Texas A&M researchers outline planned survey of residents affected by Kerr County floods

Representatives from Texas A&M's Superfund Research Center told the court they plan to conduct a research study documenting residents' warnings, responses and recovery experiences after the July floods.

"The information that we get will be provided to folks like yourself first in a report if you're interested, before any kind of publications are sought," said Dr. Garrett Hansen, who described the project as a short questionnaire intended to be minimally burdensome to participants. Researchers said the survey will take about 15–20 minutes; they may follow a subset of roughly 50 participants with monthly calls for up to six months to track recovery trajectories.

Hansen described methodology considerations: traditional sampling methods (the CASPER approach) can miss the most impacted households when an event affects a long linear corridor, so researchers plan a mixed approach that includes some door‑to‑door interviews where safe and appropriate, plus QR code and online options distributed through local partners. He said the project will undergo institutional review board (IRB) approval prior to fieldwork and that the team will protect respondent identities and report results in aggregate.

Commissioners asked about the study's plan to include businesses, camp and RV owners and visitors; researchers said they plan to collect a range of perspectives but will avoid contacting next of kin of the deceased or people involved in ongoing litigation. Researchers also said they will coordinate with local organizations and will provide resource and referral information to participants, including mental‑health and recovery resources.

No court action was requested; the presentation was informational and researchers asked only that the court be notified of the work so staff and residents know the team will be soliciting participation.