Buffalo Bayou near Katy water level

Name: Buffalo Bayou near Katy 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, Buffalo Bayou, Texas, United States

Directions

High for mid-October

Water level

97.25ft Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 12:30 AM CDT (43 min ago)

Flow: 22.5 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

Water level Normal range (10–90 %)

What this means

High water at Buffalo Bayou near Katy: the latest reading is 97.25 ft, above normal for mid-October.

That puts it 0.45 ft above the median of 96.80 ft for mid-October, based on 28 years of readings. A year ago it stood at 97.06 ft (+0.19 ft).

It is still going down, by 0.05 ft over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 96.90 ft – 102.11 ft.

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

Compared with 28 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 96.80 ft0.45 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 22.54 ft – 97.53 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (28 years of records)
Same day last year: 97.06 ft+0.19 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 96.90 ft – 102.11 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 96.90 ft – 102.11 ft

Paddling and fishing conditions

Above-normal flows push fish to the edges and make wading risky. Wait for the river to drop and clear.

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:28 AM Sunset 06:50 PM Daylight 11 hr, 21 min First quarter 56%

Map

Other gauges on Buffalo Bayou

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Buffalo Bayou near FulshearRiver gauge, Buffalo Bayou	88.47 ft	No reference yet	−0.03 ft	2.8 mi
Buffalo Bayou at State Hwy 6 near AddicksRiver gauge, Buffalo Bayou	74.8 cfs	Normal	+11.3 cfs	10 mi
Buffalo Bayou near AddicksRiver gauge, Buffalo Bayou	46.46 ft	Low	+0.05 ft	12 mi
Buffalo Bayou at W Belt Dr, HoustonRiver gauge, Buffalo Bayou	35.48 ft	Low	+0.05 ft	15 mi
Buffalo Bayou at Piney PointRiver gauge, Buffalo Bayou	28.40 ft	Low	+0.01 ft	17 mi
Buffalo Bayou at HoustonTidal gauge, Buffalo Bayou	1.48 ft	Low	−0.07 ft	24 mi
Buffalo Bayou at Turning Basin, HoustonTidal gauge, Buffalo Bayou	1.35 ft	No reference yet	−0.04 ft	31 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
S Mayde Creek at Heathergold Dr near AddicksRiver gauge, S Mayde Creek	97.82 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	7 mi
Bear Creek near BarkerRiver gauge, Bear Creek	96.72 ft	Normal	−0.04 ft	9 mi
Clodine Ditch at Noble Rd near AddicksRiver gauge, Clodine Ditch	68.32 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	10 mi
Barker Reservoir near AddicksReservoir, Barker Reservoir	70.80 ft	Normal	+0.49 ft	10 mi
Oyster Creek at FM 1464 near Sugar LandRiver gauge, Oyster Creek	70.85 ft	Low	−0.18 ft	11 mi
Langham Creek at Addicks Reservoir Outflow near AddicksRiver gauge, Langham Creek	56.07 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	11 mi
Addicks Reservoir near AddicksReservoir, Addicks Reservoir	70.06 ft	Normal	−0.11 ft	11 mi
Brazos River at RichmondRiver gauge, Brazos River	8.45 ft	Very low	−0.08 ft	11 mi

Questions and answers

How does Buffalo Bayou near Katy compare with last year?

It is 0.19 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 97.06 ft.

What is a normal level for Buffalo Bayou near Katy in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 96.80 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 22.54 ft and 97.53 ft, based on 28 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 Buffalo Bayou near Katy today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 12:30 AM CDT, the water level was 97.25 ft. Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Buffalo Bayou near Katy rising or falling?

Down 0.05 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.46 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Buffalo Bayou near Katy normal?

High for mid-October. Compared with 28 years of daily readings for this time of year.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:08072300 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 29.74329, -95.80690 (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	97.25 ft	2026-10-19 05:30	Provisional
Flow	22.5 cfs	2026-10-19 05:30	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Buffalo Bayou near Katy (usgs:08072300). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/texas/buffalo-bayou-near-katy

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