Brazos River at Richmond water level

Name: Brazos River at Richmond 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, Brazos River, Texas, United States

Directions

Very low for mid-October

Water level

8.50ft Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 05:15 AM CDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 611 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

The forecast expects the river to rise to 8.60 ft by Sunday, October 18 at 01:00 AM. Issued Saturday, October 17 at 08:43 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

At 8.50 ft, the Brazos River at Richmond is far below normal for mid-October.

That puts it 2.49 ft below the median of 11.00 ft for mid-October, based on 26 years of readings. It is 36.50 ft below the flood stage of 45.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 9.00 ft (−0.50 ft).

The level is falling, down 0.06 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to rise to 8.60 ft by Sunday, October 18 at 01:00 AM. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 8.46 ft and 11.04 ft.

Compared with 26 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 11.00 ft2.49 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 8.56 ft – 18.41 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (26 years of records)
Same day last year: 9.00 ft−0.50 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 8.46 ft – 11.04 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 8.27 ft – 33.91 ft
Highest on record: 55.19 ftSeptember 1, 2017
Forecast peak: 8.60 ftSunday, October 18 at 01:00 AM

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 45.00 ft, still 36.50 ft away.

What happens at each level

56.00 ft: Flooding begins to occur in Weston Lakes.
55.19 ft: Record Flood (Harvey)
55.00 ft: Major flooding continues with significant home flooding in the following areas: Valley Lodge near Simonton, Bar Rd, Baker Rd/Cumings Rd/Rio Brazos area north of Rosenberg, Edgewood/Baudet Rd in Richmond, and FM 2759 near Thompsons. Low-lying homes in Grand River, Rivers Edge, Pecan Estates in Thompson, and Pecan Bend flood as well.
54.00 ft: Major flooding continues with US90A eastbound lanes inundated and impassable between Harlem Rd and New Territory. Pitts Rd is impassable between US90A and Savannah Dr.
53.00 ft: FM 1489 is inundated south of Simonton to Johnson Rd. FM 359 is impassable between US90A and the Pecan Grove levee near Southern Place Dr. The intersection of FM 359 and Mason Rd is impassable. FM 2759 is completely inundated east of Agnes Rd. Street flooding occurs along Sienna Parkway between McKeever Rd and Steep Bank Trace. Street flooding occurs along McKeever Rd between Sienna Parkway and SH6. Miller Rd near Arcola is inundated.
52.00 ft: Major lowland flooding continues with homes near intersection of Sixth St and Avenue B in Rosenberg beginning to take on water. FM 723 is inundated north of Rosenberg to FM 359, making the Kingdom Heights and Riverside ranch subdivisions inaccessable. FM 359 between US90A and Pecan Grove begins taking on water.
51.00 ft: FM 1093 is inundated to Stansberry Rd in Simonton. Second St in Richmond is inundated. Fort Bend County flood fight operations in Simonton are exceeded and cease. Low lying streets on west side of Quail Valley take on water. Low lying areas along Knights Ct take on water.
50.00 ft: Major flooding begins as homes in Richmond flood. Many homes in Simonton and Thompsons have water in them and homes along Cumings/Baker Rds and in Rio Brazos are flooded. FM 1458 near FM 1093 remains inundated and closed. Homes along Carrol/McKeever Rds in southeast Fort Bend are close to taking water. Strange Dr & Greenwood Dr in Richmond and Sixth St & Ave B in Rosenberg, and Pittman Rd in Thompsons are inundated with over one foot of water. Thompsons Ferry Rd south of LJ Pkwy is inundated outside levees
49.00 ft: Moderate lowland flooding continues. Widespread inundation of the floodplain occurs with homes in Simonton and Thompsons flooded. FM 1458 near FM 1093 in Austin County is flooded with one foot of water. Six inches to one foot of water covers Strange Dr & Greenwood Dr in Richmond, Sixth St & Avenue B in Rosenberg, and Pittman Rd in Thompsons is inundated. Homes along Carrol Rd near FM 2759 (west bank) and McKeever Rd (east bank) in southeast Fort Bend County are threatened.
48.00 ft: Moderate lowland flooding begins in the vicinity of the gage. Homes are threatened upstream in Simonton and downstream in Thompsons. Strange Drive & Greenwood Drive in Richmond, and Jones River Road in Thompsons are inundated. FM 1458 near FM 1093 in Austin County has close to one half foot of water over the road. The low water crossing on Newton Drive in Richmond begins taking on water.
47.00 ft: Minor lowland flooding continues as the Brazos River begins filling the Frydek Bottom upstream of Valley Lodge. Gates are closed and pumping continues in Simonton and FM 1458 near FM 1093 in Austin County is inundated. Baudet Road and Red Bird Lane have close to one foot of water over them.
46.00 ft: Minor lowland flooding continues with water in the Simonton area upstream of the gage. Simonton closes their gates and pumping begins. Water is over Baudet Road southeast of Richmond, Red Bird Lane in Fulshear, and Sixth Street & Ave B in Rosenberg. Significant portions of the floodplain near Thompsons are inundated requiring relocation of cattle from low-lying areas. FM 1458 near FM 1093 in Austin County is threatened.
8.50 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	55.19 ft	September 1, 2017
2	54.74 ft	June 2, 2016
3	51.40 ft	November 28, 1940
4	50.30 ft	October 21, 1994
5	50.13 ft	May 5, 1957
6	50.01 ft	June 3, 2015
7	49.68 ft	January 1, 1992
8	49.67 ft	April 21, 2016
9	47.72 ft	May 25, 1965
10	47.70 ft	May 8, 1944

