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Yes, there are reports that Texas officials considered but ultimately rejected installing a flood warning system along the Guadalupe River, known as “Flash Flood Alley,” due to cost concerns, prior to the catastrophic flooding that killed 27 campers and counselors at Camp Mystic in Kerr County, Texas, on July 4, 2025. According to multiple sources, including The New York Times and The Economic Times, Kerr County officials had discussed implementing sirens, river gauges, and other modern communication tools in 2017 to enhance flood warnings but decided against it, citing the high cost. Kerr County Commissioner Tom Moser was quoted saying, “We can do all the water-level monitoring we want, but if we don’t get that information to the public in a timely way, then this whole thing is not worth it,” highlighting the need for effective communication that was not pursued due to budget constraints. The county, with an annual budget of around $67 million, also lost a bid for a $1 million grant to fund the project in 2017. While former Commissioner Moser noted it’s uncertain whether such a system would have prevented the tragedy, he believed it could have helped. However, Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly stated that residents were hesitant about the expense, and the county relied instead on a less formal word-of-mouth system to communicate flood risks. These reports indicate that cost was a significant factor in the decision not to implement the warning system before the devastating floods.