put the trees back up. They would've had a harder time if they were still doing peach trees like they used to. 'Because so much of our stuff is pick-your-own, so if we can't be open for customers, then it magnifies the challenges that we face because of cash flow issues,' he said. All farms need to plan for emergencies, climate change It's not just floods: farms across the country have taken hits due to extreme weather in recent years. Wildfires have damped farm-based businesses in California including pick-your-own apple orchards in the southern part of the state and wineries in the north. An unusually warm winter had Midwestern maple syrup producers scrambling in 2024, while pinching drought has hit pumpkins, along with many other crops, across the West. It's good business sense to observe how climate change might affect your operation and make adjustments accordingly, said Rob Leeds, an extension educator at Ohio State University who works with farmers, especially those interested in agritourism. He described how after watching a barrage of tornadoes and high winds in recent years, some cattle producers in Ohio have been building tougher barns that more typically would be seen in windswept areas of the West. Some fall-themed agritourism operators have started installing fans and misters, anticipating more hot days later into the fall. It will take a while for Texas farmers to fully recover, but some are already building back stronger. Ketterman said he thinks they're going to put up sturdier fence posts in the coming weeks as they secure the fence line. They'll lean on each other, too. Many farmers described the tight-knit sense of community as they weathered the storm. 'We all started calling each other, to make sure we could get our animals out and anything else that we needed to save,' said John Meredith, owner of Sweet Eats. 'Just because this is a fact of life. When you live on a river, it's beautiful and enjoyable, but there are occasionally times where things can go south very quickly.' ___ Walling reported from Chicago. Amy Taxin reported from Orange County, Calif. ___ Follow Melina Walling on X @MelinaWalling and Bluesky @ Follow Joshua A. Bickel on Instagram, Bluesky and X @joshuabickel. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Associated Press
11-07-2025
- Climate
- Associated Press
Texas floodwaters damaged crops and endangered livestock. Now farmers and ranchers are cleaning up
BEND, Texas (AP) — Across a wide swath of Texas, the inundated rivers that ravaged communities also tore through farms and ranches. In the town of Bend, about two hours north of Austin, Boyd Clark waded into rising waters to help one of his stranded ostrich hens. Matthew Ketterman spent several agonizing hours trapped on top of his truck amid coursing rapids after driving out to check the fences on his exotic game ranch outside Burnet, about an hour south of Bend. And the overflowing San Gabriel River knocked Christmas trees sideways and staff had to get petting zoo animals into a temporary pen at Sweet Eats Adventure Farm in Georgetown, about 65 miles east of Ketterman's ranch. As authorities work to understand the extent of the loss of human life—as of Friday least 120 people were killed more than 160 missing —farmers and ranchers are working to assess damage to their properties, crops and animals. Many are facing the task of caring for livestock while salvaging what crops they can and cleaning up the wreckage. While many farmers lean on a relentless optimism to get through the uncertainty of relying on the weather for a living, extreme weather disasters like catastrophic floods, droughts and wildfires can take a toll. The weather events also pose unique challenges to those who rely on seasonal tourist rushes or who might not have crop insurance. It's a double-edged sword: as some farmers turn to agritourism or niche crops to weather unpredictable markets, climate change is also intensifying many of the natural disasters that can make it more difficult for those experiments to succeed. Even the larger operations are not immune; farmers who produce all kinds of crops must plan for emergencies. 'We expect it to happen again. It's never a question of if, but when,' said Jon Meredith, co-owner of Sweet Eats, an agritourism outfit that mainly grows Christmas trees. 'And so we just continue to try to mitigate our losses and reduce our risk around events like this.' Still surveying the damage, starting repairs Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said there has been so much rain so quickly that some farmers are seeing complete loss or severe damage to their crops and infrastructure, in several counties and beyond the banks of overflowing rivers. 'We've had farm equipment washed down the river. We've had tractors underwater, so they're totaled, won't be able to use those. Irrigation equipment wadded up like a bowl of spaghetti,' Miller told The Associated Press. 