Frio River at Tilden water level

Name: Frio River at Tilden 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, Frio River, Texas, United States

Directions

Very low for mid-October

Water level

0.99ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 03:15 AM CDT (1 hour ago)

Flow: 0.0 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

At 0.99 ft, the Frio River at Tilden is far below normal for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 2.24 ft, based on 34 years of readings, so the river stage is 1.24 ft below typical. It is 21.01 ft below the flood stage of 22.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 2.01 ft, a difference of −1.02 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 0.95 ft and 1.39 ft.

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

Compared with 34 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 2.24 ft1.24 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 1.74 ft – 14.20 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (34 years of records)
Same day last year: 2.01 ft−1.02 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 0.95 ft – 1.39 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 0.88 ft – 26.62 ft
Highest on record: 30.06 ftJuly 10, 2002

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 22.00 ft, still 21.01 ft away.

What happens at each level

38.44 ft: This is the flood of record outside period of record, occurring on July 1932.
30.06 ft: This is the flood of record which occurred on July 10 2002. Disastrous flooding of commercial and residential buildings in Tilden.
29.80 ft: Major flooding occurs. Disastrous flooding of commercial and residential buildings in Tilden. Restuarant on the right bank of the Frio River had 3 to 4 feet of water in it.
29.18 ft: This is similar to the flood on June 9 1937. The restaurant had 3 feet of water inside. Numerous homes were flooded.
27.00 ft: Major flooding occurs. Numerous residences and businesses flood in Tilden, requiring persons vulnerable to flooding to be evacuated. Lowland flooding of crops and pastureland traps and potentially drowns livestock. Most roads near the river are flooded and dangerous. Water reaches the parking lot and doors of the cafe.
26.00 ft: Moderate flooding occurs. The flow is to the slab elevation of the lowest businesses and homes in Tilden. Numerous roads and low bridges flood and become very dangerous to motorists. Hundreds of livestock are trapped and potentially drowned in the flood plain, below Derby to the Choke Canyon Reservoir.
22.00 ft: Minor lowland flooding of crops and pastureland occurs. Secondary roads and low bridges are also flooded.
20.00 ft: Overbank conditions below Derby to Choke Canyon Reservoir occur, and floods the lowest secondary roads and bridges near the river.
17.00 ft: Overbank conditions occur into lowest areas of the flood plain.
12.00 ft: The river reaches bankfull stage.
0.99 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: < 5 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	30.06 ft	July 10, 2002
2	30.03 ft	September 11, 2002
3	29.80 ft	June 28, 1997
4	29.70 ft	July 22, 2026
5	29.56 ft	June 28, 1997
6	29.18 ft	June 9, 1987
7	28.41 ft	June 5, 1987
8	28.20 ft	July 2, 1932
9	28.00 ft	September 1, 1919
10	27.61 ft	June 17, 1987

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:37 AM Sunset 07:03 PM Daylight 11 hr, 25 min First quarter 48%

Map

Other gauges on the Frio River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Frio River at LeakeyRiver gauge, Frio River	4.26 ft	No reference yet	−0.01 ft	113 mi
Frio River at ConcanRiver gauge, Frio River	3.67 ft	Normal	+0.01 ft	99 mi
Frio River below Dry Frio River near UvaldeRiver gauge, Frio River	0.94 ft	Very low	±0	87 mi
Frio River near DerbyRiver gauge, Frio River	−0.82 ft	Very low	±0	41 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
San Miguel Creek near TildenRiver gauge, San Miguel Creek	0.84 ft	Very low	±0	8 mi
Nueces River near TildenRiver gauge, Nueces River	2.36 ft	Normal	−0.03 ft	11 mi
Choke Canyon Reservoir near Three RiversReservoir, Choke Canyon Reservoir	190.70 ft	Normal	−0.05 ft	18 mi
Choke Canyon Reservoir OWC near Three RiversRiver gauge, Choke Canyon Reservoir OWC	4.35 ft	Normal	±0	19 mi
Atascosa River at WhitsettRiver gauge, Atascosa River	1.66 ft	Low	−0.02 ft	19 mi
Nueces River near Three RiversRiver gauge, Nueces River	1.29 ft	Very low	+0.01 ft	23 mi
Choke Canyon ReservoirReservoir	190.75 ft	Very low		23 mi
Atascosa River near McCoyRiver gauge, Atascosa River	4.57 ft	Very low	±0	30 mi

Questions and answers

Is the Frio River at Tilden higher than last year?

No, it is 1.02 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 2.01 ft.

What is flood stage for the Frio River at Tilden?

The official flood stage is 22.00 ft. The level is currently 21.01 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Frio River at Tilden in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 2.24 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 1.74 ft and 14.20 ft, based on 34 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 Frio River at Tilden today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 03:15 AM CDT, the water level was 0.99 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Frio River at Tilden rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Frio River at Tilden normal?

Very low for mid-October. Compared with 34 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:08206600 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 28.46749, -98.54752 (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	0.99 ft	2026-10-18 08:15	Provisional
Flow	0.0 cfs	2026-10-18 08:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Frio River at Tilden (usgs:08206600). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/texas/frio-river-at-tilden

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