Flood claims third Williamson County victim

At least three people are dead after the San Gabriel River severely flooded across Williamson County over the weekend. 

The first victim was Kaitlyn Swallow, age 22, from the Liberty Hill area, who was found dead late Saturday by the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office. The second victim was Sherry Merlene Richardson, age 64, from Liberty Hill, who worked at Hope House and was swept away in the flood. Her body was found Sunday evening.

Williamson County has yet to release the name of the third victim, who was located Tuesday. 

“My heart goes out to those who lost their loved ones in the devastating floods over the holiday weekend,” Wilco Judge Steven Snell said Sunday. “I am very grateful for the tireless work of first responders, Road and Bridge crews and other county personnel over the past two days. I also am grateful for the assistance from neighboring agencies and the State of Texas. 

“We have a long way to go in this recovery phase, but I know Williamson County is a caring and resilient community. The outpouring of support from the public to those impacted is humbling.”

Flood came fast 

After a day of on-and-off rainfall in Central Texas Friday, the situation escalated quickly early Saturday morning. A little after 2 a.m., a storm system developed over the western part of Williamson and Travis counties and poured more than a foot of rain during a 2-hour period on the already saturated land. 

More heavy rainfall upstream in Burnet and Llano counties contributed to fast-rising water levels in the San Gabriel River, specifically the south fork. Wilco law enforcement began getting calls about flooded roadways and stalled vehicles around 5 a.m. Saturday. 

Williamson County was temporarily short-staffed. The county sent first responders the day before to support recovery efforts after deadly flooding in the Kerrville area, about 120 miles southwest of Georgetown. When the San Gabriel began to rise, deputies were dispatched, and the Wilco response team in Kerrville was called back to assist recovery at home.

“I’m very proud that our county answered the call to go assist in Kerr County, but at the time, the next morning, they had to come and assist with Williamson County,” Judge Snell said Sunday. “They put in many man-hours, and we are thankful for that.”

Throughout the day Saturday, a total of 10 rescues were conducted, saving 27 people, he said. The Hope House in Liberty Hill off CR 285 was evacuated by helicopter with assistance from the U.S. Army based at Fort Hood.

Sheriff Matthew Lindemann said many responses were to vehicles that had been swept away in the floodwater, which contributed to the fatalities and missing persons. 

“Our efforts continue [Sunday] with ground searches along the South San Gabriel River and the area around Liberty Hill, as well as a number of drones that have been deployed,” Mr. Lindemann said. “We’ve gotta find those two missing individuals. Our heartfelt sympathies go out to everyone affected by this.”

On Monday, the sheriff said that search crews from the Liberty Hill Fire Department were able to find and save a previously missing person around 5 p.m. Sunday. One more person is still missing as of Monday afternoon, and Judge Snell said the City of Leander is overseeing the search. 

Emergency communications saved lives 

Judge Snell said the county has sent out more than 1,500 emergency messages on Saturday and Sunday, many targeted toward specific flood-prone areas.

“Once we realized that new flooding levels were going to be as dangerous as they were, we immediately started looking at our low-lying areas and proactively started sending messages,” Emergency Service Director Bill Zito said Sunday.

According to Williamson County officials, several mobile home parks located near the South Fork of the San Gabriel River received voluntary evacuation notices. Sheriff’s deputies went door-to-door to connect with residents in areas that were at risk.  

“You can’t get everybody, but you try,” Mr. Zito said. “You message, you go out, you try to communicate face-to-face, but you're always going to have one or two people that take that risk or drive through rushing. It's unfortunate, but I do believe the county did a fantastic job with minimal lives lost.”

Judge Snell said he believed the efforts of “using technology proactively to get the word out saved many lives.” 

“Our people like Bill Zito and the sheriff saved lives,” he said. 

County roads damaged

During the peak of the flood, more than 30 roads in the county were closed or impeded by water. More than a dozen remained closed Monday afternoon. 

“Crews are out today reopening roads as water recedes and debris is removed,” Judge Snell said Sunday. “Six roads have damage to the pavement, and crews are working to open up those roadways.”

Damaged roads included County Roads 279, 257, 236, 207, 200 and 126. 

County Road 279 was repaired and reopened on Sunday evening, but work still remains on the other roadways.

Across Central Texas, almost 200 roadways were closed or impacted at some point over the weekend, according to data provided by ATX Floods. 

Disaster declaration and damage reports 

A local state of disaster was issued by Judge Snell effective as of 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 5. A copy is available on the county website www.wilcotx.gov. 

Residents who suffered property damage can report it to the Texas Division of Emergency Management at damage.tdem.texas.gov. These reports help secure state and federal recovery funding.

Firefighters from Houston and from Galveston will be dispatched to conduct damage assessments later this week to “justify” the disaster declaration with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. 

Bruce Clements, from Wilco’s Office of Emergency Management, explained that assessments are documented by taking photos of damaged infrastructure and homes. Once a damage “footprint” is determined, the county will conduct a joint preliminary investment damage assessment with FEMA. 

If the county gets to the $2.8 million in uninsured losses — a FEMA  threshold — then Williamson County will be eligible for federal aid through its declaration. 

“That opens up resources, not only for governments to repair infrastructure, but also there’s some programs for individuals that can help [residents] do some repairs on homes,” Mr. Clements said.

Judge Snell said Representative John Carter is in contact with the federal government to see if Williamson County can receive additional federal aid. He said the process could take a couple of weeks, maybe longer.

Until then, county officials are encouraging residents to stay away from the river due to all types of debris. Do not launch personal drones in the area. Do not drive around any barricades. 

Donations are not being accepted by the county at this time. Mr. Snell asked those looking to give financial support or donations to help individuals directly impacted by the floods wait until the scope of the recovery becomes clear.

“We have a tremendous community that is always charitable,” Mr. Snell said Sunday. “We are asking that you wait as we assess the needs and the damage in the community, so we can coordinate our efforts where they need it the most.

“What I do know right now is that Williamson County is a very resilient community. We have excellent first responders and EMS. We are also a community of faith. And Governor Abbott has declared today a day of prayer, and I definitely encourage our community to join in prayer. Pray for the lives lost, pray for the families left behind, and pray for our community suffering right now, not only Williamson County, but across the state of Texas.”