New Law, New Life: Camp Mystic’s 2026 Return Features State-of-the-Art Flood Safety In Texas

A new flood warning system will be in place when an all-girls Christian camp opens in the summer of 2026.

Camp Mystic’s Cypress Lake Campsite

Following deadly floods in July of 2025 in Hill Country, Camp Mystic officials say they are now working to install a new flood warning system upriver of where 27 campers and counselors drowned last summer.

House Bill 1

The Youth CAMPER Act/ House Bill 1 was passed by Texas lawmakers following the deadly July 4, 2025, floods in Texas Hill Country. The bill requires camps to install and maintain an emergency alert system to notify campers of emergency situations. It must include a public address system that can operate without an internet connection.

The Youth Camp Alert, Mitigation, Preparedness, and Emergency Response Act

According to the website of the Texas Governor, The Youth Camp Alert, Mitigation, Preparedness, and Emergency Response (Youth CAMPER) Act, requires youth camps to adopt and annually update emergency plans, train staff, orient campers, notify parents of floodplain risks with signed acknowledgment, and share plans with local emergency services. The Department of State Health Services will enforce compliance via inspections, complaint investigations, and license suspension or denial.
Read More: Families Sue Camp Mystic After Flash Flooding Tragedy

River Sentry

River Sentry of Liberty Hill, Texas will install the flood warning system that includes 8-foot aluminum towers that are designed to detect rising water upstream and downstream along the banks of the Cypress Lake campsite. The newer Cypress Lake camp is located southwest of the main camp. It was not damaged during last July’s flooding even though many of its buildings are situated within the 100-year floodplain. River Sentry Founder Ian Cunningham said the floods were personal, because his two daughters attended camps in the same area, two weeks before the deadly floods.

How Does the System Work?

According to the River Sentry website, when the towers detect flood water, they activate warning lights and sirens that can produce up to 75 decibels. Each tower is autonomous but will be connected so that any detecting unit can activate the entire system.