Pedernales River near Johnson City water level

Name: Pedernales River near Johnson City 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, Pedernales River, Texas, United States

Directions

Normal for mid-October

Water level

10.24ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 19, 2026, 06:00 AM CDT (27 min ago)

Flow: 7.2 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 Pedernales River near Johnson City reads 10.24 ft, a normal level for mid-October.

That puts it 0.14 ft below the median of 10.39 ft for mid-October, based on 36 years of readings. It is 3.76 ft below the flood stage of 14.00 ft. A year ago it stood at 9.97 ft (+0.27 ft).

The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 10.18 ft and 10.49 ft.

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

Compared with 36 years of daily readings for this time of year. How to read levels

Key numbers

Median for this date: 10.39 ft0.14 ft below the median for this date
Normal for this date: 9.91 ft – 10.66 ft8 years in 10 fall in this range (36 years of records)
Same day last year: 9.97 ft+0.27 ft
Lowest and highest in 30 days: 10.18 ft – 10.49 ft
Lowest and highest in 12 months: 9.93 ft – 15.50 ft
Highest on record: 42.50 ftSeptember 11, 1952

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 14.00 ft, still 3.76 ft away.

What happens at each level

40.00 ft: Flow reaches the slab elevation of the lowest homes in the Pedernales River flood plain near Johnson City, the rodeo grounds and the south approach of Highway 281. An RV park just below Highway 281 has up to six feet of water over the lowest sites. Widespread lowland flooding can cut off and drown hundreds of livestock. Much of Pedernales Falls State Park floods.
37.00 ft: Several feet of turbulent water is flowing through low areas of an RV park below Highway 281 on the right bank. Many roads and bridges in the flood plain are life threatening. Fencing and roads are damaged or destroyed. Much of Pedernales Falls State Park is flooded.
34.00 ft: Flow is to the lowest trailer sites of an RV park just below Highway 281 near Johnson City. Hundreds of cattle can be cut off and drowned in the flood plain. Low areas of Pedernales Falls State Park downstream flood. Roads and bridges near the river are extremely dangerous. Flow is approaching the rodeo grounds. Near the USGS 1:100 year flood level.
30.00 ft: Flow is within four feet of an RV park in the northeast part of Johnson City just below Highway 281 on the left bank. Lowest camp sites are at thirty four feet gauge height. Hundreds of livestock in the flood plain can be cut off and drowned. Roads and low bridges near the river flood. Low sections of Pedernales Falls State Park downstream are under turbulent water and very dangerous. Exceeds the USGS 1:50 year flood.
28.00 ft: Secondary and primary roads and bridges are severely flooded in the flood plain. Fencing and roads are damaged or destroyed. Low areas of Pedernales State Park downstream are severely flooded. Exceeds USGS 1:25 year flood.
25.00 ft: Extensive damage occurs to roads, bridges, fences and signs in the flood plain below Stonewall to Lake Travis. Lower sections of Pedernales Falls State Park flood. Roads and low bridges near the river are flooded and dangerous to motorists. Exceeds USGS 1:10 year flood.
22.00 ft: Secondary roads, bridges and crossings are dangerously flooded near the Pedernales River. Low areas of Pedernales Falls State Park are flooded and dangerous. Fencing and roads are damaged or destroyed in the flood plain.
19.00 ft: Major flooding makes secondary and primary roads below Stonewall to Lake Travis very dangerous. Low park areas downstream in Pedernales Falls State Park flood.
17.00 ft: Moderate lowland flooding makes secondary roads, bridges and low crossings very dangerous. Swimmers and recreationists should move from the flood plain downstream in Pedernales Falls State Park. Near the USGS 1:2 year flood.
14.00 ft: Minor lowland flooding reaches secondary roads, crossings and low bridges. Low areas of LBJ National Park upstream are flooded. Swimmers and recreationists should leave the river downstream in Pedernales Falls State Park.
13.00 ft: Low water crossings upstream flood.
10.24 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: 11 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	42.50 ft	September 11, 1952
2	33.00 ft	July 3, 1869
3	26.10 ft	October 4, 1959
4	26.10 ft	August 30, 1944
5	26.00 ft	July 4, 2002
6	25.16 ft	June 22, 1997
7	24.90 ft	August 3, 1978
8	24.80 ft	April 24, 1957
9	24.58 ft	July 16, 2026
10	22.90 ft	May 28, 1929

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:39 AM Sunset 06:59 PM Daylight 11 hr, 20 min First quarter 58%

Map

Other gauges on the Pedernales River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Pedernales River near FredericksburgRiver gauge, Pedernales River	7.62 ft	Very high	+0.01 ft	28 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Blanco River at Crabapple Rd near BlancoRiver gauge, Blanco River	0.57 ft	Normal	−0.87 ft	15 mi
Sandy Creek near KingslandRiver gauge, Sandy Creek	4.89 ft	Low	−0.07 ft	19 mi
Little Blanco River at FM 32 near FischerRiver gauge, Little Blanco River	7.17 ft	Very high	+4.43 ft	19 mi
Blanco River at Fischer Store Rd near FischerRiver gauge, Blanco River	3.64 ft	Below flood stage	−18.02 ft	23 mi
Jacobs Well Spg near WimberleyRiver gauge, Jacobs Well Spg	0.37 ft	Very low	±0	24 mi
Onion Creek near DriftwoodRiver gauge, Onion Creek	1.12 ft	Normal	−0.02 ft	27 mi
Blanco River at WimberleyRiver gauge, Blanco River	3.52 ft	Low	+0.02 ft	28 mi
Barton Creek at SH 71 near Oak HillRiver gauge, Barton Creek	1.91 ft	Very low	−0.01 ft	28 mi

Questions and answers

How does the Pedernales River near Johnson City compare with last year?

It is 0.27 ft higher than on the same day last year, when the reading was 9.97 ft.

What is flood stage for the Pedernales River near Johnson City?

The official flood stage is 14.00 ft. The level is currently 3.76 ft below it.

What is a normal level for the Pedernales River near Johnson City in mid-October?

The median for mid-October is 10.39 ft. In 8 years out of 10 the reading falls between 9.91 ft and 10.66 ft, based on 36 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 Pedernales River near Johnson City today?

On Oct 19, 2026, 06:00 AM CDT, the water level was 10.24 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Pedernales River near Johnson City rising or falling?

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

Is the level of Pedernales River near Johnson City normal?

Normal for mid-October. Compared with 36 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:08153500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 30.29187, -98.39949 (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	10.24 ft	2026-10-19 11:00	Provisional
Flow	7.2 cfs	2026-10-19 11:00	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Pedernales River near Johnson City (usgs:08153500). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/texas/pedernales-river-near-johnson-city

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