Colorado River at Wharton water level

Name: Colorado River at Wharton 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, Colorado River, Texas, United States

Directions

Low for mid-October

Water level

7.99ft Down 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 01:15 PM CDT (27 min ago)

Flow: 368 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 8.10 ft by Sunday, October 18 at 08:00 AM. Issued Sunday, October 18 at 08:49 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The Colorado River at Wharton is running below normal at 7.99 ft.

The median for mid-October is 10.02 ft, based on 26 years of readings, so the river stage is 2.03 ft below typical. It is 31.01 ft below the flood stage of 39.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 7.81 ft, a difference of +0.18 ft.

It has dropped 0.09 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to rise to 8.10 ft by Sunday, October 18 at 08:00 AM. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. In the last month it has stayed between 7.51 ft and 9.64 ft.

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

Key numbers

Median for this date: 10.02 ft2.03 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 7.95 ft – 16.48 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (26 years of records)
Same day last year: 7.81 ft+0.18 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 7.51 ft – 9.64 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 6.86 ft – 21.23 ft
Highest on record: 50.47 ftAugust 31, 2017
Forecast peak: 8.10 ftSunday, October 18 at 08:00 AM

Floating and fishing near Colorado River at Wharton

Low water exposes gravel bars that make good wading access, but some boat ramps may be left high and dry.

Flood stage here is 39.00 ft, 31.01 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

48.00 ft: Major lowland flooding continues with much of west and southwest Wharton flooded. Most streets between Sunset Street, FM 102, and U.S. Highway 59 are inundated and impassable, and several homes have 3 feet or more of water in them.
45.30 ft: Major lowland flooding continues with many homes in the west part of Wharton flooded with 2 to 3 feet of water. The JDIN Recreational Center in southwest Wharton is flooded and isolated.
44.00 ft: Major lowland flooding continues as the JDIN Recreational Center in southwest Wharton is isolated and many homes in the western part Wharton are flooded.
43.00 ft: Major lowland flooding begins in the vicinity of the gage as numerous streets in west and southwest Wharton are inundated and the lowest homes threatened. The JDIN Recreational Center in southwest Wharton close to being isolated.
41.50 ft: Moderate lowland flooding continues as the JDIN Recreational Center in southwest Wharton is flooded.
41.00 ft: Moderate lowland flooding begins in the vicinity of the gage with the JDIN Recreational Center in southwest Wharton threatened.
39.00 ft: Minor lowland flooding begins in the vicinity of the gage as water escapes the main channel.
7.99 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: 9 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	50.47 ft	August 31, 2017
2	48.99 ft	July 3, 1940
3	48.72 ft	October 23, 1998
4	48.32 ft	November 26, 2004
5	48.30 ft	April 22, 2016
6	48.30 ft	November 26, 1940
7	47.00 ft	May 31, 2016
8	45.31 ft	December 27, 1991
9	45.25 ft	June 15, 1973
10	43.90 ft	September 15, 1961

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

18 Sun 74° 50° – Wind 11 mph

19 Mon 80° 54° – Wind 10 mph

20 Tue 81° 60° – Wind 11 mph

21 Wed 85° 65° – Wind 9 mph

22 Thu 84° 62° – Wind 6 mph

23 Fri 86° 62° – Wind 9 mph

24 Sat 86° 64° – Wind 14 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:28 AM Sunset 06:52 PM Daylight 11 hr, 24 min First quarter 52%

Map

Other gauges on the Colorado River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Colorado River at AustinRiver gauge, Colorado River	12.83 ft	Normal	−0.12 ft	115 mi
Colorado River at BastropRiver gauge, Colorado River	2.82 ft	Normal	−0.09 ft	91 mi
Colorado River at SmithvilleRiver gauge, Colorado River	1.51 ft	Normal	+0.13 ft	80 mi
Colorado River above La GrangeRiver gauge, Colorado River	2.42 ft	Very low	+0.05 ft	64 mi
Colorado River at ColumbusRiver gauge, Colorado River	9.28 ft	Low	−0.03 ft	38 mi
Colorado River near Bay CityRiver gauge, Colorado River	2.62 ft	Low	+0.58 ft	24 mi
Colorado River near WadsworthTidal gauge, Colorado River	1.53 ft	No reference yet	+0.51 ft	38 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
West Bernard Creek at US 59 near HungerfordRiver gauge, West Bernard Creek	74.06 ft	Very high	−0.11 ft	7 mi
San Bernard River near BolingRiver gauge, San Bernard River	3.86 ft	Normal	−0.11 ft	13 mi
Big Creek near NeedvilleRiver gauge, Big Creek	2.00 ft	Very low	−0.08 ft	21 mi
Caney Creek at SH 35 near Van VleckRiver gauge, Caney Creek	0.8 cfs	Normal	−0.1 cfs	23 mi
Juanita Creek at SH 71 near MidfieldRiver gauge, Juanita Creek	32.71 ft	Low	−0.06 ft	24 mi
E Mustang Creek near LouiseRiver gauge, E Mustang Creek	2.96 ft	Low	±0	25 mi
Dry Creek near RosenbergRiver gauge, Dry Creek	66.00 ft	Low	−0.53 ft	26 mi
Tres Palacios River near MidfieldRiver gauge, Tres Palacios River	3.17 ft	Normal	−0.14 ft	27 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Colorado River at Wharton higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.18 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 7.81 ft.

What is flood stage for the Colorado River at Wharton?

The official flood stage is 39.00 ft. The level is currently 31.01 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Colorado River at Wharton in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 10.02 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 7.95 ft and 16.48 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 Colorado River at Wharton today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 01:15 PM CDT, the water level was 7.99 ft. Down 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is Colorado River at Wharton rising or falling?

Down 0.09 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.20 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Colorado River at Wharton normal?

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:08162000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 29.30914, -96.10385 (WGS84)
Vertical datum: NGVD29
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	7.99 ft	2026-10-18 18:15	Provisional
Flow	368 cfs	2026-10-18 18:15	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/6285?lang=en" width="360" height="230" style="border:0;max-width:100%" loading="lazy" title="Colorado River at Wharton water level"></iframe>

How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Colorado River at Wharton (usgs:08162000). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/texas/colorado-river-at-wharton

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