Pine Island Bayou near Sour Lake water level

Name: Pine Island Bayou near Sour Lake 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, Pine Island Bayou, Texas, United States

Directions

Very low for mid-October

Water level

11.40ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 05:45 AM CDT (25 min ago)

Flow: 2.3 cfs

History

7 days 30 days 1 year Years compared

20252026

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

The forecast expects the river to fall to 11.40 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 01:00 AM. Issued Monday, October 19 at 08:13 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

Low water at Pine Island Bayou near Sour Lake: the gauge reads 11.40 ft, far below normal for mid-October.

The median for mid-October is 12.25 ft, based on 29 years of readings, so the river stage is 0.85 ft below typical. It is 13.60 ft below the flood stage of 25.00 ft. On the same day last year the reading was 11.37 ft, a difference of +0.03 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 11.40 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 01:00 AM. Without real rain upstream, that is unlikely to change quickly. The 30-day range is 11.37 ft – 12.12 ft.

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

Key numbers

Median for this date: 12.25 ft0.85 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 11.57 ft – 23.71 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (29 years of records)
Same day last year: 11.37 ft+0.03 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 11.37 ft – 12.12 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 11.28 ft – 27.48 ft
Highest on record: 39.68 ftAugust 30, 2017
Forecast peak: 11.40 ftTuesday, October 20 at 01:00 AM

Paddling and fishing conditions

At low levels, plan for shorter paddling trips and expect to walk your boat through a few shoals.

For reference, flood stage is 25.00 ft.

What happens at each level

39.68 ft: Flood of record in August 2017 from rainfall due to Hurricane Harvey. Widespread flooding along the bayou. Water inundates hwy 105 several feet and numerous homes in Bevil Oaks are flooded, some up to nine feet.
38.50 ft: Water reaches the instrument shelf.
37.49 ft: The river is at its previous flood of record reached on October 20th 1994. Widespread major flooding occurs. Numerous homes in Bevil Oaks have 3 to 4 feet of water in them.
35.50 ft: Water reaches the gage shelter floor.
34.00 ft: Water reaches homes along Old Sour Lake Road near the river.
32.00 ft: Major lowland flooding occurs. Several homes on Riverbend Drive in Bevil Oaks have water in them. Water reaches floor of bridge along Old Sour Lake Road.
31.00 ft: Homes in the Bevil oaks and Pinewood areas begin to flood.
30.50 ft: Riverbend Drive in Bevil Oaks is impassable.
29.00 ft: Moderate lowland flooding will occur. Water covers roads in Bevil Oaks.
25.00 ft: Water inundates roads in lowland areas near the river. Low spots on Old Sour Lake Road are under water.
22.00 ft: River is at bankfull stage.
11.40 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: 49 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	39.68 ft	August 30, 2017
2	37.50 ft	October 20, 1994
3	35.70 ft	September 21, 2019
4	34.29 ft	April 22, 1979
5	33.70 ft	May 22, 1989
6	32.37 ft	July 2, 1989
7	31.90 ft	June 10, 2001
8	31.43 ft	July 28, 1979
9	31.03 ft	October 22, 2006
10	31.00 ft	September 1, 1963

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:23 AM Sunset 06:42 PM Daylight 11 hr, 19 min First quarter 67%

Map

Other gauges on Pine Island Bayou

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Pine Island Bayou above BI Pump Plant, BeaumontTidal gauge, Pine Island Bayou	3.72 ft	Below flood stage	−0.08 ft	10 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Willow Marsh Bayou at US 90 near BeaumontRiver gauge, Willow Marsh Bayou	14.91 ft	High	+0.03 ft	8 mi
Green Pond Gully at FM 365 near ChinaRiver gauge, Green Pond Gully	2.90 ft	High	+0.01 ft	11 mi
Neches River Saltwater Barrier at BeaumontTidal gauge, Neches River Saltwater Barrier	3.01 ft	Below flood stage	−0.10 ft	14 mi
Mayhaw Bayou at SH 73 near HamshireRiver gauge, Mayhaw Bayou	1.10 ft	High	+0.09 ft	20 mi
Rhodair Gully at US 69 near NederlandRiver gauge, Rhodair Gully	1.24 ft	High	−0.01 ft	20 mi
Village Creek near KountzeRiver gauge, Village Creek	2.63 ft	Low	−0.07 ft	21 mi
Neches River at EvadaleRiver gauge, Neches River	5.31 ft	Low	−0.02 ft	22 mi
Cow Bayou at IH 10 near VidorRiver gauge, Cow Bayou	1.22 ft	Normal	−0.16 ft	25 mi

Questions and answers

Is Pine Island Bayou near Sour Lake higher than last year?

Yes, it is 0.03 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 11.37 ft.

What is flood stage for Pine Island Bayou near Sour Lake?

The official flood stage is 25.00 ft. The level is currently 13.60 ft below it.

What is a normal level for Pine Island Bayou near Sour Lake in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 12.25 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 11.57 ft and 23.71 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 Pine Island Bayou near Sour Lake today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 05:45 AM CDT, the water level was 11.40 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Pine Island Bayou near Sour Lake rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Down 0.14 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Pine Island Bayou near Sour Lake normal?

Very low 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:08041700 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 30.10605, -94.33463 (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	11.40 ft	2026-10-20 10:45	Provisional
Flow	2.3 cfs	2026-10-20 10:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Pine Island Bayou near Sour Lake (usgs:08041700). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/texas/pine-island-bayou-near-sour-lake

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