Colorado River near Bay City water level
River gauge, Colorado River, Texas, United States
Right now
Low for mid-October
Water level
History
20252026
The forecast expects the river to rise to 3.40 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 06:00 AM. Issued Monday, October 19 at 08:04 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.
What this means
Low water at Colorado River near Bay City: the gauge reads 2.76 ft, below normal for mid-October.
The median for mid-October is 4.10 ft, based on 29 years of readings, so the river stage is 1.34 ft below typical. It is 41.24 ft below the flood stage of 44.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 3.42 ft, a difference of −0.66 ft.
It is on the way up, by 0.15 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to rise to 3.40 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 06:00 AM. The 30-day range is 1.64 ft – 4.90 ft.
Compared with 29 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 4.10 ft1.34 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- 2.52 ft – 9.00 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (29 years of records)
- Same day last year
- 3.42 ft−0.66 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- 1.64 ft – 4.90 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- 1.50 ft – 14.87 ft
- Highest on record
- 46.40 ftJune 26, 1960
- Forecast peak
- 3.40 ftTuesday, October 20 at 06:00 AM
Paddling and fishing conditions
At low levels, plan for shorter paddling trips and expect to walk your boat through a few shoals.
For reference, flood stage is 44.00 ft.
What happens at each level
- 44.00 ft
- Levees on the Bay City side of river are overtopped.
- 2.76 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 | 46.40 ft | June 26, 1960 |
| 2 | 46.16 ft | September 2, 2017 |
| 3 | 44.09 ft | September 15, 1961 |
| 4 | 42.77 ft | October 17, 1957 |
| 5 | 41.83 ft | May 1, 1957 |
| 6 | 41.73 ft | November 27, 2004 |
| 7 | 40.95 ft | October 24, 1998 |
| 8 | 40.45 ft | April 22, 2016 |
| 9 | 39.81 ft | June 1, 2016 |
| 10 | 38.90 ft | December 27, 1991 |
Weather at the gauge
No rain in the last 3 days.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on the Colorado River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado River at AustinRiver gauge, Colorado River | 14.90 ft | Normal | +2.29 ft | 133 mi |
| Colorado River at BastropRiver gauge, Colorado River | 2.73 ft | Normal | −0.05 ft | 111 mi |
| Colorado River at SmithvilleRiver gauge, Colorado River | 1.41 ft | Low | −0.08 ft | 100 mi |
| Colorado River above La GrangeRiver gauge, Colorado River | 2.65 ft | Very low | +0.04 ft | 84 mi |
| Colorado River at ColumbusRiver gauge, Colorado River | 9.20 ft | Very low | −0.04 ft | 60 mi |
| Colorado River at WhartonRiver gauge, Colorado River | 7.90 ft | Low | −0.16 ft | 24 mi |
| Colorado River near WadsworthTidal gauge, Colorado River | 1.66 ft | No reference yet | +0.17 ft | 14 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tres Palacios River near MidfieldRiver gauge, Tres Palacios River | 3.07 ft | Low | −0.05 ft | 10 mi |
| Caney Creek at SH 35 near Van VleckRiver gauge, Caney Creek | 0.7 cfs | Low | −0.1 cfs | 10 mi |
| Juanita Creek at SH 71 near MidfieldRiver gauge, Juanita Creek | 32.68 ft | Low | +0.01 ft | 12 mi |
| Linnville Bayou at FM 521 near Cedar LaneRiver gauge, Linnville Bayou | 1.83 ft | Normal | +0.09 ft | 18 mi |
| San Bernard River near SweenyTidal gauge, San Bernard River | 1.65 ft | Below flood stage | −0.35 ft | 22 mi |
| San Bernard River near BolingRiver gauge, San Bernard River | 3.54 ft | Normal | −0.21 ft | 25 mi |
| E Mustang Creek near LouiseRiver gauge, E Mustang Creek | 2.95 ft | Low | ±0 | 25 mi |
| Brazos River near West ColumbiaTidal gauge, Brazos River | 1.99 ft | Below flood stage | −0.33 ft | 27 mi |
Questions and answers
Is the Colorado River near Bay City higher than last year?
No, it is 0.66 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.42 ft.
What is flood stage for the Colorado River near Bay City?
The official flood stage is 44.00 ft. The level is currently 41.24 ft below it.
What is a normal level for the Colorado River near Bay City in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 4.10 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.52 ft and 9.00 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 Colorado River near Bay City today?
On Oct 19, 2026, 11:15 PM CDT, the water level was 2.76 ft. Up 0.15 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Colorado River near Bay City rising or falling?
Up 0.15 ft over the last 24 hours. Down 0.48 ft over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Colorado River near Bay City 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:08162500(Agency page)- Coordinates
28.97415, -96.01246(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 | 2.76 ft | 2026-10-20 04:15 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Colorado River near Bay City (usgs:08162500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/texas/colorado-river-near-bay-city
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