After two hot, dry months, October finally turned wet in Albany. The Albany News reported Oct. 22 that the town had measured 5.22 inches of rain in the first 19 days of the month, compared with a normal of 1.60 inches for that period. About 3.50 inches of it fell from Thursday, Oct. 15, into the next morning. Lee, Lee & Puckitt (LLP Ranchland), a San Angelo based ranch Broker that covers the Rolling Plains, looks at what the rain did for Shackelford County ranches and what it did not do.
Green Grass, Wet Ground
A rain that size in mid-October gives warm-season grasses a final push and gets cool-season forage started. Texas A&M AgriLife’s Oct. 27 crop report for the Rolling Plains described a multi-day rain event that delivered 3 to 7 inches in parts of the district. Pastures were greening up, responding best where they had been fertilized, and many stock tanks filled and overflowed. The same report said hay supplies remained very tight heading into fall and that ranchers were weaning calves and selling them at a steady pace.
Why Hubbard Creek Barely Moved
The bigger reservoir story is different. Hubbard Creek Reservoir, fed by a watershed that drains much of Shackelford County, was 35.6 percent full on Nov. 2, according to Water Data for Texas. That is about where it stood a month earlier, at 35.7 percent, and down from 40.4 percent in early August and 46.1 percent a year ago. The lake sat about 17 feet below its conservation pool.
The likely reason is simple. After a long, dry summer, thirsty soil took in most of the October rain before much of it could run off into creeks. That is good for grass and topsoil moisture. It also means water supply for Albany and other cities on the reservoir still depends on future runoff events.
Burn Ban Still in Effect
Green grass has not ended fire season. Shackelford County’s website shows a burn ban placed on Sept. 28 for 45 days, set to expire on Nov. 12 unless commissioners take further action. Wildfire risk was serious this summer. On Aug. 18, a fire burned about 445 acres on a ranch north of Albany before volunteer departments and the Texas A&M Forest Service contained it, the Albany News reported.
Once grass cures after the first hard freeze, fine fuels can carry fire quickly again. Landowners who plan winter brush or pasture burns should wait for the ban to lift and follow county rules and a written burn plan.
Practical Steps for Shackelford County Ranches
- Check stock tanks one by one. Some caught water, others may not have. Tanks that stayed low need a plan for winter water.
- Stock to the grass you have. A green flush in October does not equal a full winter of forage. Hay is tight, so adjust numbers before you have to buy.
- Watch for fall weeds and armyworms. Wet pastures can see both after a big rain.
- Mark fire breaks. Mow or disk breaks around barns, pens and homes before fuels cure.
Rain and Ranch Value
Shackelford County ranches are valued on grass, water and improvements. Buyers ask about the number and condition of tanks, wells and pipelines, and how a place held up in dry years. Owners who keep notes on rainfall, tank levels and stocking after a season like this one have useful records when it comes time to sell or appraise.
Talk With a Shackelford County Ranch Broker
From Albany to Moran and the Clear Fork country, the Brokers and Agents at Lee, Lee & Puckitt work with ranch owners on sales, purchases and appraisals. Call 325.655.6989 or visit llpranchland.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much rain did Albany get in October 2026? The Albany News reported 5.22 inches in the first 19 days of October, more than three times the normal 1.60 inches for that period.
How full is Hubbard Creek Reservoir? Water Data for Texas showed Hubbard Creek Reservoir at 35.6 percent full on Nov. 2, 2026, compared with 46.1 percent a year earlier.
When does the Shackelford County burn ban end? The county website shows the burn ban was placed Sept. 28 for 45 days and expires Nov. 12 unless the court takes further action.
Who is a ranch Broker for Shackelford County? Lee, Lee & Puckitt of San Angelo provides ranch sales, appraisals and Broker’s Price Opinions in Shackelford County and the Rolling Plains and has served Texas landowners since 1962.
About Lee, Lee & Puckitt
Lee, Lee & Puckitt is a Texas farm and ranch brokerage founded in Bronte in 1962 and headquartered in San Angelo since 1977. Its Brokers and Agents handle ranch sales, appraisals, Broker’s Price Opinions and landowner advocacy, and its partners operate ranches themselves.
Sources
- Albany News, “October rains break extreme dry spell,” Oct. 22, 2026: https://www.thealbany.news/news/october-rains-break-extreme-dry-spell
- Water Data for Texas, Hubbard Creek Reservoir, accessed Nov. 2, 2026: https://www.waterdatafortexas.org/reservoirs/individual/hubbard-creek
- Shackelford County, Texas, burn ban notice: https://www.shackelfordcounty.org/
- Texas A&M AgriLife, Texas Crop and Weather Report, Oct. 27, 2026: https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/2026/10/27/pasture-mealybug-drought-take-toll-on-hay-fields-forage-yields/
- Albany News, “Wildfire threat intensifies across county,” Aug. 20, 2026: https://www.thealbanynews.net/news/wildfire-threat-intensifies-across-county
- Related: West Texas and Hill Country listings, Contact Lee, Lee & Puckitt, Stonewall County Ranch News: Burn Ban Ends as October Rain Fills Tanks Around Aspermont
Photo: USDA NRCS Texas, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Stock_ponds_are_vital_for_livestock_to_survive_at_Stasney%27s_Cook_Ranch_in_Albany,_Texas._(24483616893).jpg). Cropped.
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