With hundreds confirmed dead or still missing, questions remain about the local response to flood warnings. Meanwhile, lawmakers will weigh measures to mitigate future disasters.

The rivers etching the terrain are a beloved feature of the rapidly growing region. But last week’s flooding was an agonizing reminder of the dangers they pose.

A major flood event also struck the Texas Hill Country in July of 1987 after a series of 17 thunderstorms moved slowly, in succession, over the headwaters of the Guadalupe River in Kerr County. Anywhere from 5 to 10 inches of rain fell on the flood-prone areas, now deemed “Flash Flood Alley,” according to a National Weather Service report.