Brays Bayou at Gessner Dr, Houston water level

Name: Brays Bayou at Gessner Dr, Houston 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, Brays Bayou, Texas, United States

Directions

Low for mid-October

Water level

38.62ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 01:15 AM CDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 69.2 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

At 38.62 ft, Brays Bayou at Gessner Dr, Houston is below normal for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 38.83 ft, based on 29 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.21 ft below typical. It is 18.38 ft below the flood stage of 57.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 38.55 ft, a difference of +0.07 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 38.43 ft and 41.04 ft.

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

Compared with 29 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 38.83 ft0.21 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 38.56 ft – 43.84 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (29 years of records)
Same day last year: 38.55 ft+0.07 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 38.43 ft – 41.04 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 38.46 ft – 43.98 ft
Highest on record: 61.60 ftMay 26, 2015

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 57.00 ft, still 18.38 ft away.

What happens at each level

59.00 ft: Major flooding begins with homes flooded in the Braeburn Glen subdivision and numerous homes nearing flood in the Braeburn Valley subdivision. Many streets are flooded and impassable including Fondren Drive near the channel and North and South Braeswood Blvd. Gessner Road bridge deck overtopped and inundated with approximately 1.25ft of water.
58.00 ft: Moderate flooding begins with numerous streets flooded in the Braeburn Glen and Braeburn Valley subdivisions. Fondren bridge approaches are impassable and water is hitting bridge deck. Water is nearing homes in the Braeburn Glen subdivision along Valley View Drive, Kennard and Mahoning Street.
57.00 ft: Minor flooding begins along Fondren Drive north and south of the channel. Flooding is likely along Valley View Drive in the Braeburn Valley subdivision.
38.62 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: 13 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	61.60 ft	May 26, 2015
2	61.35 ft	September 19, 1983
3	61.26 ft	April 18, 2016
4	61.15 ft	March 4, 1992
5	60.78 ft	November 17, 2003
6	60.00 ft	August 27, 2017
7	59.45 ft	October 18, 1994
8	59.00 ft	April 18, 2016
9	58.27 ft	January 9, 2012
10	56.85 ft	September 11, 1998

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

17 Sat 73° 53° – Wind 12 mph

18 Sun 76° 54° – Wind 8 mph

19 Mon 80° 58° – Wind 12 mph

20 Tue 82° 64° – Wind 9 mph

21 Wed 84° 67° – Wind 7 mph

22 Thu 86° 67° – Wind 5 mph

23 Fri 86° 67° – Wind 9 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:28 AM Sunset 06:48 PM Daylight 11 hr, 20 min First quarter 66%

Map

Other gauges on Brays Bayou

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Brays Bayou at AliefRiver gauge, Brays Bayou	52.32 ft	Normal	−0.08 ft	4.1 mi
Brays Bayou at HoustonRiver gauge, Brays Bayou	16.70 ft	Low	−0.04 ft	7 mi
Brays Bayou at MLK Jr Blvd, HoustonTidal gauge, Brays Bayou	1.54 ft	No reference yet	−0.57 ft	12 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Keegans Bayou at Roark Rd near HoustonRiver gauge, Keegans Bayou	60.21 ft	Very low	−0.05 ft	2.3 mi
Buffalo Bayou at Piney PointRiver gauge, Buffalo Bayou	28.25 ft	Low	−0.16 ft	5.1 mi
Sims Bayou at Hiram Clarke St, HoustonRiver gauge, Sims Bayou	26.41 ft	Low	+0.04 ft	6.2 mi
Buffalo Bayou at W Belt Dr, HoustonRiver gauge, Buffalo Bayou	35.27 ft	Low	−0.18 ft	6 mi
Buffalo Bayou near AddicksRiver gauge, Buffalo Bayou	46.28 ft	Low	−0.18 ft	8 mi
Clodine Ditch at Noble Rd near AddicksRiver gauge, Clodine Ditch	68.33 ft	Normal	±0	9 mi
Buffalo Bayou at HoustonTidal gauge, Buffalo Bayou	1.65 ft	Low	−0.10 ft	9 mi
Buffalo Bayou at State Hwy 6 near AddicksRiver gauge, Buffalo Bayou	50.4 cfs	Normal	−25.9 cfs	10 mi

Questions and answers

Is Brays Bayou at Gessner Dr, Houston higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.07 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 38.55 ft.

What is flood stage for Brays Bayou at Gessner Dr, Houston?

The official flood stage is 57.00 ft. The level is currently 18.38 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Brays Bayou at Gessner Dr, Houston in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 38.83 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 38.56 ft and 43.84 ft, based on 29 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 Brays Bayou at Gessner Dr, Houston today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 01:15 AM CDT, the water level was 38.62 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Brays Bayou at Gessner Dr, Houston rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.04 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Brays Bayou at Gessner Dr, Houston normal?

Low for mid-October. Compared with 29 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:08074810 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 29.67273, -95.52828 (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	38.62 ft	2026-10-20 06:15	Provisional
Flow	69.2 cfs	2026-10-20 06:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Brays Bayou at Gessner Dr, Houston (usgs:08074810). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/texas/brays-bayou-at-gessner-dr-houston

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