Camp Mystic Flood: 27 Dead, FEMA Oversight Questions
Camp Mystic, a popular summer camp in Texas, has faced criticism following a deadly flood that claimed at least 27 lives on July 4. The camp, which expanded into a known flood plain, had previously successfully appealed to FEMA to remove some of its buildings from flood hazard areas, raising questions about oversight and safety measures.
FEMA exempted 30 of Camp Mystic's buildings from the flood hazard area between 2013 and 2020, following appeals. Experts suggest these appeals could have been motivated by a desire to avoid flood insurance requirements, lower premiums, or ease regulations for renovations or new structures.
First Street's model shows nearly all of Camp Mystic Guadalupe and most of Camp Mystic Cypress Lake at risk during a 100-year flood. An AP analysis found that 12 structures at Camp Mystic Guadalupe were fully within FEMA's 100-year flood plain, and more were partially in that zone.
Camp Mystic expanded after the success of its original camp, adding new cabins and facilities at a second site nearby. Despite being included in a 'Special Flood Hazard Area' by FEMA in 2011, the camp continued to operate and expand in the dangerous flood plain.
Property owners can challenge FEMA's map designations by hiring engineers to show where they believe the 100-year flood plain should be drawn, potentially leading to more accurate maps. In 2013, FEMA amended the flood map to remove 15 buildings of Camp Mystic from the 100-year flood hazard area after the camp demonstrated that the floors of these cabins were above the expected flood elevation, issuing a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) confirming this correction.
The tragic flood at Camp Mystic has raised concerns about the camp's expansion into a known flood plain and the effectiveness of FEMA's oversight. Federal regulators repeatedly granted appeals to remove the camp's buildings from their 100-year flood map, potentially loosening safety oversight. Camp Mystic's future operations and the review of FEMA's flood maps are now under scrutiny.
