Hondo Creek at SH 173 near Hondo water level

Name: Hondo Creek at SH 173 near Hondo 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, Hondo Creek, Texas, United States

Directions

Normal for late October

Water level

0.69ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 21, 2026, 08:00 AM CDT (56 min 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

Hondo Creek at SH 173 near Hondo is at 0.69 ft, in the normal range for late October.

That puts it 0.12 ft below the median of 0.81 ft for late October, based on 20 years of readings. It is 11.31 ft below the flood stage of 12.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 0.74 ft (−0.05 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. In the last month it has stayed between 0.69 ft and 0.71 ft.

Fall is often low-water season on rivers, until steadier rain returns.

Compared with 20 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 0.81 ft0.12 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 0.55 ft – 3.13 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (20 years of records)
Same day last year: 0.74 ft−0.05 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 0.69 ft – 0.71 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 0.69 ft – 7.44 ft
Highest on record: 21.00 ftSeptember 1, 1919

About this gauge

Location: Medina County
Nearest town: Hondo (4.0 km)
Elevation above sea level: 857 ft

Town from GeoNames (CC BY 4.0)

Floating and fishing near Hondo Creek at SH 173 near Hondo

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 12.00 ft, 11.31 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

18.00 ft: Hondo Creek floods one to two miles of Highway 90 east of Hondo with a small section at the bridge above water. The area east of the bridge is under several feet of water. Several hundred yards of the Southern Pacific railway is damaged. Highway 173 is flooded north and south of Hondo. Farm to Market 473 north of Hondo is flooded in several places.
17.00 ft: Highway 90 floods with flow hundreds of yards wide in three sections near Hondo. Highway 173 floods north and south of Hondo. Farm to Market 462 is closed at several low crossings.
14.00 ft: Major flooding escapes the main channel into the right and left flood plains approaching Highway 90 east of Hondo and Highway 173 north of Hondo. Farm to Market 462 north of Hondo floods at several low water crossings.
12.00 ft: Minor lowland flooding inundates Farm to Market 462 at several low crossings over Hondo Creek.
0.69 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	21.00 ft	September 1, 1919
2	18.96 ft	June 22, 1997
3	18.00 ft	July 1, 1932
4	17.19 ft	May 29, 1987
5	16.40 ft	July 15, 1973

About Hondo Creek

Hondo Creek is a tributary of the Frio River in Texas that rises in Bandera County northwest of Tarpley and runs approximately 67 miles to its mouth near Pearsall, Texas. The creek crosses through three counties including Bandera, Medina, and Frio.

Mouth: Frio River

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:42 AM Sunset 07:01 PM Daylight 11 hr, 19 min Waxing gibbous 77%

Map

Other gauges on Hondo Creek

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Hondo Creek near TarpleyRiver gauge, Hondo Creek	2.38 ft	Very high	±0	16 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Seco Creek at Rowe Rh near D'HanisRiver gauge, Seco Creek	5.05 ft	Normal	±0	10 mi
Middle Verde Creek at SH 173 near BanderaRiver gauge, Middle Verde Creek	3.16 ft	Normal	±0	13 mi
Medina Lake near San AntonioLake, Medina Lake	1,020.07 ft	High	−0.10 ft	16 mi
Medina River at La CosteRiver gauge, Medina River	9.04 ft	Below flood stage	+2.93 ft	19 mi
Seco Creek at Miller Rh near UtopiaRiver gauge, Seco Creek	1.02 ft	Normal	±0	22 mi
Sabinal River at SabinalRiver gauge, Sabinal River	3.78 ft	Very high	−0.01 ft	22 mi
Medina River above English Crsg near Pipe CreekRiver gauge, Medina River	18.6 cfs	Normal	−0.7 cfs	23 mi
Sabinal River near SabinalRiver gauge, Sabinal River	4.80 ft	Normal	−0.01 ft	24 mi

Questions and answers

How does Hondo Creek at SH 173 near Hondo compare with last year?

It is 0.05 ft lower than on the same day last year, when the reading was 0.74 ft.

Where exactly is Hondo Creek at SH 173 near Hondo measured?

The gauge is in Medina County, Texas. It sits 857 ft above sea level.

What is flood stage for Hondo Creek at SH 173 near Hondo?

The official flood stage is 12.00 ft. The level is currently 11.31 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Hondo Creek at SH 173 near Hondo in late October?

The median for late October is 0.81 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 0.55 ft and 3.13 ft, based on 20 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 Hondo Creek at SH 173 near Hondo today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 08:00 AM CDT, the water level was 0.69 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Hondo Creek at SH 173 near Hondo rising or falling?

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

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:08200720 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 29.37611, -99.11667 (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	0.69 ft	2026-10-21 13:00	Provisional
Flow	0.0 cfs	2026-10-21 13:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Hondo Creek at SH 173 near Hondo (usgs:08200720). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/texas/hondo-creek-at-sh-173-near-hondo

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