Owner of Flooded Horse Stable Calls on City to Clear Debris From Creeks

Heavy rains continue to bring a flood of problems for a Plano mainstay and home of several championship horses.

The owner of Mill-Again Stables said she thinks she’s found the root cause of the persistent problems and she needs the city to do something.

After the floodwaters receded, Candee Carlson walked by the banks of Brown Ranch Creek behind her horse stable to see what was left behind.

A paper towel roll, a deflated volleyball and other debris show how high the water got.

There are also several downed trees in the creek bed and others leaning out, close to falling in too.

She said this is what is making flooding events more severe on her property, by piling up and forcing water to pour out.

Carlson is asking the city to come in and clear out the debris and fallen trees to ensure water flows through more easily.

The property along East Parker Road is on a flood plain, but Carlson said they’ve seen flooding that is more severe than what is normal for this area.

Flooding from a storm in mid-May nearly destroyed their stables and training facility.

“We’ve got to make sure these dams don’t happen over and over again. For sure our business won’t survive it,” Carlson said.

She said she believed the city of Plano may not be fully aware of the extent of the problem, leading maintenance of Brown Ranch Creek to be overlooked.

“I have a feeling that this part of the creek has been neglected for so long, I don’t think they think about it,” Carlson said. “Their focus right now is developed places where the houses are. ‘How do we keep those creeks clean and moving?’ But, if we’re not moving, they’re not going to move.”

NBC 5 asked the city of Plano what, if anything, is being done to address flooded properties along creeks.

In the case of Brown Ranch Creek near Mill-Again Stables, Plano engineering director Caleb Thornhill said the land that the property is on is indeed a flood plain.

“From a design standpoint, it’s doing what it’s supposed to do,” Thornhill said of the creek.

The city has the "Fix It Plano" program in place to report debris in any creeks in the city, including along flood plain properties.

Plano has 120 miles of creeks, according to Thornhill.

The maintenance work can be limited to help creeks retain their natural form.

The city has had to prioritize areas most prone to flooding after weeks of heavy rainfall and many requests for service, Thornhill said.

“I’ve been with the city for just over seven years and this spring is probably the heaviest intense storms that we’ve had,” he said.

Carlson hopes help arrives before they find themselves underwater for good.