Sandy Creek near Ganado water level

Name: Sandy Creek near Ganado 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, Sandy Creek, Texas, United States

Directions

Low for mid-October

Water level

5.38ft Down 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 01:15 AM CDT (38 min ago)

Flow: 19.0 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

At 5.38 ft, Sandy Creek near Ganado is below normal for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 6.00 ft, based on 27 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.62 ft below typical. It is 12.62 ft below the flood stage of 18.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 5.19 ft, a difference of +0.19 ft.

The level is falling, down 0.08 ft over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 4.59 ft and 8.02 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.

Compared with 27 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 6.00 ft0.62 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 5.22 ft – 8.41 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (27 years of records)
Same day last year: 5.19 ft+0.19 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 4.59 ft – 8.02 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 4.48 ft – 9.97 ft
Highest on record: 32.72 ftOctober 19, 1998

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 18.00 ft, still 12.62 ft away.

What happens at each level

27.00 ft: Disastrous flooding is occurring. Roads and bridges in the floodplain are unpassable, and livestock well into the floodplain are threatened.
23.00 ft: Major flooding is occurring with the creek over one third of a mile wide at FM 710 near the gage. Roads and bridges are completely inundated and dangerous to auto traffic. Livestock are threatened well into the floodplain.
21.00 ft: Major lowland flooding begins with widespread inundation of the floodplain. The creek is one third of a mile wide at FM 710 in the vicinity of the gage. Primary roads and bridges are inundated and dangerous to motorists. Livestock are isolated and potentially drowned. Equipment in the floodplain are likely destroyed.
19.00 ft: Moderate lowland flooding begins. Several roads and bridges in the floodplain are flooded and livestock in the floodplain are threatened.
18.00 ft: Minor lowland flooding begins with the creek close to 200 yards wide at FM 710 in the vicinity of the gage. Secondary roads are cut off and bridges near the creek flood. Livestock are cut off and potentially drowned.
15.00 ft: Livestock and equipment near the creek are threatened.
13.00 ft: At levels above 13.0 feet, flows exceed the lowest areas along the creek.
5.38 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: 12 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	32.72 ft	October 19, 1998
2	28.45 ft	October 19, 1994
3	25.84 ft	August 30, 2017
4	25.73 ft	November 24, 2004
5	24.61 ft	June 19, 2015
6	23.03 ft	September 14, 1978
7	20.84 ft	September 1, 2001
8	20.73 ft	February 12, 1992
9	20.46 ft	November 13, 1985
10	20.26 ft	June 13, 1981

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

19 Mon 81° 53° – Wind 8 mph

20 Tue 82° 55° – Wind 11 mph

21 Wed 86° 68° – Wind 13 mph

22 Thu 85° 64° – Wind 10 mph

23 Fri 85° 63° – Wind 14 mph

24 Sat 86° 65° – Wind 15 mph

25 Sun 81° 65° – Wind 14 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:31 AM Sunset 06:52 PM Daylight 11 hr, 21 min First quarter 66%

Map

Other gauges on Sandy Creek

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Sandy Creek near KingslandRiver gauge, Sandy Creek	4.92 ft	Normal	+0.03 ft	150 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
W Mustang Creek near GanadoRiver gauge, W Mustang Creek	4.05 ft	Very low	−0.13 ft	8 mi
E Mustang Creek near LouiseRiver gauge, E Mustang Creek	2.95 ft	Low	±0	10 mi
Navidad River at Strane Pk near EdnaRiver gauge, Navidad River	4.95 ft	Low	±0	10 mi
Navidad River at MoralesRiver gauge, Navidad River	6.60 ft	Normal	±0	12 mi
Navidad River near SpeaksRiver gauge, Navidad River	2.07 ft	Very low	±0	15 mi
Lavaca River near EdnaRiver gauge, Lavaca River	4.13 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	16 mi
Lake Texana near EdnaLake, Lake Texana	41.92 ft	Normal	±0	19 mi
W Sandy Creek at FM 2437 near SheridanRiver gauge, W Sandy Creek	193.12 ft	Low	+0.01 ft	22 mi

Questions and answers

Is Sandy Creek near Ganado higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.19 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 5.19 ft.

What is flood stage for Sandy Creek near Ganado?

The official flood stage is 18.00 ft. The level is currently 12.62 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Sandy Creek near Ganado in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 6.00 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 5.22 ft and 8.41 ft, based on 27 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 Sandy Creek near Ganado today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 01:15 AM CDT, the water level was 5.38 ft. Down 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Sandy Creek near Ganado rising or falling?

Down 0.08 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.27 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Sandy Creek near Ganado normal?

Low for mid-October. Compared with 27 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:08164450 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 29.16025, -96.54636 (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	5.38 ft	2026-10-20 06:15	Provisional
Flow	19.0 cfs	2026-10-20 06:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Sandy Creek near Ganado (usgs:08164450). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/texas/sandy-creek-near-ganado

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