Campus Alert Archive
UT Austin

Text UTMOVE to 888-777: How Austin's Inland Campus Braced for Harvey's Rain

TXhurricaneemergency notificationmedium confidence

While Hurricane Harvey devastated the Texas coast and flooded Houston, the inland University of Texas at Austin braced for heavy rain over the weekend of Aug. 25-27, 2017. UT raised and locked parking-garage elevators to higher floors, warned the community away from flood-prone areas near Waller Creek, and set up a special text channel — texting UTMOVE to 888-777 — to push hurricane-weekend updates in addition to its urgent UT Alert system.

Alerts
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Response
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Killed
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Injured
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Institution
The University of Texas at Austin
Public R1 · TX
~51,000 studentsUT Alert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

3 messages in sequence

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTEmail
Approximate reconstructionUT Austin News — Hurricane Harvey Resources (reconstructed)343 chars
The University of Texas at Austin is in regular contact with City of Austin officials and is monitoring Hurricane Harvey. We will provide updates throughout the weekend on weather and safety via text, email and social media. For hurricane-weekend updates, text UTMOVE to 888-777. This is in addition to the university's urgent UT Alert system.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed from UT Austin's published Harvey guidance; the UTMOVE-to-888-777 opt-in keyword and the 'in addition to the urgent UT Alert system' framing are quoted directly from the university.
Standing up a dedicated opt-in text keyword for one weather event keeps routine storm updates off the high-severity UT Alert channel reserved for true emergencies.
Naming the City of Austin coordination signals that the campus decision-making was tied to municipal flood management, not made in isolation.
UPDATESMS
Approximate reconstructionUT Austin News — Hurricane Harvey Resources (reconstructed)331 chars
UT Harvey Update: Avoid parking near Waller Creek along San Jacinto Blvd, 24th St and 21st St due to flash-flood risk. West elevators at San Jacinto Garage and the SE elevator at Trinity Garage have been raised and locked on a higher floor starting at 4:45 pm to prevent flooding. Monitor weather and stay out of flood-prone areas.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed from UT Austin's published guidance; the Waller Creek streets (San Jacinto, 24th, 21st), the specific garages, and the 4:45 pm elevator lock-up are quoted directly from the university.
Raising and locking garage elevators on higher floors is a concrete pre-flood protective action rarely spelled out in campus alerts.
The named streets are real locations bordering Waller Creek, the flood-prone waterway that bisects the east side of UT's campus.
ALL CLEAREmail
Approximate reconstructionUT Austin News — Hurricane Harvey Resources (reconstructed)343 chars
Hurricane Harvey's heaviest rain has passed over the Austin area without major flooding, and the university is operating on its normal schedule. Resources are available for students, faculty and staff affected by the storm elsewhere in Texas. If you need assistance or want to help with relief efforts, see the Hurricane Harvey resources page.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed from UT Austin's Harvey resources guidance; the National Weather Service confirmed Austin's rain fell over a long enough period to avoid major flooding.
This all-clear pivots from threat to support — Austin was spared, so the message turns toward aiding students and institutions in the harder-hit coastal regions.
Returning to a 'normal schedule' is the genuine all-clear; the message lifts the weekend's flood precautions rather than maintaining any avoidance instruction.
Context

Background

Hurricane Harvey made landfall near Rockport, Texas, on Aug. 25, 2017, as a Category 4 storm and then stalled, dumping catastrophic, record-setting rain on Houston. Far inland in the state capital, the University of Texas at Austin braced mainly for heavy rain and flash flooding. The University of Texas System documented how its institutions across the state responded. UT Austin stayed in contact with City of Austin officials, raised and locked parking-garage elevators to higher floors, and warned the community away from the flood-prone Waller Creek corridor along San Jacinto Boulevard and 24th and 21st streets. The university stood up a dedicated opt-in text keyword — UTMOVE to 888-777 — for hurricane-weekend updates, deliberately separate from its high-severity UT Alert system. Because Austin's rain fell over an extended period, the city avoided major flooding, and UT Austin shifted into a support role for displaced students and harder-hit coastal campuses.
Analysis

Key Findings

UT Austin, well inland, braced primarily for heavy rain and flash flooding rather than wind during Harvey
The university set up an opt-in text keyword (UTMOVE to 888-777) for weather updates, separate from its high-severity UT Alert system
Concrete pre-flood actions included raising and locking parking-garage elevators on higher floors at 4:45 pm and closing flood-prone areas near Waller Creek
Austin avoided major flooding, and UT Austin pivoted to supporting displaced students and harder-hit coastal institutions
Outcome
Austin received heavy rain spread over enough time to avoid major flooding, and the UT Austin campus came through Harvey without significant damage. The university shifted into a support role, helping host displaced students and coordinate relief for harder-hit coastal institutions.
Provenance

Sources

  1. Official
    Hurricane Harvey Resources - UT Austin News
    news.utexas.edu
  2. Official
    When the Storm Came: University of Texas institutions respond to Hurricane Harvey - UT System
    utsystem.edu
  3. News
    University Of Texas At Austin Prepares For Hurricane Harvey - North Austin Patch
    patch.com
  4. Official
    Hurricane Harvey 2017 - Impacts to South Central Texas - NWS
    weather.gov
Tags
hurricaneharveytexasaustinflash-floodwaller-creekemergency-notificationopt-in-text-alert2017-hurricane-season
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion