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Independence Creek near Sheffield water level

River gauge, Independence Creek, Texas, United States

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Right now

High for mid-October

Water level

4.71ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
16.9 cfs
0 10 20 Highest onrecord 22.00 ft Minor floodstage 11.00 ft

History

History
2345ftOct 16Oct 17Oct 18Oct 19Oct 202345ftOct 16Oct 18Oct 20
2345ftSep 21Sep 28Oct 5Oct 12Oct 202345ftSep 21Oct 5Oct 20
510ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage510ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
246ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026246ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %) Minor flood stage

What this means

Independence Creek near Sheffield is above normal at 4.71 ft.

That puts it 2.56 ft above the median of 2.15 ft for mid-October, based on 23 years of readings. It is 6.29 ft below the flood stage of 11.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 4.84 ft (−0.13 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 4.70 ft and 4.91 ft.

That stands out in fall, when many rivers are usually near their lowest.

Compared with 23 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date
2.15 ft2.56 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date
1.83 ft – 4.93 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (23 years of records)
Same day last year
4.84 ft−0.13 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days
4.70 ft – 4.91 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months
4.64 ft – 6.08 ft
Highest on record
22.00 ftJune 28, 1954

Floating and fishing near Independence Creek near Sheffield

Experienced paddlers may enjoy higher water, but many outfitters stop rentals once a river runs this high.

Flood stage here is 11.00 ft, 6.29 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

22.00 ft
Major flooding of area rangeland begins. The record stage occurred outside the period of record (1954), and damage is unknown.
15.00 ft
Independence creek threatens the U. S. Highway 285 bridge.
4.71 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 %.

RankLevelDate
122.00 ftJune 28, 1954
217.95 ftJuly 25, 2004
317.60 ftMay 29, 2024
416.74 ftSeptember 20, 1974
516.24 ftSeptember 11, 2008
614.98 ftMay 25, 2014
711.94 ftOctober 25, 2023
88.70 ftApril 15, 1977

Weather at the gauge

Rain in the last 3 days: 0.03 in. Rain that falls upstream can take hours or days to show up at a river gauge.

19 Mon 73° 51° – Wind 12 mph
20 Tue 74° 55° – Wind 16 mph
21 Wed 79° 60° – Wind 16 mph
22 Thu 80° 66° – Wind 21 mph
23 Fri 78° 63° – Wind 23 mph
24 Sat 76° 63° – Wind 24 mph
25 Sun 75° 64° – Wind 18 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 06:53 AM Sunset 06:12 PM Daylight 11 hr, 18 min First quarter 65%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge Level Compared with normal 24 hours Distance
Pecos River at Brotherton Rh near PandaleRiver gauge, Pecos River 56.8 cfs Low −1.4 cfs 9 mi
Pecos River near SheffieldRiver gauge, Pecos River 2.48 ft Low +0.01 ft 15 mi

Questions and answers

How does Independence Creek near Sheffield compare with last year?

It is 0.13 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 4.84 ft.

What is flood stage for Independence Creek near Sheffield?

The official flood stage is 11.00 ft. The level is currently 6.29 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Independence Creek near Sheffield in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 2.15 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.83 ft and 4.93 ft, based on 23 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 Independence Creek near Sheffield today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 10:25 PM MDT, the water level was 4.71 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Independence Creek near Sheffield rising or falling?

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

Is the level of Independence Creek near Sheffield normal?

High for mid-October. Compared with 23 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:08447020 (Agency page)
Coordinates
30.45075, -101.73192 (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

ParameterLast valueTime (UTC)Quality
Water level 4.71 ft 2026-10-20 04:25 Provisional
Flow 16.9 cfs 2026-10-20 04:25 Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Independence Creek near Sheffield (usgs:08447020). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/texas/independence-creek-near-sheffield

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.