Texas Flood Awareness Week is May 18-22, 2026
“It’s just rain. I can make it.”
We’ve all considered driving through high water when we were in a hurry, or when we thought our vehicle was big enough, or when directions hadn’t told us otherwise. Those who take the risk are more likely to become flood fatalities.
As we observe Texas Flood Awareness Week, we still feel the impact of the lives lost during last year’s June 12 flash flooding in San Antonio and the Hill Country floods of July 2025, powerful reminders of how quickly conditions can change. In Bexar County and throughout the San Antonio River Basin, flash flooding can turn familiar roads and low-water crossings into dangerous hazards within minutes. Texas Flood Awareness Week encourages the public to take simple but critical steps to stay informed and prepared before rain begins to fall.
Take Action on Bexar County Flood Awareness Day
For the first time, County officials declared Tuesday, May 19, 2026, as Bexar County Flood Awareness Day. With a shared goal of zero lives lost during flooding events, the County and regional partners announced both the observance and the Floods Don’t Care outreach campaign to bring flood safety messages closer to home.
Along with the NextGen Flood Warning System, these initiatives are a major step forward in making flood data more accessible, alerts more timely, and awareness more actionable for members of our communities.
The Floods Don’t Care campaign urges residents to take immediate, proactive steps to stay safe, starting with signing up for alerts at BexarFlood.org. By registering, you’ll receive real-time information about dangerous conditions, including low water crossings. This data also integrates with navigation apps like Waze and Google Maps, so when you’re on the road, you can be alerted to flooding hazards and quickly reroute to safer options.
Whether you’re within San Antonio proper or near the county line from Elmendorf, to Atascosa, to Fair Oaks Ranch, to Randolph Air Force Base — the site provides real-time flood data and road conditions to help people make safer decisions before and during severe weather.
The Dam Safety Connection
National Dam Safety Awareness Day is observed on May 31, 2026. The day highlights the critical role dams play in public safety, water management, flood risk reduction, and emergency preparedness.
Understanding how dams are monitored, maintained, and operated, and why public cooperation during high-water events matters is another important layer of flood awareness.
Flooding is the most common natural disaster in Texas and one of the deadliest, with the state accounting for 20% of the nation’s flood fatalities over the last 65 years.
Stay Informed. Stay Alert. Stay Safe.
When it comes to flooding, awareness isn’t optional; it’s lifesaving.
Follow the River Authority’s social media channels (@sanantonioriver) and explore our recent blogs on flood preparedness and safety, including the “When Rivers Rise Fast” series, to learn more about:
- How flash floods develop and why they are so dangerous
- The role of real-time gauges, sensors, and alerts
- Practical tools residents can use to check conditions, plan safer routes, and avoid flooded roadways
- Simple steps homeowners and families can take to reduce risk
Awareness saves lives, but only when we act on it. Sign up for alerts, share flood safety resources with your neighbors, and commit to turning around at high water. The people who love you are counting on you to make it home. Floods don’t care. But we do.
