Fact-Check Report: Texas Camp Buildings Removed from Flood Risk Map
Claim:
“Texas camp buildings were removed from map showing flood risks, US media reports”
Verdict:
True
Evidence:
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) allowed Camp Mystic, an all-girls summer camp along the Guadalupe River in Texas, to remove multiple buildings from the government’s designated 100-year floodplain maps following camp requests in 2013, 2019, and 2020. These map amendments excluded over two dozen buildings from flood hazard zones despite private data and analyses showing that the flood risks remained high or were worse than indicated by the official maps.
Removing buildings from FEMA flood maps can significantly reduce federal requirements for flood-resistant construction and eliminate mandates for carrying flood insurance. This regulatory change likely made it easier and cheaper for the camp to maintain or renovate structures but left critical locations less protected from flood hazards. The July 4, 2025 flash flood tragically proved this risk management failure, as waters inundated the camp, resulting in the deaths of at least 27 campers and counselors, and sweeping several buildings off their foundations.
Multiple U.S. media investigations from NPR, ABC News, CBS News, and others have confirmed that FEMA repeatedly granted appeals to amend flood zone boundaries at Camp Mystic, effectively removing buildings from the flood hazard designation. These changes occurred on both the original Camp Mystic site and its 2020 expansion site nearby.
Analyses by independent data scientists and satellite imagery indicated that the floods exceeded FEMA’s predicted flood zones, with water reaching far beyond the mapped floodplains. Experts warn that these map amendments may favor wealthier or well-connected property owners and contribute to underestimating flood risk nationally.
Therefore, the claim is supported by official documents, government data, and multiple credible news reports detailing the removal of camp buildings from flood risk maps before the devastating floods.[1][2][3][5][7]
Sources:
- NPR – Camp Mystic asked to remove buildings from government flood maps despite risk
- ABC News – FEMA maps underestimated risk in catastrophic Texas flood, data shows
- CBS News – Dozens of Camp Mystic buildings removed from 100-year flood map by FEMA
- The Independent – Federal regulators approved Camp Mystic flood map changes
Conclusion:
The claim that buildings at Camp Mystic in Texas were removed from official flood risk maps is accurate. Federal regulators granted appeals to exclude these structures from FEMA’s designated floodplains, reducing regulatory oversight and flood insurance requirements. Despite these map amendments, the actual flood risk remained high, as tragically demonstrated by the July 2025 floods. These removals have sparked significant scrutiny about FEMA’s flood mapping process and potential risks to public safety.
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