Lavaca River at Hallettsville water level

Name: Lavaca River at Hallettsville 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, Lavaca River, Texas, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

3.09ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 17, 2026, 08:15 PM CDT (27 min ago)

Flow: 0.3 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Minor flood stage

What this means

Water levels are unremarkable at Lavaca River at Hallettsville, where the gauge shows 3.09 ft.

It is 23.91 ft below the flood stage of 27.00 ft.

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The 30-day range is 3.03 ft – 3.27 ft.

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

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 41.10 ftAugust 31, 1981

Paddling and fishing conditions

Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.

For reference, flood stage is 27.00 ft.

What happens at each level

41.00 ft: Major lowland flooding continues with water up to 6 feet deep in the Hallettsville Town Square flooding hundreds of homes and businesses. Water is several feet deep in the county jail. Massive losses will occur if livestock are not removed from the floodplain.
38.00 ft: Major lowland flooding continues as several feet of water covers the Hallettsville Town Square with up to 9 feet of water in the lowest homes along the Lavaca River. Numerous roads and highways are flooded and impassable with over two feet of water flowing over them. Livestock should be removed from the floodplain.
35.00 ft: Major lowland flooding continues as disasterous flooding rises to the town square of Hallettesville. Hundreds of residences and businesses in western Hallettsville are inundated with up to 6 feet of water in the lowest structures. Roads and bridges near the river are severely flooded and very dangerous. Hundreds of head of livestock are cut off and potentialy drowned if not removed from the floodplain.
33.00 ft: Major lowland flooding continues as disasterous flooding inundates homes and businesses in the Lavaca River floodplain west of downtown Hallettsville. The downtown square in threatened and flooding is life threatening in some areas. Many primary and secondary roads and bridges are inundated and impassable. Livestock should be removed from the floodplain.
30.00 ft: Major lowland flooding continues as the two lowest commercial buildings and several residences in Hallettsville flood. Secondary roads and low bridges are flooded and dangerous. Livestock should be removed from flood prone areas.
29.00 ft: Major lowland flooding begins in the vicinity of the gage as water inundates the lowest residences in Hallettsville. Numerous roads and low bridges near the river are inundated and impassable.
28.00 ft: Moderate lowland flooding begins in the vicinity of the gage as flooding extends well into the floodplain threatening the lowest homes in Hallettsville. Secondary roads and low bridges are flooded and dangerous to motorists.
27.00 ft: Minor lowland flooding begins in the vicinity of the gage as water escapes the main channel and inundates the floodplain.
3.09 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	41.10 ft	August 31, 1981
2	40.60 ft	June 30, 1940
3	32.16 ft	May 13, 1982
4	30.55 ft	October 15, 1957
5	30.52 ft	June 13, 1973
6	30.16 ft	September 13, 1974
7	29.36 ft	November 24, 1940
8	28.83 ft	November 4, 1965
9	28.78 ft	May 12, 1972
10	28.53 ft	October 18, 1998

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:32 AM Sunset 06:55 PM Daylight 11 hr, 24 min First quarter 45%

Map

Other gauges on the Lavaca River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Lavaca River near EdnaRiver gauge, Lavaca River	4.11 ft	Very low	±0	37 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Navidad River near HallettsvilleRiver gauge, Navidad River	4.52 ft	Very low	±0	8 mi
Clarks Creek at US 77 near Sweet HomeRiver gauge, Clarks Creek	149.13 ft	Low	−0.02 ft	12 mi
W Sandy Creek at FM 2437 near SheridanRiver gauge, W Sandy Creek	192.99 ft	Low	−0.19 ft	16 mi
Navidad River near SpeaksRiver gauge, Navidad River	2.04 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	16 mi
Peach Creek below DilworthRiver gauge, Peach Creek	6.18 ft	Low	−0.07 ft	22 mi
Peach Creek at Hwy 90 near WaelderRiver gauge, Peach Creek	3.05 ft	Normal	−3.53 ft	24 mi
Navidad River at MoralesRiver gauge, Navidad River	6.59 ft	Low	−0.02 ft	24 mi
Sandy Fork Creek at Hwy 97 near WaelderRiver gauge, Sandy Fork Creek	2.42 ft	Normal	−0.20 ft	26 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Lavaca River at Hallettsville?

The official flood stage is 27.00 ft. The level is currently 23.91 ft below it.

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 Lavaca River at Hallettsville today?

On Oct 17, 2026, 08:15 PM CDT, the water level was 3.09 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Lavaca River at Hallettsville rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of Lavaca River at Hallettsville normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Lavaca River at Hallettsville?

The highest level on record is 41.10 ft on August 31, 1981.

How often is this data updated?

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes a new reading every 15 minutes. This page refreshes within minutes of each update.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:08163500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 29.44330, -96.94498 (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	3.09 ft	2026-10-18 01:15	Provisional
Flow	0.3 cfs	2026-10-18 01:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Lavaca River at Hallettsville (usgs:08163500). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/texas/lavaca-river-at-hallettsville

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