Summer Community Update 2025

Hello Ranches at Buckhorn Creek community! On this first day of July, I want to update you on the happenings in our community in Crockett!

Private Community

At the beginning of June, Jesse Hamilton at JCH13 Ranch installed a Private Community sign at our entrance which explicitly states No Soliciting, Loitering, or Trespassing. This does not keep non-residents from entering but it is a first step deterrent. A No Trespassing sign has also been installed on the gate by Lot 6 that is visible to the neighboring landowner (so when you drive down Buckhorn Creek Drive you will just see the silver back to this sign). I will be installing another chain and lock on this gate upon my next trip to Buckhorn. The gate needs to remain as a gate with accessibility to the pipeline when needed.

The Road Repair at Lot 6 has been completed by JCH13 Ranch! Jesse Hamilton installed a culvert and a load of rock at the curve just days before the June flood event and it worked great. Yesterday, Jesse was able to complete the final addition of the rock on the road. I am grateful for JCH13 Ranch's persistence in problem solving and completing this vital repair.

Road by Lot 6 on 2/6/24 Culvert flowing during 6/25 storm Final road 6/30/25

June 2025 Flash Flood

On June 12, 2025 Zak Benge with the Houston County Sheriffs Office posted on their Facebook page a warning about flooding and closed roads in Crockett due to the amount rain received. And the National Weather Service had issued a Flash Flood Watch for Crockett and other Texas cities with expected torrential rains. A post was made on the Ranches at Buckhorn Creek Facebook page with pictures and video provided by Jesse Hamilton from JCH13Ranch which I am reposting here as well. I appreciate the comments made by landowners on the Facebook post and I hope to provide you with the information that you need here.

Video at the entrance where the Bog Garden is located.

In my blog post of May 19, 2024, I posted a map about the flood plain for Ranches at Buckhorn Creek as well as detailed about our floodplain to help landowners to become educated on this important aspect of life along a river system with many interconnecting waterways. https://www.ranchesatbuckhorncreek.com/post/community-news-19-may-2024

The June 12, 2025 rain event was a flash flood event with fast moving water and 16" in 4 hours. Within the hour of taking the photos in Buckhorn, Jesse reported that the flood waters at the entrance had receded and Hales Gulley in that location was back in its banks. The fact that the water came and went in this flash flood event indicates that our Hales Gulley at the entrance worked as anticipated.

Additionally, the Bog Garden that the POA installed in 2024 at the entrance provided native plants with the capacity to absorb a lot of water with their deep root systems. The caliche roads are permeable and thus allow water to permeate through them which does reduce water runoff when compared to a concrete surface. Lastly, the road work at the curve at Lot 6 worked well.

Jesse Hamilton has since been able to assess some individual lots along Hales Gulley and Big Creek and there are several areas where "washouts" occurred on landowner properties due to the fast moving and large volume of water which caused water to escape the banks of the gulley and creek. The water level along the intersection of Hales Gulley and Big Creek has been slow to recede due to the high level of the Trinity River. This flood event was not a Ranches at Buckhorn Creek event, it was a Crockett flood event. Below is a graphic from the Trinity River Authority for the Trinity River near Crockett. It details the water discharge was about 27,000 ft3/s on June 12 and by June 13 it was about 42,000 ft3/s which indicates the large volume of water flow.

Here is the location of the monitoring station collecting the water discharge data.

Picture of the Trinity River at the crossing of Highway 21

Jesse Hamilton with JCH13 Ranch has lived in Crockett his entire life, and his family has lived and worked near and in Buckhorn during their lifetimes. They have never seen a flood event in Crockett, Buckhorn or the Trinity at Hwy 21 like this one. He will continue to be available to landowners as requested to offer insight into their property. Please note, the washouts that occurred in Hales Gulley & Big Creek due to the storm have impacted Jesse's ability to access and mow the high fence line at this time.

I express my gratitude for Jesse & Christina Hamilton, JCH13 Ranch, for providing these pictures and video of the June 2025 flood event and road repair and for their care of communicating what was happening during the flood time so that I could properly communicate to the landowners.

Beaver Management Support

Greg Ashabranner, Wildlife Damage Mangement Biologist, with Texas Wildlife Services has been hired by the POA to trap beavers in the community with the intent of providing long-term support. Texas Wildlife Services is a federal and state supported program for Houston County.

Greg Ashabranner had trapped a couple beavers prior to the June 12th flood event and poked some holes in the beaver dam in front of and inside the culvert under the road at Big Lake to allow water to drain. He has continued to actively trap the beavers including beavers that have entered into the Big Lake. If you have property along the Big Lake and have active trail cameras you may see him on your property as he accesses areas to set and retrieve traps. Just know that beaver management is a process, which means it will take some time, due diligence and patience.

Don't Forget!

In gratitude,

Aleta Patrick