WIMBERLEY, Texas – Ten years after deadly floods swept through Wimberley over Memorial Day weekend, scars remain — but so does the strength of a town that refused to be broken.
What began as light rain on May 23, 2015, turned into a devastating overnight storm that brought as much as 13 inches of rain to Blanco County. The Blanco River swelled to a record 44 feet, unleashing a surge of water described by many as a “tidal wave.”
Thirteen lives were lost, and more than 350 homes were destroyed.
“It happened in the middle of the night. So many people were just caught off guard,” said Michelle Woods, Wimberley’s director of tourism.
“There was so much water… there was debris everywhere,” Mayor Pro-tem Rebecca Minnick said.
Rebuilding
In the decade since, Wimberley has not only rebuilt its infrastructure but also redefined how it prepares for and responds to disasters. Bridges that were washed away have been reconstructed to withstand future flooding, and local leaders implemented new alert systems and safety policies.
“The city now requires landlines on-site at vacation rentals, and we’ve got both local and countywide emergency alert systems,” Minnick said.
The landscape also changed. The town was known for its cypress trees, but many were washed away in the flooding.
“It’s part of the ebb and flow of nature, and it’s still beautiful,” Minnick said. “It was, in its way, beautiful a year or two after as well. So we appreciate this town for what it is, not for what it used to be, but what it is.”
Bob and Jenelle Flocke, who have lived in Wimberley for 25 years, were among those forced to flee as the river overtook their neighborhood.
“We’d seen the river rise to 30 or 33 feet before,” Bob Flocke recalled. “But never to 44 feet like in 2015.”
Around midnight, water reached the foundation of their home.
“We may not see it again,” Jenelle Flocke thought as they evacuated.
When they returned, they found their doors blown out and mud covering nearly everything. Two neighboring homes had been swept away completely.
Wimberley Strong
The Flockes were able to rebuild their home in seven and a half months. But for many, recovery took years — or never came.
Still, they say it was the response of the Wimberley community that left the biggest impact.
“This community was the most amazing thing about that flood,” Jenelle Flocke said. “People didn’t wait for government assistance. Immediately, neighbors and volunteers showed up to help.”
The Flockes said complete strangers would show up to help as they and others rebuilt.
“Wimberley has a way of surviving,” Woods said.
10th anniversary
This week, the town is commemorating the 10th anniversary with a memorial concert at Blue Hole Regional Park — a reflection of both remembrance and resilience. Proceeds from the event will benefit first responders.
“At the 10-year mark, it’s bringing us back together,” Woods said. “To remind us, this is what Wimberley does in a crisis — we help our neighbors and our friends.”
The landscape, like the community, has changed, but the lessons remain. For the Flockes, the memory of that night still lingers.
“I still go looking for things that don’t exist anymore because they washed away,” Jenelle Flocke said. “Then I just have to say, it’s stuff. We’re alive. We made it out.”
In Wimberley, recovery is not just about rebuilding, they want everyone to know it’s about remembering lives lost and the strength of a community that will always be Wimberley Strong.
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