The Brazos Is Running Low Past Pecan Plantation. Here's What That Changes This Fall
October 8, 2026
October 8, 2026
The river around Pecan Plantation is running about as low as it ever does for this date. Most of the watering advice going around Granbury doesn't apply to homes inside the gate. Your fall outdoor routine answers to two schedules: water released from De Cordova Bend Dam and the drought plan at Acton Municipal Utility District. Neither one belongs to the City of Granbury.
At 4:15 a.m. on Oct. 1, 2026, the USGS gauge on the Brazos just below Lake Granbury read 12.4 cubic feet per second. That gauge has 13 years of records for Oct. 1. The median daily flow for the date is 18 cfs, the 25th percentile is 13, and the lowest reading was 11.2, set in 2018. So this week's river sits in the bottom quarter of its own history, a little above the record low. One caveat: USGS compares a single instantaneous reading against daily averages, so the match is close but not exact.
The stretch of Brazos that wraps around Pecan Plantation carries whatever Lake Granbury lets go. The Brazos River Authority posted Lake Granbury at an elevation of 689.91 feet at 6:45 a.m. on Sept. 30, 2.59 feet below normal, with a release of 19 cfs. De Cordova Bend Dam has low-flow gates for this situation. They pass small releases when opening a full gate isn't necessary.
Upstream, the lake isn't getting much help. In a Sept. 14 update, BRA Lead Hydrologist Chris Higgins said inflows into the authority's reservoirs "are virtually nonexistent." The same update listed Lake Granbury among six of BRA's 11 reservoirs under a Stage 1 Drought Watch. The others are Possum Kingdom, Whitney, Aquilla, Proctor and Limestone. BRA declared the watch for Lake Granbury on Aug. 27, 2026. It set a voluntary goal of cutting water use 5% and asked its customers to activate their own drought plans.
One of those customers supplies water to Pecan Plantation, which is where the watch reaches your yard.
Acton Municipal Utility District was created in 1982 to serve the Acton area, DeCordova Bend Estates, Indian Harbor and Pecan Plantation. It's a nonprofit governmental entity run by five elected board members, and it now serves about 8,900 households. AMUD's water comes from 24 wells across the district. That supply is topped up with treated Lake Granbury water from the Brazos Regional Public Utility Agency's SWATS plant in Acton. Wells carry part of the load, and the same lake now under a drought watch carries the rest.
AMUD posted a reminder on Aug. 31, 2026, that it is in Stage 1 of its Drought Contingency Plan. The district said its treatment facilities can meet demand, but demand is rising as conditions stay dry. Stage 1 is voluntary. The requested schedule allows two irrigation days a week, based on the last digit of your address:
The City of Granbury runs a separate Stage 1 schedule that started Aug. 28. Even-numbered addresses water on Sunday and Thursday, and odd-numbered addresses water on Wednesday and Saturday, within the same overnight and evening hours. The city's drought page still showed its Stage 1 banner during our late-September check. So a friend in town and a household on Ravenswood Road can both be following the rules on different days. If your address ends in 4, your days are Tuesday and Friday, and the city's even-address Sunday and Thursday slots don't apply to you.
Thirsty landscaping also leaves dead limbs to deal with. Pecan Plantation's collection station at 6907 Cottage Court, off Ravenswood near the stables, takes branches and recyclables on Wednesdays from 4 to 6 p.m. On the last Saturday of each month, from 8 a.m. to noon, it also takes household trash, lawn clippings, old furniture and water heaters. In October, that Saturday falls on Oct. 31.
The clubhouse pool is open only during the Granbury ISD summer break, and swimming there stops once the season ends. That leaves the pool at the Pecan Activity Center. Under the PPOA's posted guidance, it runs from 7:30 a.m. to sunset in September and October and closes on Wednesdays. Outside lifeguard season, swimming there is at your own risk. Outside food and drinks are allowed at the PAC pool. Alcohol and glass containers are not. The PAC pool hours come from an undated FAQ, so call the PAC at 817-573-7952 before you plan an afternoon around them.
The PAC also runs on weekday hours that matter if you're heading over in the evening. Typical hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon on Wednesday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday. The disc golf course there is free and open any time, and you can pick up course maps, scorecards and rental discs inside.
A low Brazos changes what you see along the community's two improved walking trails. One starts behind the clubhouse, follows the river and ends at the 10th tee box. The other is off Ravenswood Road, across from the RV park. Dogs are welcome on a leash.
The three river parks sit along the same water:
In an August column for Hood County News, BRA told readers they might see more beach at area parks as water levels drop. That column doesn't single out these three parks, and no public notice has reported the low water changing access at any of them. BRA also cautions that gauge height is not water depth and that river flows can change at any time. Check the live USGS gauge before you put a kayak in.
The marina keeps its own hours. Under the PPOA's posted guidance, the Marina Store is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day. It sells minnows and other bait and has self-service fuel at the dock and on land. Pecan Pit Bar and Grill serves dine-in and pickup from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, with breakfast items from 8 to 10:30 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. The marina doesn't rent boats, and there's a waiting list for slips.
On the fishing side, Texas Parks and Wildlife's profile of Lake Granbury lists striped and white bass and channel and flathead catfish. It says striped bass can be productive on live shad or with downriggers and that catfishing is good throughout the reservoir. TPWD's weekly Granbury reports are on hold for now, so no current catch report is available.
The Brazos River Sportsman's Club is the community group built around this side of life. Hood County News described it in July as a club that holds gatherings and takes outdoor trips beyond the gates. On Sept. 19, the paper reported that the club was coming off a full summer and looking ahead to cooler weather.
With the river low and the clubhouse pool closed, the October dates on the calendar come from the clubs. Pecan Plantation Woman's Club lists three:
At the airpark, EAA Chapter 983 held its Fall Fly-in at Pecan Plantation Airpark on Sept. 26. The event ran from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with aircraft, classic cars, a silent auction and free Young Eagles rides for ages 8 to 17. Clubhouse dinners in The Brazos and special events like Dinner and Bingo are booked through the PPOA's member event calendar, which requires a resident login.
Until rain reaches the upper Brazos basin, check the gauge before you head to the river and set your sprinkler by AMUD's days.
We pay close attention to this stretch of the Brazos at VYBE with Eric, from river flows to which utility serves which side of the gate. If you're thinking about what a river lot or a Pecan Plantation home looks like from the water, or want a local read on the community, schedule a consultation with Eric.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
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