Medina River at Bandera water level

Name: Medina River at Bandera 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, Medina River, Texas, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

3.58ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 04:45 PM CDT (48 min ago)

Flow: 16.7 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

What this means

The gauge at Medina River at Bandera reads 3.58 ft, a normal level for mid-October.

That puts it 0.38 ft below the median of 3.96 ft for mid-October, based on 29 years of readings. It is 9.42 ft below the flood stage of 13.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 3.21 ft (+0.37 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 3.52 ft and 4.06 ft.

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

Compared with 29 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 3.96 ft0.38 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 2.92 ft – 5.30 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (29 years of records)
Same day last year: 3.21 ft+0.37 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 3.52 ft – 4.06 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 3.18 ft – 10.04 ft
Highest on record: 46.62 ftAugust 2, 1978

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 13.00 ft, still 9.42 ft away.

What happens at each level

29.00 ft: Disastrous life threatening flooding reaches the Highway 173 bridge floor in Bandera. All RV campsites at the Pioneer RV Park just below Highway 173 flood severely. Many homes at the upper end of Medina Lake flood, with the severity depending on flood storage in Medina Lake. Flow through the Medina Lake emergency spillway may flood homes downstream in Bexar County near LaCoste and Von Ormy.
27.00 ft: Disastrous flooding reaches the Pioneer RV Park at Highway 173 in Bandera and homes at the upper end of Medina Lake. Homes and businesses near the Medina River downstream in southern Bexar County should prepare for structural flooding. Flow is near the Highway 173 bridge floor at Bandera. Roads and bridges around Bandera County are severely flooded and dangerous to motorists.
25.00 ft: Numerous homes at the upper end of Medina Lake may flood severely depending on the Medina Lake level. Depending on the flood storage, flow over the Medina Lake emergency spillway may flood homes downstream near LaCoste and Somerset in Bexar County. All campsites in the Pioneer RV Park in Bandera flood and flow is within three feet of the Highway 173 bridge floor.
24.00 ft: Major flooding reaches the Pioneer RV park just below Highway 173 in Bandera. Many secondary and primary roads and bridges near the Medina River are flooded and very dangerous. Lowest homes at the upper end of Medina Lake flood, with the severity depending on the Medina Lake level.
22.00 ft: Severe flooding begins to threaten the Pioneer RV park. All RV's should be evacuated immediately. Homes at the upper end of Medina Lake will flood severely. Many roads and bridges in Bandera County will flood and are very dangerous.
20.00 ft: Flooding begins in the Pioneer RV Park at Highway 173 in Bandera. All RV's and campers should evacuate immediately before flooding cuts off the Pioneer RV Park. Flooding threatens many homes at the upper end of Medina Lake. Residents of flood prone areas should monitor NOAA Weather Radio for developing heavy rain and flooding and prepare to evacuate as emergency officials assess the threat. Roads and bridges across Bandera County are severely flooded and very dangerous.
18.00 ft: The second level of campsites flood at the Pioneer RV Park just below Highway 173 in Bandera. The lowest sites are under several feet of water. Secondary roads and low bridges flood near the Medina River and are dangerous to traffic. The lowest homes at the upper end of Medina Lake may flood depending on the level of Medina Lake.
17.00 ft: Moderate lowland flooding threatens the second level of trailer spaces at the Pioneer RV Park at Highway 173 in Bandera and homes at the upper end of Medina Lake. Lowest trailer sites at the Pioneer RV Park are under several feet of water.
15.00 ft: Moderate lowland flooding covers lowest parking sites at the Pioneer RV park in Bandera and is threatening the second level. Residents and people camping or renting properties adjacent to the river should monitor NOAA Weather Radio and social media outlets for developing heavy rain and flood conditions. Lowest homes at the upper end of Medina Lake are threatened if the lake is near spillway level.
12.00 ft: Water covers lowest areas of the flood plain with no significant damage. Residents of mobile home parks, the Pioneer RV Park and the upper end of Medina Lake should monitor NOAA Weather Radio for developing flood conditions.
3.58 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	46.62 ft	August 2, 1978
2	38.91 ft	July 5, 2002
3	24.93 ft	May 24, 2015
4	24.90 ft	June 3, 1987
5	24.49 ft	June 22, 1997
6	20.59 ft	May 29, 2016
7	18.32 ft	December 21, 1992
8	16.76 ft	July 17, 2026
9	16.09 ft	December 3, 1985
10	14.46 ft	March 30, 2007

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:41 AM Sunset 07:03 PM Daylight 11 hr, 22 min First quarter 63%

Map

Other gauges on the Medina River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Medina River at Patterson Rd at MedinaRiver gauge, Medina River	4.20 ft	Normal	±0	12 mi
Medina River above English Crsg near Pipe CreekRiver gauge, Medina River	20.1 cfs	Normal	±0	5.8 mi
Medina River at La CosteRiver gauge, Medina River	9.05 ft	Below flood stage	±0	32 mi
Medina River near MacdonaRiver gauge, Medina River	−0.10 ft	Low	−0.01 ft	35 mi
Medina River near SomersetRiver gauge, Medina River	4.04 ft	Low	±0	43 mi
Medina River at San AntonioRiver gauge, Medina River	2.93 ft	Very low	−0.13 ft	47 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Middle Verde Creek at SH 173 near BanderaRiver gauge, Middle Verde Creek	3.17 ft	Normal	±0	11 mi
Hondo Creek near TarpleyRiver gauge, Hondo Creek	2.39 ft	High	−0.01 ft	15 mi
Medina Lake near San AntonioLake, Medina Lake	1,020.24 ft	High	−0.04 ft	15 mi
San Geronimo Creek near HelotesRiver gauge, San Geronimo Creek	2.35 ft	Normal	±0	18 mi
Guadalupe River near Center PointRiver gauge, Guadalupe River	4.22 ft	High	+0.02 ft	18 mi
Guadalupe River at ComfortRiver gauge, Guadalupe River	3.30 ft	High	±0	20 mi
N Prong Medina River at Brewington Creek near MedinaRiver gauge, N Prong Medina River	3.77 ft	Normal	+0.01 ft	20 mi
Cibolo Creek near BoerneRiver gauge, Cibolo Creek	3.34 ft	Normal	−0.07 ft	22 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Medina River at Bandera compare with last year?

It is 0.37 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 3.21 ft.

What is flood stage for the Medina River at Bandera?

The official flood stage is 13.00 ft. The level is currently 9.42 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Medina River at Bandera in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 3.96 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.92 ft and 5.30 ft, based on 29 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 Medina River at Bandera today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 04:45 PM CDT, the water level was 3.58 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Medina River at Bandera rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.08 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Medina River at Bandera normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 29 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:08178880 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 29.72384, -99.07003 (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	3.58 ft	2026-10-19 21:45	Provisional
Flow	16.7 cfs	2026-10-19 21:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Medina River at Bandera (usgs:08178880). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/texas/medina-river-at-bandera

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