Location
Geronimo Creek and its tributary Alligator Creek are located in Comal and Guadalupe Counties and lie within the larger Guadalupe River Basin.
The headwaters of Alligator Creek begin in southeastern Comal County, just above Interstate 35 near New Braunfels, in a region knows as the Edwards/Blackland Prairie Transition Zone. Alligator Creek flows southeast towards Seguin until about midway in the watershed where it joins Geronimo Creek. The majority of the Alligator Creek watershed lies within the extra-territorial jurisdiction (ETJ) of New Braunfels, while the majority of the Geronimo Creek watershed is almost entirely within the ETJ of Seguin.
Land Use
Agriculture has always been very important in the Geronimo and Alligator Creeks watershed. The town of Geronimo was once the center of the farming and ranching community, with cotton gins, grain storage, markets, and a meeting hall.
Today the watershed remains primarily as rural agricultural lands. However, there has been an increase in human population and density along the IH35 corridor, as seen in the maps below. Ranch operations typically involve cattle and goat production, while corn, cotton, sorghum and oats are the major row crops in the watershed. In the riparian areas, pecan orchards are common.
Watershed in History
One of the most beloved early families from the Geronimo Creek area was that of William Timmerman, who held big dreams of developing his property into a park for his children and the community. He bought land along the creek in 1901 that included a “waterway lane” which allowed settlers to have access to the water in the creek.
Mr. Timmerman deepened the bed of the creek and constructed two dams that provided flow for a fountain, a fishing pond, a swimming pool with a diving board, and a bath house. * But his dream of the public water park came to an end with an outbreak of tuberculosis. (In the early 20th century, TB was the leading cause of death in Texas.)
After the historic drought of the 1950s, Mr. Timmerman was still around to note that while areas in Geronimo Creek dried up, Timmerman Springs continued to flow and was able to supply area families with water during this difficult time.
*Note: Deepening and damming creeks is no longer considered a good stewardship practice for riparian health and function.
A Water Source Worth Protecting
Geronimo Creek is a perennial waterway, meaning it normally flows year round. Geronimo receives its flow from Alligator Creek, an intermittent creek, along with several springs and an unnamed creek. Two of these springs, Timmerman Springs, provide Geronimo Creek with water even during times of intense drought.
Geronimo Creek has been identified by TPWD as an Ecologically Significant Stream Segment (ESSS) based upon its high water quality, exceptional aquatic life, and high aesthetic value. Fish collected have included species such as the central stoneroller, Texas logperch, Orangethroat darter, Texas shiner, largemouth and spotted bass, channel catfish, and multiple species of sunfish. Common benthic macroinvertebrates collected during sampling include mayflies, aquatic beetles, dragonflies, and dobsonflies.