Brazos River near Highbank water level
River gauge, Brazos River, Texas, United States
Right now
Very low for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 146 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
Low water at Brazos River near Highbank: the gauge reads 1.63 ft, far below normal for mid-October.
The median for mid-October is 2.78 ft, based on 35 years of readings, so the river stage is 1.15 ft below typical. It is 33.37 ft below the flood stage of 35.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 2.34 ft, a difference of −0.71 ft.
It is still going down, by 0.12 ft over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. The 30-day range is 1.61 ft – 3.19 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.
Compared with 35 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 2.78 ft1.15 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 1.82 ft – 5.45 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (35 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 2.34 ft−0.71 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 1.61 ft – 3.19 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 1.39 ft – 16.96 ft
- Highest on record
- 42.00 ftDecember 1, 1913
Paddling and fishing conditions
At low levels, plan for shorter paddling trips and expect to walk your boat through a few shoals.
For reference, flood stage is 35.00 ft.
What happens at each level
- 40.00 ft
- Major flooding can be expected along the river. Agriculture and livestock near the river will be impacted.
- 38.00 ft
- Moderate flooding can be expected along the river. Agriculture and livestock near the river will be impacted.
- 35.00 ft
- Minor flooding can be expected along the river reach. Agriculture and livestock near the river will be impacted.
- 1.63 ft
- Right now
Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.
Highest crests on record
Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: < 5 %.
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 42.00 ft | December 1, 1913 |
| 2 | 40.00 ft | January 1, 1936 |
| 3 | 30.78 ft | December 22, 1991 |
| 4 | 24.90 ft | May 3, 2024 |
| 5 | 24.71 ft | June 1, 2024 |
| 6 | 24.34 ft | October 31, 2015 |
| 7 | 23.93 ft | January 4, 2019 |
| 8 | 23.90 ft | February 4, 1986 |
| 9 | 23.47 ft | May 4, 1990 |
| 10 | 23.28 ft | March 21, 2012 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
Map
Other gauges on the Brazos River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brazos River near DennisRiver gauge, Brazos River | 1.70 ft | Very low | +0.28 ft | 121 mi |
| Brazos River near Glen RoseRiver gauge, Brazos River | 4.01 ft | Very low | −0.01 ft | 93 mi |
| Brazos River near AquillaRiver gauge, Brazos River | 7.24 ft | Normal | +0.05 ft | 55 mi |
| Brazos River at WacoRiver gauge, Brazos River | 1.09 ft | Very low | +0.03 ft | 31 mi |
| Brazos River at FM 485 near HearneRiver gauge, Brazos River | 15.70 ft | Low | +0.02 ft | 20 mi |
| Brazos River at SH 21 near BryanRiver gauge, Brazos River | 7.14 ft | Very low | +0.03 ft | 39 mi |
| Brazos River at WashingtonRiver gauge, Brazos River | 391 cfs | Low | +14.0 cfs | 67 mi |
| Brazos River near HempsteadRiver gauge, Brazos River | 9.42 ft | Low | −0.02 ft | 79 mi |
| Brazos River at San FelipeRiver gauge, Brazos River | 92.99 ft | Very low | −0.06 ft | 101 mi |
| Brazos River at RichmondRiver gauge, Brazos River | 8.53 ft | Very low | −0.03 ft | 125 mi |
| Brazos River near Sugar LandRiver gauge, Brazos River | 27.84 ft | Very low | −0.06 ft | 128 mi |
| Brazos River near RosharonRiver gauge, Brazos River | 4.79 ft | Low | +0.01 ft | 144 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Brazos River at SH 6 near ReaganRiver gauge, Little Brazos River | 314.23 ft | Very low | −0.02 ft | 5.3 mi |
| Big Elm Creek at SH 77 near CameronRiver gauge, Big Elm Creek | 5.78 ft | Normal | +0.05 ft | 18 mi |
| N Elm Creek at Rosebud Rd near MeeksRiver gauge, N Elm Creek | 3.76 ft | Very high | +2.47 ft | 19 mi |
| Little Brazos River at FM 485 near HearneRiver gauge, Little Brazos River | 13.76 ft | Very high | +7.78 ft | 21 mi |
| Little River near CameronRiver gauge, Little River | 0.83 ft | Low | +0.02 ft | 22 mi |
| Little River near RockdaleRiver gauge, Little River | 4.04 ft | Low | −0.08 ft | 28 mi |
| Navasota River near EasterlyRiver gauge, Navasota River | 2.72 ft | Very low | −0.07 ft | 31 mi |
| Lake Limestone near MarquezLake, Lake Limestone | 360.11 ft | Normal | −0.05 ft | 33 mi |
Questions and answers
Is the Brazos River near Highbank higher than last year?
No, it is 0.71 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.34 ft.
What is flood stage for the Brazos River near Highbank?
The official flood stage is 35.00 ft. The level is currently 33.37 ft below it.
What is a normal level for the Brazos River near Highbank in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 2.78 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.82 ft and 5.45 ft, based on 35 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 Brazos River near Highbank today?
On Oct 18, 2026, 12:00 PM CDT, the water level was 1.63 ft. Down 0.12 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Brazos River near Highbank rising or falling?
Down 0.12 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.07 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Brazos River near Highbank normal?
Very low for mid-October. Compared with 35 years of daily readings for this time of year.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Station code
usgs:08098290(Agency page)- Coordinates
31.13407, -96.82498(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 | 1.63 ft | 2026-10-18 17:00 | Provisional |
| Flow | 146 cfs | 2026-10-18 17:00 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Brazos River near Highbank (usgs:08098290). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/texas/brazos-river-near-highbank
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