Bear Creek below FM 1826 near Driftwood water level

Name: Bear Creek below FM 1826 near Driftwood water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

River gauge, Bear Creek, Texas, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

2.51ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 06:30 PM CDT (21 min ago)

Flow: 0.0 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

The gauge at Bear Creek below FM 1826 near Driftwood reads 2.51 ft, a normal level for mid-October.

That puts it 0.01 ft below the median of 2.52 ft for mid-October, based on 28 years of readings.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

Compared with 28 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 2.52 ft0.01 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 1.55 ft – 3.81 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (28 years of records)
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 2.51 ft – 2.51 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 2.51 ft – 4.38 ft
Highest on record: 16.20 ftJune 9, 1939

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	16.20 ft	June 9, 1939
2	16.05 ft	May 4, 2019
3	14.02 ft	October 31, 2013
4	13.82 ft	July 2, 2002
5	11.21 ft	September 8, 2010
6	10.72 ft	October 13, 2013
7	10.67 ft	October 30, 2015

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

19 Mon 76° 50° – Wind 6 mph

20 Tue 80° 59° – Wind 8 mph

21 Wed 83° 55° – Wind 9 mph

22 Thu 84° 62° – Wind 10 mph

23 Fri 83° 60° – Wind 13 mph

24 Sat 83° 60° – Wind 15 mph

25 Sun 76° 61° – Wind 12 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:37 AM Sunset 06:58 PM Daylight 11 hr, 21 min First quarter 63%

Map

Other gauges on Bear Creek

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Bear Creek near BarkerRiver gauge, Bear Creek	96.63 ft	Normal	−0.04 ft	137 mi
Bear Creek at Spillar Ranch Rd near ManchacaRiver gauge, Bear Creek	0.0 cfs	Normal	±0	2.1 mi
Bear Creek at FM 2722 near SattlerRiver gauge, Bear Creek	7.39 ft	Highest on record	+5.82 ft	30 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Slaughter Creek at FM 1826 near AustinRiver gauge, Slaughter Creek	3.27 ft	Low	±0	4.3 mi
Onion Creek near DriftwoodRiver gauge, Onion Creek	1.11 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	6 mi
Slaughter Creek at FM 2304 near AustinRiver gauge, Slaughter Creek	−0.20 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	6 mi
Onion Creek at Twin Creeks Rd near ManchacaRiver gauge, Onion Creek	6.59 ft	Very high	+0.01 ft	7 mi
Williamson Creek at Brush Cntry Blvd, Oak HillRiver gauge, Williamson Creek	0.0 cfs	Normal	±0	8 mi
Barton Creek at SH 71 near Oak HillRiver gauge, Barton Creek	1.91 ft	Very low	−0.02 ft	10 mi
Williamson Creek at Manchaca Rd, AustinRiver gauge, Williamson Creek	1.90 ft	Very low	±0	10 mi
Barton Creek at Lost Creek Blvd near AustinRiver gauge, Barton Creek	1.55 ft	Low	+0.02 ft	10 mi

Questions and answers

What is a normal level for Bear Creek below FM 1826 near Driftwood in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 2.52 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.55 ft and 3.81 ft, based on 28 years of records.

Is gage height the same as water depth?

No. Gage height is measured from a fixed reference point chosen by the agency, so a reading of 10 ft does not mean the river is 10 ft deep.

What is the water level of Bear Creek below FM 1826 near Driftwood today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 06:30 PM CDT, the water level was 2.51 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Bear Creek below FM 1826 near Driftwood rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Bear Creek below FM 1826 near Driftwood normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 28 years of daily readings for this time of year.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Bear Creek below FM 1826 near Driftwood?

The highest level on record is 16.20 ft on June 9, 1939.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:08158810 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 30.15549, -97.94001 (WGS84)
Vertical datum: NAVD88
Update interval: every 15 minutes
Licence: Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

Parameter	Last value	Time (UTC)	Quality
Water level	2.51 ft	2026-10-19 23:30	Provisional
Flow	0.0 cfs	2026-10-19 23:30	Provisional

Download

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Bear Creek below FM 1826 near Driftwood (usgs:08158810). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/texas/bear-creek-below-fm-1826-near-driftwood

How we check values

Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.

Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer