Brazos River at Waco
Texas · Fishing & wading
Measured at USGS 08096500 — Brazos Rv at Waco, TX · NWS forecast point WBAT2
Reading taken Jul 28, 11:45 PM UTC
Low and clear — wadeable, and fish will be spooky
At 205 CFS, this gauge is running 24% of normal for late July — below the 846 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 85 years of record (1941–2026).
Data-derived guidance from USGS and NWS published values — not official advice, and not a safety assessment.
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Flood stages at Waco
Official National Weather Service categories for gauge WBAT2, issued by WFO FWD. Impact statements are the NWS's own wording for this location, reproduced verbatim.
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Major flood 27.0 ft
- 27.0 ft Major flooding along the river is expected. Significant residential flooding in the Honey Lane neighborhood and nearby RV park south of Waco continues. Floodwaters will begin to impact an apartment complex west of downtown Waco along MLK Blvd. as well. Several parking lots near McLane Stadium will also flood.
- 29.0 ft Major flooding continues along the river. Significant residential flooding in the Honey Lane neighborhood and nearby RV park south of Waco continues. Significant flooding is also expected at the apartment complex west of downtown Waco on MLK Jr. Blvd., and the neighborhood at Faulkner Lane and MLK Jr. Blvd. begins to flood as well. Multiple parking lots near McLane Stadium have several feet of floodwater covering them.
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Moderate flood 22.0 ft
- 22.0 ft Moderate flooding along the river is expected. Flooding will begin in the Honey Lane neighborhood south of the gage. Trails along the riverwalk in downtown Waco will experience significant flooding.
- 25.0 ft Moderate flooding continues along the river. Significant flooding occurs in the Honey Lane neighborhood and nearby RV park south of Waco, as well as along the riverwalk in downtown Waco.
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Minor flood 19.0 ft
- 19.0 ft Minor flooding along the river is expected. Trails along the riverwalk in downtown Waco will begin to flood.
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Action 10.0 ft
- Right now 1.26 ft
12 months of flow at Waco
Daily values from USGS gauge 08096500. Provisional data, subject to revision.
Highest crests on record at Waco
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 40.90 ft | 246,000 CFS | Sep 27, 1936 |
| 39.70 ft | 211,000 CFS | Dec 3, 1913 |
| 36.70 ft | 144,000 CFS | Apr 22, 1945 |
| 36.70 ft | 142,000 CFS | May 25, 1908 |
| 36.60 ft | 137,000 CFS | May 2, 1944 |
| 36.40 ft | 125,000 CFS | Nov 9, 1918 |
| 35.90 ft | 122,000 CFS | May 10, 1922 |
| 35.70 ft | 126,000 CFS | Apr 25, 1942 |
| 34.90 ft | 112,000 CFS | May 19, 1935 |
| 34.38 ft | 117,000 CFS | Jun 30, 1899 |
Historical crests published by the National Weather Service for this gauge.
About Brazos River at Waco
This gauge sits on Brazos River at Waco, Texas, immediately below Waco Lake. Flow here is controlled by releases from the dam, so it can change by hundreds of CFS within an hour with no rain anywhere in the basin — check it before you go, not the day before.
Raw CFS means little on its own, so every reading on this page is shown against the USGS median for the same calendar day — 846 CFS for late July, from 85 years of record.
Because the National Weather Service also operates a forecast point here, the page carries the official flood-category ladder and the NWS's own stage-by-stage impact statements.
Reservoir feeding this stretch
Flow at this gauge is set by releases from Waco Lake. A full pool usually means more water is on its way down.
Brazos River at Waco — common questions
What is the current flow on Brazos River at Waco?
As of the last reading on this page, Brazos River at Waco was running 205 CFS at a gage height of 1.26 ft, or 24% of the USGS median for this date. The number updates automatically from USGS gauge 08096500, which reports every 15 to 60 minutes.
Is that high or low for this time of year?
The USGS median flow for late July at this gauge is 846 CFS, calculated from 85 years of record (1941–2026). Comparing today's reading against that median is the only way a raw CFS number tells you anything — 200 CFS is a drought on one river and a flood on another.
How often does this reading update?
USGS transmits from this gauge every 15 to 60 minutes. This page bakes in the most recent reading when it is rebuilt, then refreshes live from USGS when you open it. Readings are provisional and subject to revision by USGS.
Is Brazos River at Waco wadeable right now?
That depends on the reach and on your own judgement — riverlvl will not tell you the water is safe to stand in. What it will tell you is whether today's flow is unusually high or low for the date, against a seasonal median of 846 CFS, which is the single most useful input to that decision. On a dam tailwater like this one, the bigger risk is a sudden generation release, which can raise the river several feet with little warning.
How do releases from Waco Lake affect this stretch?
Directly and quickly. When the dam generates or spills, flow at this gauge climbs — often within an hour, often by an order of magnitude. The reservoir level itself is tracked on lakelvl.com, and the link on this page goes straight to it, so you can see whether the pool is high enough that releases are likely.
Where does this data come from?
Flow and gage height are public-domain USGS data from gauge 08096500. Flood categories, impact statements and the forecast come from the NOAA / National Weather Service National Water Prediction Service, gauge WBAT2. riverlvl adds the seasonal comparison and plain-English summary; it is not an official source and does not issue warnings.