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Frio River near Derby water level

River gauge, Frio River, Texas, United States

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Right now

Very low for mid-October

Water level

-0.82ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Flow
0.0 cfs
0 10 20 30 Highest onrecord 29.45 ft Minor floodstage 6.00 ft

History

History
-1012ftOct 12Oct 13Oct 15Oct 16Oct 18-1012ftOct 12Oct 15Oct 18
-0246ftSep 19Sep 26Oct 3Oct 11Oct 18Minor flood stage-0246ftSep 19Oct 3Oct 18Minor flood stage
-01020ftOct 2025Jan 2026Apr 2026Jul 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage-01020ftOct 2025Apr 2026Oct 2026Minor flood stage
-01020ftJanMarMayJulSepNov2026-01020ftJanAprJulOct2026

20252026

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

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 %.

RankLevelDate
129.45 ftJuly 4, 1932
223.70 ftJune 2, 1935
322.02 ftJuly 21, 2007
421.77 ftJune 24, 1997
520.51 ftJuly 18, 2026
619.87 ftJuly 7, 2002
717.29 ftMay 31, 1987
813.66 ftMay 26, 2015
911.65 ftDecember 23, 1991
1011.17 ftJune 18, 1981

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:40 AM Sunset 07:05 PM Daylight 11 hr, 25 min First quarter 49%

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

ParameterLast valueTime (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.