The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) notified directors Thursday that the camp submitted an inadequate emergency plan proposal after a flash flood last summer killed 27 people.
Texas summer camps face multiple legal challenges and investigations but say they intend to reopen in May.
In a letter first reported by Quorum Report on Friday, the State Department informed the camp that several aspects of its emergency plan were missing or did not provide an adequate response. The Hill’s parent website Nexstar obtained and verified the contents of the notice.
The U.S. State Department requires Camp Mystic to revise its emergency plan within 45 days of notification.
The specific notice refers to a contingency plan submitted for the camp’s Cypress Lake site, two miles uphill from the Guadalupe site, where a historic July 4 flood killed 25 campers and two counselors.
The campground is located in the flood plain of Hunter, Texas, an unincorporated area about 80 minutes northwest of San Antonio.
According to the state’s letter, the company lacked floodplain location information and crew emergency plans.
Additionally, DSHS said the camp provided “inadequate” or “incomplete” plans for a variety of emergencies, including fire, serious injury or death, aquatic emergencies and natural disasters.
The letter includes recommendations for revamping camp emergency plans, including provisions such as issuing floodplain notifications to parents sending their children to camp and confirming campuses have appropriate emergency warning systems.
A DSHS spokesperson told Nexstar that most youth camps have received similar notices of deficiencies due to changes in emergency planning requirements. An approved emergency plan is required according to DSHS’ summer camp licensing review process.
In a statement provided to The Texas Tribune, the camp said it is “carefully reviewing” the notice from DSHS and working to address the issues identified in its emergency plan.
“Our top priority remains the safety and well-being of our campers,” the camp told the outlet.
The parents of a girl killed in a mysterious 2025 camp flood are urging Texas lawmakers to pass more summer camp safety laws and file lawsuits against camp directors and DSHS.
The decision to reopen the camp in the summer of 2026 sparked a backlash from the families, with Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) urging the state not to renew Camp Mystic’s license until a safety investigation was completed.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports and streaming video, head to The Hill.
