Winding Branch Ranch, a nine-acre livestock sanctuary tucked just north of San Antonio in Bulverde, took a brutal hit from sudden flash flooding on Wednesday. Several paddocks went under water, access in and out was cut off, and for a tense stretch the sanctuary was effectively an island. Ranch leaders say every animal made it through unharmed, but the property itself did not fare nearly as well, with major infrastructure damage that will not be cheap or quick to repair.
According to the San Antonio Current, floodwaters swallowed roughly four acres of paddocks on the nine-acre spread, turning pig enclosures into what staff grimly described as “legitimate rivers.” The same surge swallowed the lone driveway, blocking volunteers who had arrived with food and supplies. Executive Director Matthew Aversa shared video of the chaos and told the Current, “The ground is literally disappearing underneath us.”
Damage And Rebuilding Priorities
In posts on its own channels, Winding Branch Ranch says the aftermath will mean “significant repairs” across the property. Top of the list: replacing damaged water and electrical lines that supply the barns, rebuilding an “undriveable” driveway, and relocating pig habitats to higher ground so they are not sitting in the next round of floodwater.
The sanctuary has also hit pause on its planned Culinary Camp, issuing credits and refunds to participants. Staff are now pivoting to emergency fundraising through the ranch’s donation page to pay for reconstruction while keeping day-to-day animal care fully covered.
Weather And The Bigger Picture
Aversa told the Current that this is not the first time rising water has hammered the property. Last year’s July 4 Hill Country flooding also left its mark on the ranch, and he warned that this kind of damage could become a recurring headache as more heavy rain events move through the region.
Forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center report that El Niño conditions are strengthening and likely to stick around, a setup that can boost the odds of intense, localized downpours across Texas.
How To Help
Sanctuary staff stress that all animals are currently safe and cared for. The urgent needs are less about feed and more about logistics and infrastructure: getting utilities stable, restoring that washed-out driveway, and making sure habitats are better positioned for whatever the weather throws at them next.
Supporters are being directed to the ranch’s donation page or invited to call the sanctuary directly. Winding Branch Ranch says it will continue sharing updates on its website and social media as cleanup and repairs unfold.
Neighbors are urged to steer clear of flooded roads and give both emergency crews and volunteers space to work safely. For now, the ranch says feeding and routine care are in good shape thanks to a large stockpile of on-site supplies. The long haul will be rebuilding a safe, functional sanctuary in the wake of yet another punishing flood.
