UGRA’s Bushnoe says people should stay out of the river due to contamination

Upper Guadalupe River Authority General Manager Tara Bushnoe says the Guadalupe River, ravaged by massive flash floods, should be off limits to the public until her agency and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality can determine contamination levels.

The warning comes after Friday’s catastrophic flooding swept vehicles, sewage and potential animal carcasses into the waterway when the river reached an estimated 147,000 cubic feet per second.

“The public should stay away from the river and creeks for this reason and also at the request of our emergency responders,” Bushnoe said. “I have no information or experience on how long it might take for conditions to normalize or the long-term impact of the pollution that has entered the river.”

The massive surge of water carried extensive debris throughout the river system, including submerged vehicles, potential animal carcasses, sewage from overwhelmed treatment systems and hazardous materials from damaged structures and businesses.

UGRA has suspended all water quality testing until officials can safely access the river. Bushnoe said the authority will consult with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality about specialized testing protocols because they have “not previously encountered these conditions.”

The contamination represents an environmental disaster alongside the human tragedy that has killed 68 people and left 11 still missing in Kerr County. The floodwaters rose more than 20 feet in less than two hours Friday morning, overwhelming infrastructure and carrying away everything in their path.

The river’s unprecedented power was evident in USGS data showing water levels rose 22 feet in just 45 minutes at Kerrville, from 14.4 feet at 6 a.m. to 36.6 feet at 6:45 a.m. The surge moved so fast that monitoring equipment could not keep pace with the rising water.

Vehicles, buildings and other structures swept away by the flood now lie submerged throughout the river channel. The massive volume of water also overwhelmed septic and sewage systems, potentially releasing untreated waste into the waterway.

Agricultural areas inundated by flooding likely contributed animal waste and potentially dead livestock to the contamination. Chemical spills from damaged fuel tanks, propane containers and other hazardous materials add to the toxic mix now flowing downstream.