Ensuring Water Access: A Conservation Effort at Pike Davis Ranch
Landscape view of Pike Davis Ranch. // Stephen Ramirez
Featured in the 2024 Spring/Summer Texas Forever Magazine
Written by Terry Green, Conservation Advocate, Pike Davis Ranch
The Texas Hill Country has suffered an almost continuous cycle of multiyear droughts since the historical drought of the 1950’s. The current drought affecting Gillespie and Blanco counties is now in the “Extreme” and “Severe” categories, depending upon the specific locations within these counties.
The Pike Davis Ranch is a 1,418-acre property that is permanently protected under a conservation easement with Texas Land Conservancy. This is a working cattle ranch owned by the Howard Hicks and Bettie Green families. Both families are highly motivated conservationists with a great interest in and dedicated efforts to protect and restore the natural environment of the land and its native wildlife.
The ranch, situated in both Gillespie and Blanco counties in a roughly 60/40 split, lacks continuous flowing rivers or creeks. Historically, the two largest creeks, Big Branch and Davis Creek, maintained continuous water flow. However, due to increased development in the Hill Country and the persistent cycle of droughts, these creeks no longer flow year-round. Amid the current drought, all natural water sources have ceased, leaving the ranch reliant on wells—four in total, two electric, one solar-powered, and one a windmill. Water troughs, about 10 ft. in diameter and 24 to 30 inches deep, are positioned at each well location. These troughs serve as a vital water source for cattle and large to medium-sized wildlife, such as deer and coyote. Unfortunately, small mammals like raccoons, possums, squirrels, porcupines, armadillos, rabbits, and even smaller species struggle to access these troughs and often drown in their attempts. Despite their resourcefulness in finding surface water, there are instances, such as the recent summers of 2022 and 2023, where natural surface water is entirely absent on the ranch.
Caleb Carpenter, a Boy Scout with Troop 285 of San Antonio, was looking for an Eagle Scout project and wanted it to be in the conservation domain. I suggested Caleb try to design, construct, and install small animal ramps for one or two of the existing water troughs at the ranch. This idea was readily accepted by Caleb, and over a period of several months, he, along with support from other scouts from Troop 285 and adult leaders, designed and constructed the small animal ramps.
The installed ramp complex on one of the water troughs. // Terry Green
There were two ramps made consisting of galvanized heavy-duty steel mesh welded to a steel support frame. The frame is made in such a way that there is a climbing ramp, a top piece that goes across the water trough edge, and then another ramp that extends down into the water. Small mammals not only need a way to climb up to water level but must have a way to get to the water which may be as much as 6 inches below the lip of the water trough. In addition, the ramp that extends into the water allows any mammal or bird to swim to the ramp in cases where they accidently fall into the water trough. The two ramps were installed at water troughs at both ends of the ranch to maximize access for small mammals.
As we continue to monitor these water troughs with ramps, especially during the hot summer months when surface water becomes scarce, we will be able to determine animal usage and gain valuable insights into wildlife behavior and habitat use. This proactive approach not only benefits the animals but also helps us in making informed decisions for the long-term sustainability of the area's biodiversity.
A night photo taken with a game camera showing a pair of raccoons taking advantage of the newly installed ramps. // Terry Green