San Saba River at Menard water level

Name: San Saba River at Menard 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, San Saba River, Texas, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

2.95ft Down 0.14 ft over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 18, 2026, 07:55 AM CDT (11 min ago)

Flow: 36.8 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 San Saba River at Menard reads 2.95 ft, a normal level for mid-October.

That puts it 0.18 ft above the median of 2.77 ft for mid-October, based on 18 years of readings. It is 15.05 ft below the flood stage of 18.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 2.95 ft as well.

The level is falling, down 0.14 ft over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 2.73 ft and 3.68 ft.

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

Compared with 18 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 2.77 ft0.18 ft above the median for this date
Normal for this date: 2.49 ft – 4.17 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (18 years of records)
Same day last year: 2.95 ft0.00 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 2.73 ft – 3.68 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 2.72 ft – 9.84 ft
Highest on record: 23.30 ftJune 6, 1899

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 18.00 ft, still 15.05 ft away.

What happens at each level

26.00 ft: Major flooding will occur. Water will enter buildings adjacent to the river in the Menard Business District. Roads and low water crossings will be flooded. Water will begin to flow over Highway 83 bridge.
22.00 ft: Moderate flooding will occur. Structures in the Menard Business District may become flooded along the river. Secondary roads and low water crossings will be flooded.
18.00 ft: Minor flooding will occur. Water will begin to reach the Menard Business District. The city park will be flooded. Water will begin to encroach on the Menard County RV Park.
8.00 ft: The Menard City Park will be inundated.
5.00 ft: The Decker Street low water crossing just downstream of the gage will be flooded.
2.95 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	23.30 ft	June 6, 1899
2	22.20 ft	July 23, 1938
3	21.20 ft	September 16, 1936
4	21.00 ft	September 8, 1980
5	19.82 ft	September 17, 1974
6	19.72 ft	July 15, 1990
7	19.34 ft	September 17, 1990
8	18.70 ft	September 26, 1946
9	18.64 ft	August 28, 1974
10	18.00 ft	November 3, 2000

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:44 AM Sunset 07:05 PM Daylight 11 hr, 21 min First quarter 49%

Map

Other gauges on the San Saba River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
San Saba River at FM 864 near Fort McKavettRiver gauge, San Saba River	2.21 ft	High	−0.01 ft	19 mi
San Saba River at San SabaRiver gauge, San Saba River	3.01 ft	Normal	−0.05 ft	66 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Noyes Canal at Diversion pt near MenardCanal gauge, Noyes Canal	3.70 ft	High	−0.06 ft	4.0 mi
N Llano River near JunctionRiver gauge, N Llano River	8.91 ft	Very high	−0.07 ft	28 mi
Llano River near JunctionRiver gauge, Llano River	1.42 ft	Low	−0.19 ft	29 mi
S Llano River at Flat Rock Ln at JunctionRiver gauge, S Llano River	2.60 ft	Normal	−0.04 ft	30 mi
Brady Creek at BradyRiver gauge, Brady Creek	6.00 ft	High	−0.04 ft	31 mi
O. H. Ivie Reservoir near VossReservoir, O. H. Ivie Reservoir	228,600 acre‑ft	Normal	−400 acre‑ft	41 mi
Colorado River near StacyRiver gauge, Colorado River	3.97 ft	High	−0.22 ft	42 mi
Concho River at Paint RockRiver gauge, Concho River	12.46 ft	Normal	+0.02 ft	42 mi

Questions and answers

How does the San Saba River at Menard compare with last year?

It is about the same as on this day last year, when the reading was 2.95 ft.

What is flood stage for the San Saba River at Menard?

The official flood stage is 18.00 ft. The level is currently 15.05 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the San Saba River at Menard in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 2.77 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 2.49 ft and 4.17 ft, based on 18 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 San Saba River at Menard today?

On Oct 18, 2026, 07:55 AM CDT, the water level was 2.95 ft. Down 0.14 ft over the last 24 hours.

Is San Saba River at Menard rising or falling?

Down 0.14 ft over the last 24 hours. Up 0.15 ft over the last 7 days.

Is the level of San Saba River at Menard normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 18 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:08144500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 30.91907, -99.78564 (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	2.95 ft	2026-10-18 12:55	Provisional
Flow	36.8 cfs	2026-10-18 12:55	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: San Saba River at Menard (usgs:08144500). Accessed October 18, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/texas/san-saba-river-at-menard

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