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

18 Sun 75° 52° – Wind 9 mph

19 Mon 80° 55° – Wind 9 mph

20 Tue 82° 61° – Wind 11 mph

21 Wed 84° 65° – Wind 8 mph

22 Thu 85° 61° – Wind 5 mph

23 Fri 86° 61° – Wind 10 mph

24 Sat 86° 64° – Wind 14 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:27 AM Sunset 06:51 PM Daylight 11 hr, 23 min First quarter 49%

Map

Other gauges on the Brazos River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Brazos River near HighbankRiver gauge, Brazos River	1.72 ft	Very low	+0.05 ft	125 mi
Brazos River at FM 485 near HearneRiver gauge, Brazos River	15.73 ft	Low	+0.09 ft	105 mi
Brazos River at SH 21 near BryanRiver gauge, Brazos River	7.19 ft	Very low	−0.03 ft	86 mi
Brazos River at WashingtonRiver gauge, Brazos River	388 cfs	Low	−8.0 cfs	59 mi
Brazos River near HempsteadRiver gauge, Brazos River	9.44 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	46 mi
Brazos River at San FelipeRiver gauge, Brazos River	93.03 ft	Very low	−0.03 ft	26 mi
Brazos River near Sugar LandRiver gauge, Brazos River	27.86 ft	Very low	−0.10 ft	5.5 mi
Brazos River near RosharonRiver gauge, Brazos River	5.03 ft	Low	+0.12 ft	19 mi
Brazos River near West ColumbiaTidal gauge, Brazos River	2.57 ft	Below flood stage	+0.67 ft	32 mi
Brazos River at GIWW Flood Gates near FreeportTidal gauge, Brazos River	3,460 cfs	No reference yet	+2,958 cfs	52 mi
Brazos River at COE Flood Gates near FreeportTidal gauge, Brazos River	−0.09 ft	No reference yet	−2.20 ft	52 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Dry Creek near RosenbergRiver gauge, Dry Creek	66.65 ft	Normal	−0.07 ft	4.9 mi
Oyster Creek at FM 1464 near Sugar LandRiver gauge, Oyster Creek	71.01 ft	Normal	−0.15 ft	5.1 mi
Big Creek near NeedvilleRiver gauge, Big Creek	2.01 ft	Very low	−0.13 ft	8 mi
Buffalo Bayou near FulshearRiver gauge, Buffalo Bayou	88.48 ft	Normal	−0.08 ft	10 mi
Buffalo Bayou near KatyRiver gauge, Buffalo Bayou	97.25 ft	Normal	−0.09 ft	11 mi
Keegans Bayou at Roark Rd near HoustonRiver gauge, Keegans Bayou	60.21 ft	Very low	−0.03 ft	13 mi
Brays Bayou at AliefRiver gauge, Brays Bayou	52.30 ft	Low	+0.02 ft	14 mi
Clodine Ditch at Noble Rd near AddicksRiver gauge, Clodine Ditch	68.35 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	14 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Brazos River at Richmond compare with last year?

It is 0.50 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 9.00 ft.

What is flood stage for the Brazos River at Richmond?

The official flood stage is 45.00 ft. The level is currently 36.50 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Brazos River at Richmond in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 11.00 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 8.56 ft and 18.41 ft, based on 26 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 at Richmond today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 05:15 AM CDT, the water level was 8.50 ft. Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Brazos River at Richmond rising or falling?

Down 0.06 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 1.33 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Brazos River at Richmond normal?

Very low for mid-October. Compared with 26 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:08114000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 29.58246, -95.75773 (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	8.50 ft	2026-10-18 10:15	Provisional
Flow	611 cfs	2026-10-18 10:15	Provisional

Download

Embed this gauge

Add a live card for this gauge to your website. It updates on its own and links back here.

<iframe src="https://nivelmap.com/embed/15937?lang=en" width="360" height="230" style="border:0;max-width:100%" loading="lazy" title="Brazos River at Richmond water level"></iframe>

How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Brazos River at Richmond (usgs:08114000). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/texas/brazos-river-at-richmond

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