Frio River near Derby water level
River gauge, Frio River, Texas, United States
Right now
Very low for mid-October
Water level
- Flow
- 0.0 cfs
History
20252026
What this means
The Frio River near Derby is running far below normal at −0.82 ft.
That puts it 1.36 ft below the median of 0.54 ft for mid-October, based on 33 years of readings. It is 6.82 ft below the flood stage of 6.00 ft. A year ago it stood at −0.93 ft (+0.11 ft).
The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. In the last month it has stayed between −0.82 ft and −0.81 ft.
Fall is often low-water season on rivers, and it usually takes a few days of steady rain to change that.
Compared with 33 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Median for this date
- 0.54 ft1.36 ft below the median for this date
- Normal for this date
- −0.76 ft – 1.54 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (33 years of records)
- Same day last year
- −0.93 ft+0.11 ft
- Lowest and highest in 30 days
- −0.82 ft – −0.81 ft
- Lowest and highest in 12 months
- −0.94 ft – 20.22 ft
- Highest on record
- 29.45 ftJuly 4, 1932
Floating and fishing near Frio River near Derby
Low water exposes gravel bars that make good wading access, but some boat ramps may be left high and dry.
Flood stage here is 6.00 ft, 6.82 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.
What happens at each level
- 17.00 ft
- Major flooding reaches lowest homes and businesses downstream in Tilden. Hundreds of livestock are trapped and potentially drowned in low areas of the flood plain near Derby to Choke Canyon Reservoir. Major flooding of crop and pasture land near the river inundates oil well pump jacks and irrigation pumps.
- 14.00 ft
- Significant crop and pastureland flooding below Uvalde to Choke Canyon Reservoir floods oil well pump jacks, irrigation pumps and any equipment in the flood plain. Numerous secondary roads and low bridges are flooded. Livestock are cut off and potentially drowned in low areas of the flood plain.
- 10.00 ft
- Lowland flooding below Concan to Choke Canyon Reservoir floods oil well pump jacks, irrigation pumps and any equipment in the lower flood plain near and above Derby.
- 7.00 ft
- Moderate lowland flooding closes Farm to Market 1581 near Derby.
- 6.00 ft
- Minor lowland flooding reaches the Farm to Market 1581 bridge floor.
- −0.82 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: 13 %.
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 29.45 ft | July 4, 1932 |
| 2 | 23.70 ft | June 2, 1935 |
| 3 | 22.02 ft | July 21, 2007 |
| 4 | 21.77 ft | June 24, 1997 |
| 5 | 20.51 ft | July 18, 2026 |
| 6 | 19.87 ft | July 7, 2002 |
| 7 | 17.29 ft | May 31, 1987 |
| 8 | 13.66 ft | May 26, 2015 |
| 9 | 11.65 ft | December 23, 1991 |
| 10 | 11.17 ft | June 18, 1981 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
Map
Other gauges on the Frio River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frio River at LeakeyRiver gauge, Frio River | 4.27 ft | No reference yet | −5.03 ft | 77 mi |
| Frio River at ConcanRiver gauge, Frio River | 3.67 ft | Normal | ±0 | 62 mi |
| Frio River below Dry Frio River near UvaldeRiver gauge, Frio River | 0.94 ft | Very low | ±0 | 48 mi |
| Frio River at TildenRiver gauge, Frio River | 1.00 ft | Very low | −0.03 ft | 41 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nueces River at CotullaRiver gauge, Nueces River | 5.68 ft | Normal | −0.04 ft | 22 mi |
| Nueces River near AshertonRiver gauge, Nueces River | 2.96 ft | Normal | −0.19 ft | 36 mi |
| San Miguel Creek near TildenRiver gauge, San Miguel Creek | 0.84 ft | Very low | ±0 | 38 mi |
| Sabinal River at SabinalRiver gauge, Sabinal River | 3.78 ft | Very high | +0.06 ft | 45 mi |
| Medina River at La CosteRiver gauge, Medina River | 6.11 ft | Below flood stage | −2.93 ft | 45 mi |
| Leona River near UvaldeRiver gauge, Leona River | 0.63 ft | Low | −0.01 ft | 46 mi |
| Nueces River near TildenRiver gauge, Nueces River | 2.36 ft | Normal | −0.03 ft | 46 mi |
| Medina River near MacdonaRiver gauge, Medina River | −0.05 ft | Low | +0.03 ft | 50 mi |
Questions and answers
How does the Frio River near Derby compare with last year?
It is 0.11 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was −0.93 ft.
What is flood stage for the Frio River near Derby?
The official flood stage is 6.00 ft. The level is currently 6.82 ft below it.
What is a normal level for the Frio River near Derby in mid-October?
The median for mid-October is 0.54 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between −0.76 ft and 1.54 ft, based on 33 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 near Derby today?
On Oct 18, 2026, 05:30 AM CDT, the water level was −0.82 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Frio River near Derby rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.
Is the level of Frio River near Derby normal?
Very low for mid-October. Compared with 33 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:08205500(Agency page)- Coordinates
28.73664, -99.14476(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 | −0.82 ft | 2026-10-18 10:30 | Provisional |
| Flow | 0.0 cfs | 2026-10-18 10:30 | Provisional |
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Frio River near Derby (usgs:08205500). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/texas/frio-river-near-derby
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