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Texas ranch and rural land professional serving North Texas. Helping landowners understand their options and make informed decisions about their property.

10/22/2026

If you discover an old water well on your property, is it something you can simply leave alone?

Source: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension — Plugging Abandoned Water Wells
https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/library/water/plugging-abandoned-water-wells/

Older farms and ranches may have water wells that haven't been used in years. An old homesite, livestock operation or other former use of the property may leave behind a well that is easy to overlook.

Texas A&M AgriLife points out several reasons an abandoned well deserves attention:

• An abandoned well can provide a direct path for surface contaminants to reach groundwater.

• A deteriorated well can potentially affect groundwater and other nearby wells.

• Open or improperly secured wells can present a hazard to people and animals.

• Texas landowners have responsibilities for abandoned wells on their property.

Not every unused well should be treated the same way. AgriLife explains that depending on its condition, a well may be returned to service, properly capped or plugged.

For a landowner, the first question may simply be: Do I know whether there are old or unused water wells on my property—and what condition they're in?

If you're unsure about the status of an old well or what requirements apply, AgriLife recommends contacting your local Groundwater Conservation District, a licensed water-well professional or the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

10/20/2026

Do you know where your property line is in relation to the improvements on your land—or your neighbor’s?

Source: Texas Real Estate Research Center at Texas A&M University — Where Should My New House Go? Using Surveys to Avoid Legal Entanglements, December 16, 2024
https://trerc.tamu.edu/article/where-should-my-new-house-go-using-surveys-to-avoid-legal-entanglements/

When land has been in the same family for years, it can be easy to assume everyone knows where the property lines are.

But a survey may tell you more than where the corners are.

A few things worth considering:

• A properly scoped survey can show where improvements are located in relation to property boundaries.

• An improvement on your property may extend across the surveyed boundary onto neighboring land.

• The opposite can also occur—a neighbor’s improvement may extend across the boundary onto your property.

• Fences can be part of the picture, but so can structures, roads and other improvements.

• An older survey may not reflect changes or issues that developed after it was completed.

A survey can be particularly useful when land is being sold or divided, especially when there are questions about boundaries or the location of improvements.

For a longtime landowner, the larger question may simply be: Do you know what a current, appropriately scoped survey would show?

If you're unsure what type of survey is appropriate for your property and purpose, that's a question to discuss with a Registered Professional Land Surveyor.

10/15/2026

Wildfire preparation on a ranch involves more than clearing brush.

Source: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension — Wildfire: Preparing the Ranch, updated February 5, 2025
https://mytexas.ag.tamu.edu/publications/wildfire-preparing-the-ranch/

There are a number of things to think about before a wildfire threatens a ranch.

A few things worth noting:

• AgriLife recommends having a plan for where livestock could be moved and how they would be relocated if wildfire threatens the property.

• Defensible space around homes, barns, shops and other ranch structures is part of wildfire preparation, including attention to vegetation and combustible materials.

• Vegetation and other potential fuels around equipment, hay and fuel-storage areas are also worth considering.

• Ranch access and available water can matter to emergency responders. AgriLife recommends identifying roads, ponds, tanks and other water sources and coordinating with the local fire department before wildfire season.

• Preparation also includes an evacuation plan for the people on the ranch, including family members and employees.

AgriLife's larger point is worth remembering: wildfire preparation involves the land, livestock, improvements and people on the property—not just what happens when a fire starts.

For landowners, this is the kind of planning that's much easier to think through before there's an emergency. The AgriLife guide provides a useful place to start.

Image: AI-generated illustration.

10/13/2026

If you have a pond or stock tank on your property, when was the last time you walked the dam and looked for changes?

Source: Texas Commission on Environmental Quality — Guidelines for Operation and Maintenance of Dams in Texas (see Chapters 5 and 7)
https://www.tceq.texas.gov/publications/gi/gi_357

A pond may be one of the most noticeable features on a rural property, but the condition of the dam itself can be easy to overlook.

TCEQ provides guidance for dam owners on inspection and maintenance. A few things worth watching:

• Erosion or bare areas on the dam.

• Animal burrows, unwanted vegetation, or damage from livestock or vehicles.

• Changes in seepage or unusually wet areas.

• Cracks, slope movement, sinkholes, or other visible changes that may deserve closer attention.

TCEQ recommends regular inspections and additional inspection following major flood events.

For a landowner, the point isn't to diagnose or repair a dam yourself. It's to notice changes and know when something may deserve professional attention.

Sometimes walking a familiar part of the property with fresh eyes can reveal something worth addressing before it becomes a larger problem.

Image: AI-generated illustration.

10/06/2026

Before granting an easement across your land, have you thought about how it could affect the property years from now?

Source: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension — Easements 101, August 202https://agrilife.org/texasaglaw/files/2023/09/Easements-101-1.pdf

An easement may be requested to solve a need today, but the decision can have implications beyond the immediate situation.

