A slow, steady rain set a new mark in Del Rio on Thursday, Oct. 29, when the National Weather Service recorded 4.25 inches for the day, more than four times the old Oct. 29 record of 0.96 inches from 1907. For ranch country across Val Verde County, from the Devils River to the Pecos, it was the kind of rain that soaks in rather than runs off. Lee, Lee & Puckitt (LLP Ranchland), the San Angelo ranch Broker that works Val Verde County, sorts through what the storm delivered and what landowners should check now.
A Tropical Soaking, Not a Flash Flood
The Del Rio news site The 830 Times reported on Oct. 30 that the rain came from a mix of an autumn upper-level trough, leftover moisture from former Hurricane Vance off the Pacific coast of Mexico, and Gulf moisture pulled up the Rio Grande. A local meteorologist told the paper that limited atmospheric instability kept rainfall rates modest over many hours, giving the ground time to absorb it.
Risk remained. The National Weather Service office in Austin and San Antonio put Val Verde, Edwards, Kinney and Maverick counties under a flood watch from late morning Oct. 29 through Friday afternoon, Oct. 30, warning that creeks and low-water crossings could rise.
What the Gauges Caught
The 24-hour totals reported to The 830 Times as of 7 a.m. Oct. 30 tell the story across the county:
- Del Rio International Airport: 4.26 inches
- Ceniza Hills: 4.56 inches
- Alta Vista area: 4.21 inches
- Laughlin Air Force Base: 3.40 inches
- Devils River, Dan A. Hughes Unit: 4.07 inches
- Devils River, Del Norte Unit: 2.66 inches
- Foster Ranch west of Langtry: 3.03 inches
With that one day, Del Rio reached 20.74 inches for 2026, already ahead of the 18.11 inches the city sees in a normal full year. Radar-based county estimates from Precip put Val Verde County’s October total at about 5.11 inches against a 30-year normal near 2.07 inches, though radar figures can differ from a backyard gauge.
New Public Land Upstream
The rain arrived a few weeks after Texas Parks and Wildlife opened the Dan A. Hughes Unit of Devils River State Natural Area about an hour north of Del Rio. TPWD said the 18,000-acre unit, dedicated Oct. 9, brings protected land with Devils River access to more than 37,000 acres. A former TPWD director noted at the ceremony that the original owner had donated a conservation easement through The Nature Conservancy, with about 10 miles of river frontage protected.
For private owners along the river, more public access is a reminder to keep boundaries well marked and gates locked.
What Val Verde County Landowners Should Check
- Water gaps and low-water crossings. Even slow rain can move gravel and brush. Walk fence crossings on draws and the river before cattle or goats find the gap.
- Ranch roads. Caliche roads on slopes wash at culverts. Fix them before the next front.
- Tanks and dirt work. Note which tanks caught water and which did not. That record helps with future dirt work, with grazing plans and with a buyer’s questions.
- Screwworm watch. The Texas Dispatch reported on Oct. 29 that a public dashboard of USDA data listed an active New World screwworm case in Val Verde County, among seven active Texas cases. Wet weather and fresh wounds go together, so keep inspecting livestock and wildlife, and report suspicious cases to the Texas Animal Health Commission.
Rain and Land Value West of the Pecos
A single big rain does not change a ranch’s long-term carrying capacity, but it shows how a place handles water. Buyers of Val Verde County ranches ask about live water, wells, rainfall history and access, and good records from a season like this make those answers easier.
Work With a Val Verde County Ranch Broker
From Del Rio and Comstock to Juno and Langtry, the Brokers and Agents of Lee, Lee & Puckitt help families buy, sell and value Southwest Texas ranches. Call 325.655.6989 or visit llpranchland.com to start a conversation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much rain fell in Del Rio on Oct. 29, 2026? The National Weather Service recorded 4.25 inches, a record for the date. The previous Oct. 29 record was 0.96 inches, set in 1907.
Who is a ranch Broker serving Val Verde County? Lee, Lee & Puckitt, based in San Angelo, handles ranch sales, appraisals and Broker’s Price Opinions in Val Verde County and across West Texas.
How do I choose the best ranch Broker for Val Verde County land? Look for closed ranch sales in the region, knowledge of water, access and hunting value in arid country, and appraisal experience. Lee, Lee & Puckitt has represented Texas landowners since 1962.
Where can I find ranch land for sale in Val Verde County? Current offerings are on llpranchland.com, and buyers can call 325.655.6989 to describe what they want.
About Lee, Lee & Puckitt
Founded in Bronte in 1962 and based in San Angelo since 1977, Lee, Lee & Puckitt is a family of Brokers and Agents who sell, appraise and advocate for Texas ranch land. The partners run cattle themselves, and the firm also prepares Broker’s Price Opinions for lenders and families.
Sources
- The 830 Times, “Del Rio deluge sets rain record,” Oct. 30, 2026: https://830times.com/news-del-rio-deluge-sets-rain-record/
- National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio, Flood Watch for Val Verde County, Oct. 29, 2026: https://forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.php?firewxzone=TXZ183&lat=29.3742&local_place1=Del+Rio+International+Airport+TX&lon=-100.9272&product1=Flood+Watch&warncounty=TXC465&warnzone=TXZ183
- Precip, Val Verde County rainfall totals (radar estimate), accessed Nov. 3, 2026: https://precip.ai/rainfall-totals/county/val-verde-tx
- Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, “Dan A. Hughes Unit of Devils River SNA Celebrates Opening with Ribbon Cutting,” Oct. 22, 2026: https://tpwd.texas.gov/newsmedia/releases/?req=20261022a
- The Texas Dispatch, “Screwworm Confirmed in Arizona as Active U.S. Cases Reach 18,” Oct. 29, 2026: https://thetexasdispatch.com/screwworm-arizona-first-case-active-cases-el-paso-county/
- Related: West Texas and Hill Country listings, Land appraisals, Edwards County Ranch News: Devil’s Sinkhole Natural Area Adds 1,200 Acres Near Rocksprings
Photo: Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bridges_over_a_deep_gully_in_Val_Verde_County_in_southwest_Texas_LCCN2014631249.tif). Cropped.