'We're finding cattle dead on top of trees downriver. So it's pretty devastating.' Miller said there are resources available for farmers. Those include the State of Texas Agriculture Relief Fund, which helps farmers access disaster funding, the Hay and Feed Hotline, which donates animal feed and the AgriStress Helpline that provides 24/7 mental health support. Now comes the task of cleanup: repair miles of destroyed fence line, tally lost livestock and move debris from foliage and mud to piled-up picnic tables. After a harrowing night waiting for hours to be rescued, Ketterman, who had gotten stuck on his vehicle, felt lucky to be alive. But he and his team were also grieving the loss of a member who died in the flooding on his way to work. They lost some animals to the churning water, as well. 'We're in the hundreds of thousands of dollars of damage, but you know, at the end of the day that's just monetary and we'll recover from that,' he said. Disasters like floods can be tough for specialty farmers Small farms that offer experiences to visitors, don't sell to wholesalers or don't have crop insurance are especially vulnerable, said Hannah Burrack, professor and chair of the entomology department at Michigan State University, who has worked with fruit farmers in the aftermath of floods. Clark said ostrich growers can access some U.S. Department of Agriculture programs that cover the loss of grass that birds graze on, but otherwise there isn't much assistance. Ostriches also get too cold in heavy rain. And it cuts down egg production; the hens almost stop laying eggs and mud and water can ruin what few they do. 'It does definitely affect our production this year and our profitability,' Clark said. Burrack said that other crops for consumption like fruits and vegetables get submerged, they can no longer be sold. Unharvested plants in fields can build up, causing pest issues or creating an unpleasant experience for visitors. And once submerged, 'long-term echoes of these short-term stressors' can make trees more vulnerable to disease. Meredith said Sweet Eats was lucky the Christmas season is still months away; they still had a chance to put the trees back up. They would've had a harder time if they were still doing peach trees like they used to. 'Because so much of our stuff is pick-your-own, so if we can't be open for customers, then it magnifies the challenges that we face because of cash flow issues,' he said. All farms need to plan for emergencies, climate change It's not just floods: farms across the country have taken hits due to extreme weather in recent years. Wildfires have damped farm-based businesses in California including pick-your-own apple orchards in the southern part of the state and wineries in the north. An unusually warm winter had Midwestern maple syrup producers scrambling in 2024, while pinching drought has hit pumpkins, along with many other crops, across the West. It's good business sense to observe how climate change might affect your operation and make adjustments accordingly, said Rob Leeds, an extension educator at Ohio State University who works with farmers, especially those interested in agritourism. He described how after watching a barrage of tornadoes and high winds in recent years, some cattle producers in Ohio have been building tougher barns that more typically would be seen in windswept areas of the West. Some fall-themed agritourism operators have started installing fans and misters, anticipating more hot days later into the fall. It will take a while for Texas farmers to fully recover, but some are already building back stronger. Ketterman said he thinks they're going to put up sturdier fence posts in the coming weeks as they secure the fence line. They'll lean on each other, too. Many farmers described the tight-knit sense of community as they weathered the storm. 'We all started calling each other, to make sure we could get our animals out and anything else that we needed to save,' said John Meredith, owner of Sweet Eats. 'Just because this is a fact of life. When you live on a river, it's beautiful and enjoyable, but there are occasionally times where things can go south very quickly.' ___ Walling reported from Chicago. Amy Taxin reported from Orange County, Calif. ___ Follow Melina Walling on X @MelinaWalling and Bluesky @ Follow Joshua A. Bickel on Instagram, Bluesky and X @joshuabickel. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
The Independent
07-07-2025
- Climate
- The Independent
Texas floodwaters send trees crashing into river
Powerful Texas floodwaters have sent trees crashing down into the San Gabriel River, as the state continues to be ravaged by fast-moving flash flooding that has so far claimed the lives of 82 people. Footage filmed on Saturday (5 July) shows uprooted trees lying in the middle of the river and more being torn from the banks and swept downstream. Over 80 people, including 28 children, have died in the floods, which began when heavy rainfall in western Kerr County on Thursday (3 July) caused severe flooding along the Guadalupe River. The search for survivors has entered its fourth day, with dozens still missing whilst forecasters have warned of another 10 inches of rain on Monday (7 July).