A few things worth considering:

• What is the easement intended to accomplish?

• Does the proposed document clearly reflect what you understand you're agreeing to?

• Have you considered whether the use of the easement could be different or more intensive in the future?

• How does the easement fit with your own long-term plans for the property?

Texas A&M AgriLife discusses a Texas case involving an easement described as a “ranch road.” The example illustrates why the actual wording of an easement can matter when questions later arise about its use.

For a landowner, the important decision isn't simply whether to say yes or no to an easement. It's taking the time to understand what you're agreeing to before you agree to it.

AgriLife recommends working with an attorney familiar with these issues so the easement reflects the parties' intentions.

10/01/2026

If there are oil or gas wells on your property, do you know the status of each one?

One well may be producing while another is not.

Source: Railroad Commission of Texas — Inactive Well Requirements under HB 2259 and HB 3134
https://www.rrc.texas.gov/oil-and-gas/compliance-enforcement/hb-2259hb-3134-inactive-well-requirements/

A few things worth noting:

• The Railroad Commission has specific requirements for operators with inactive wells in their inventory.

• An inactive well isn't necessarily an orphan well. Operators may be able to obtain extensions of the deadline for plugging inactive wells when applicable RRC requirements are met.

• Those requirements can apply on a well-by-well basis. An operator may have active wells as well as inactive wells in its inventory.

For a Texas landowner, the larger point is simple: don't assume the status of a well just because it isn't producing—or because other wells on the property are.

If there's a question about a well, the Railroad Commission's records can be a good place to start before deciding what questions need to be asked and who needs to answer them.

09/29/2026

Where does the water go when it reaches your ranch road?

Source: Penn State Extension — Access Road, updated August 24, 2026
https://extension.psu.edu/access-road/

A ranch road can look perfectly fine when it's dry. How it handles runoff is another part of the picture.

A few things worth noting:

• Penn State identifies runoff and erosion on farm access lanes as issues worth paying attention to.

• An access road is more than a driving surface. Penn State notes that properly designed access roads can help control erosion and improve drainage and runoff control.

• There isn't one design that fits every road. Site conditions and the intended use of the road can affect what is appropriate.

• Where the water goes matters too. Penn State emphasizes effective stormwater management and stable outlets as important parts of access-road improvements.

• Maintenance continues after the road is built. Monitoring road conditions and making sure associated water-control features continue to function are part of maintaining the road.

For a landowner, the larger point may simply be to pay attention to how water interacts with the roads across the property—not just how those roads look when they're dry.

You don't have to design the solution yourself to recognize something that may be worth taking a closer look at.

09/24/2026

If you've been considering conservation work on your ranch, this may be a good time to talk with your local NRCS office.

Source: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service — NRCS in Texas Accepting Applications for Conservation Program, September 15, 2026
https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/state-offices/texas/news/nrcs-in-texas-accepting-applications-for-conservation-program

NRCS accepts applications for its conservation programs year-round, but Texas agricultural producers should apply by November 13, 2026, to be considered for FY2027 funding.

The current announcement includes the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP).

A few things worth knowing:

• NRCS programs provide voluntary technical and financial assistance to agricultural producers.

• EQIP can address natural-resource concerns involving areas such as soil erosion, soil health and water quality.

• CSP is designed for producers who want to build on conservation efforts already underway.

• ACEP involves conservation easements and is different from the other two programs.

• The right program, if any, depends on the property, the producer and the conservation goals being considered.

For a landowner, the first step doesn't have to be deciding which program fits. It may simply be sitting down with the local NRCS office and discussing what you're trying to accomplish on your land.

If conservation work is something you've been considering, November 13 is an important date to keep in mind for FY2027 funding consideration.

09/22/2026

Pasture mealybugs are worth another look in North Texas.

When I posted about this invasive pasture pest in August, it was an emerging issue worth watching. Since then, the situation has continued to change.

Source: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension — A New Invasive Pest of Pastures and Hayfields in Texas
https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/pasture-mealybug/

Texas A&M AgriLife's current infestation map now shows verified pasture mealybug infestations in Wise County, along with nearby Denton, Tarrant and Parker counties.

A few things worth noting:

• Current Texas A&M reporting says pasture mealybug has been confirmed in 79 Texas counties.

• AgriLife cautions that the actual range of infestation is probably greater than the counties currently verified on its map.

• Since my August post, an emergency exemption has been approved in Texas for a pesticide product to help control pasture mealybug. Landowners and producers considering treatment should follow current AgriLife guidance and product-label requirements.

• Pasture decline can have several causes. Yellowing, reddening, thinning or dying grass should not automatically be assumed to be pasture mealybug.

For North Texas landowners, this is becoming a much more local issue. If you're seeing unusual changes in a pasture, it may be worth taking a closer look rather than assuming drought or another familiar cause.

Texas A&M AgriLife recommends contacting your local County Extension Agent for help with suspected infestations.

Image: AI-generated illustration.

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