County officials are establishing a call center for residents to receive information on cleanup updates and timelines.
KENDALL COUNTY, Texas — Nearly a month after the July Fourth floods devastated much of the Texas Hill Country, authorities in Kendall County say they’re moving into the cleanup stage—a process expected to take eight to 10 weeks.
Speaking from Boerne, County Judge Shane Stolarczyk said those efforts will begin Wednesday after receiving the green light from the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM). It also marks the ends of search and recovery efforts for flood victims in Kendall County, where nine bodies have been found since July Fourth.
Stolarczyk said those victims were swept into Kendall County “from upstream communities.” While the victims haven’t been officially identified, they were most likely people overwhelmed by the floods in Kerr County who were carried into neighboring Kendall.
Two people remain officially unaccounted for in Kerr County, but officials said there’s “no indication” the bodies are in Kendall County.
“Kendall County was blessed in one critical way: There have been no reports of missing residents from within Kendall County itself,” Stolarczyk said. “Our primary loss was to property due to an unprecedented volume of water inundating our area.”
Kendall County, unlike neighboring Kerr, had flood sirens in place to warn residents of the incoming floodwaters the morning of July Fourth.
How cleanup will work
Officials said state contractors cleaning up debris will be working seven days a week, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Kendall County has been segmented into five sections, with crews starting in the westernmost area before continuing eastward.
“Priority will be given to cleaning up the county right of way, followed by debris on private property as feasible, and debris in and along the river channels,” Stolarczyk said.
Only areas within the high-water mark of the July Fourth floods will be handled by the state contractors, the county judge added. Property owners outside of that boundary are encouraged to move flood debris into the county right of way or curbside themselves, where it will be picked up for free. But it should be out of the way of roads, fire hydrants, trees and utility poles.
Those who live in more rural areas should stack their debris piles between fence lines and roads while keeping drainage areas clear of obstacles.
Those unable to move debris themselves will be able to have contracted crews access their land for free cleanup at a later date, but that “right of entry” process is still being worked out. A hotline for cleanup updates and questions will be active at 8 a.m. Wednesday; once it’s set up, residents are encouraged to call for the latest on cleanup timelines.
That number will be 830-217-2890.
How to separate debris
If you’re gathering up flood debris on your property yourself, officials ask that it be separated into different piles. That breakdown is below:
- Electronics, including TVs, computers and stereos
- Large home appliances, including refrigerators, washers, dryers and air conditioning units
- Hazardous waste, including oil, batteries, paint, pesticides and cleaning supplies
- Vegetative debris, including large tree limbs, branches, logs and plants
- Building materials like drywall
“It’s imperative we separate these piles as much as we can,” said Brady Constantine, emergency management coordinator for Kendall County. “If you’re able to complete this, get it out to the right of way. That’s the key to this, so the state can get it picked up and cleaned up.”
He emphasized that regular, bagged household trash should still be picked up via normal pickup procedures. He also urged residents not to move debris into areas that block roads or access routes.
“We can’t encourage it enough, push it into the right of way,” Constantine said.
Officials recommended that residents with cars, RVs and other large vehicles on their property wait until the right of entry process is complete so contractors can come help.
A burn ban also remains in effect in Kendall County.