Navidad River near Speaks water level
River gauge, Navidad River, Texas, United States
Right now
Very low for mid-October
Water level
History
20252026
What this means
At 2.05 ft, the Navidad River near Speaks is far below normal for mid-October.
That puts it 1.18 ft below the median of 3.23 ft for mid-October, based on 20 years of readings. It is 21.95 ft below the flood stage of 24.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 2.08 ft (−0.03 ft).
The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 1.80 ft and 2.63 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.
Compared with 20 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 3.23 ft1.18 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 2.33 ft – 4.47 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (20 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 2.08 ft−0.03 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 1.80 ft – 2.63 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 1.80 ft – 18.94 ft
- Highest on record
- 32.79 ftAugust 29, 2017
What the stage means on the water
Low water means more dragging on shallow riffles and slower floats. Fish crowd into the deeper runs, and warm, low water stresses them, so play and release them quickly.
The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 24.00 ft, still 21.95 ft away.
What happens at each level
- 33.00 ft
- Disastrous flooding occurs with the lowest homes upstream near Vienna and in the lower part of Lavaca and northern parts of Jackson counties are flooded. Flows are over one mile wide in much of the floodplain and numerous roads and bridges are impassable. Hundreds of head of livestock are cut off and can drown.
- 29.00 ft
- Major lowland flooding continues with the river close to one mile wide near Speaks and FM 530 cutting off large areas of the floodplain. Several roads and bridges near the river are inundated and impassable. Homes in low-lying areas of the floodplain upstream near Vienna and in the lowwer part of Lavaca County are threatened. Hundreds of head of livestock are threatened.
- 28.00 ft
- Major lowland flooding begins with the river several hundred yards wide in the vicinity of the gauge. Approaches to the FM 530 bridge are flooded and impassable. Much of the floodplain is cut off endangering livestock.
- 27.00 ft
- Moderate lowland flooding begins with the approaches to the FM 530 bridge inundated and the gage cut off. Large areas of the floodplain are cut off potentially isolated and drowning cattle.
- 24.00 ft
- Minor lowland flooding begins with the river one hundred yards wide in the vicinity of the gage. The approaches to the FM 530 bridge are flooded.
- 21.00 ft
- Flows exceed the lowest sections of both banks.
- 2.05 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: 10 %.
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 32.79 ft | August 29, 2017 |
| 2 | 30.24 ft | October 18, 1998 |
| 3 | 28.20 ft | April 19, 2009 |
| 4 | 27.89 ft | May 14, 1982 |
| 5 | 27.75 ft | June 17, 2015 |
| 6 | 27.73 ft | April 20, 2016 |
| 7 | 26.32 ft | October 14, 1997 |
| 8 | 25.62 ft | June 8, 1997 |
| 9 | 25.29 ft | November 26, 1985 |
| 10 | 25.03 ft | October 5, 2009 |
Weather at the gauge
No rain in the last 3 days.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on the Navidad River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Navidad River near HallettsvilleRiver gauge, Navidad River | 4.51 ft | Very low | −0.06 ft | 12 mi |
| Navidad River at MoralesRiver gauge, Navidad River | 6.57 ft | Low | −0.01 ft | 13 mi |
| Navidad River at Strane Pk near EdnaRiver gauge, Navidad River | 4.96 ft | Low | −0.04 ft | 18 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W Sandy Creek at FM 2437 near SheridanRiver gauge, W Sandy Creek | 193.25 ft | Low | +0.20 ft | 9 mi |
| Sandy Creek near GanadoRiver gauge, Sandy Creek | 5.36 ft | Low | −0.13 ft | 15 mi |
| Clarks Creek at US 77 near Sweet HomeRiver gauge, Clarks Creek | 149.14 ft | Normal | −1.04 ft | 16 mi |
| Lavaca River at HallettsvilleRiver gauge, Lavaca River | 3.16 ft | Below flood stage | −0.07 ft | 16 mi |
| W Mustang Creek near GanadoRiver gauge, W Mustang Creek | 4.10 ft | Very low | −0.13 ft | 23 mi |
| E Mustang Creek near LouiseRiver gauge, E Mustang Creek | 2.96 ft | Low | ±0 | 25 mi |
| Lavaca River near EdnaRiver gauge, Lavaca River | 4.14 ft | Very low | +0.01 ft | 25 mi |
Questions and answers
How does the Navidad River near Speaks compare with last year?
It is 0.03 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.08 ft.
What is flood stage for the Navidad River near Speaks?
The official flood stage is 24.00 ft. The level is currently 21.95 ft below it.
What is a normal level for the Navidad River near Speaks in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 3.23 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.33 ft and 4.47 ft, based on 20 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 Navidad River near Speaks today?
On Oct 19, 2026, 04:00 PM CDT, the water level was 2.05 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Navidad River near Speaks rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Navidad River near Speaks normal?
Very low for mid-October. Compared with 20 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:08164350(Agency page)- Coordinates
29.32191, -96.70914(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 | 2.05 ft | 2026-10-19 21:00 | Provisional |
Download
Embed this gauge
Add a live card for this gauge to your website. It updates on its own and links back here.
How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Navidad River near Speaks (usgs:08164350). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/texas/navidad-river-near-speaks
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