After a tragedy, records from local archives can help us understand how a community understands itself. Here’s some of what we learned following the devastating July 4 flooding in Texas.

The State Flood Plan, published last year, identified $54 billion in flood mitigation, warning and data needs. The state has awarded around $660 million since the plan was published, with a special legislative session coming soon.

In the aftermath of the 2025 Texas floods, a look back at some of the most destructive and defining flood events in the state’s weather history.