Comal River at New Braunfels
Texas · Tubing & floating
Measured at USGS 08169000 — Comal Rv at New Braunfels, TX · NWS forecast point NBCT2
Reading taken Jul 28, 11:45 PM UTC
Running thin — a slow, scrapey float
At 226 CFS, this gauge is running 81% of normal for late July — below the 278 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 93 years of record (1933–2026).
Data-derived guidance from USGS and NWS published values — not official advice, and not a safety assessment.
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Flood stages at New Braunfels
Official National Weather Service categories for gauge NBCT2, issued by WFO EWX. Impact statements are the NWS's own wording for this location, reproduced verbatim.
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Major flood 23.0 ft
- 23.0 ft Major flooding impacts the tube chute at Prince Solms Park and floods the lower deck of a restuarant downstream. Residences are threatened downstream and upstream. Numerous roads, streets and bridges are very dangerous.
- 26.0 ft Major flooding reaches lowest residences in New Braunfels. Numerous streets and bridges are flooded and very dangerous. Businesses near San Antonio Street flood.
- 30.0 ft Flooding is life threatening. Several homes are flooded in the Comal River flood plain. Lowest businesses flood near San Antonio Street. Many people are cut off as numerous streets and roads flood and are extremely dangerous.
- 33.0 ft Disastrous flooding is life threatening. Flow is well into residential areas and can trap people in their homes. Roads and streets are severely flooded and extremely dangerous.
- 36.0 ft Life threatening flooding. Tens of homes destroyed, hundreds severely damaged in New Braunfels to below Seguin. Turbulent flow is hundreds of yards wide, trapping residents in homes and autos. Roads, streets and bridges flood rapidly to severe levels.
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Moderate flood 15.0 ft
- 15.0 ft Moderate lowland flooding closes many secondary roads and streets making them and low bridges dangerous to motorists. The tube chute at Prince Solms Park is flooded to the walkway across the low dam.
- 19.0 ft Moderate flooding threatens lowest businesses in the vicinity of San Antonio Street. Numerous secondary roads and streets in the Comal River flood plain are flooded in New Braunfels.
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Minor flood 11.0 ft
- 11.0 ft Minor lowland flooding extends into low areas near the tube chute at Prince Solms Park above San Antonio Street and low areas of the flood plain.
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Action 9.0 ft
- Right now 3.89 ft
NWS forecast: 3.90 ft by Jul 29, 12:00 AM UTC.
12 months of flow at New Braunfels
Daily values from USGS gauge 08169000. Provisional data, subject to revision.
Highest crests on record at New Braunfels
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 39.28 ft | 73,500 CFS | Oct 17, 1998 |
| 37.65 ft | — | Oct 17, 1870 |
| 36.91 ft | — | Jul 8, 1869 |
| 36.55 ft | 60,800 CFS | May 11, 1972 |
| 36.14 ft | 35,000 CFS | Sep 11, 1952 |
| 35.59 ft | — | Jun 8, 1872 |
| 35.45 ft | 55,800 CFS | May 12, 1972 |
| 35.40 ft | — | Dec 13, 1913 |
| 30.71 ft | — | Jun 15, 1935 |
| 29.51 ft | — | Jul 3, 1932 |
Historical crests published by the National Weather Service for this gauge.
About Comal River at New Braunfels
This gauge measures Comal River at New Braunfels, Texas — the reading paddlers, anglers and outfitters on this stretch check before committing to a shuttle.
Shortest, most-tubed river in Texas; Tube Chute.
Raw CFS means little on its own, so every reading on this page is shown against the USGS median for the same calendar day — 278 CFS for late July, from 93 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.
Comal River at New Braunfels — common questions
What is the current flow on Comal River at New Braunfels?
As of the last reading on this page, Comal River at New Braunfels was running 226 CFS at a gage height of 3.89 ft, or 81% of the USGS median for this date. The number updates automatically from USGS gauge 08169000, 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 278 CFS, calculated from 93 years of record (1933–2026). 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.
What flow is good for tubing Comal River?
riverlvl does not publish a recommended tubing range — that call belongs to the outfitters and the local authorities who know this stretch. What this page gives you is the objective input: today's flow, the seasonal median for the same date, and where the reading sits in the 12-month record. Local outfitters generally publish their own cutoffs, and they close when the river is up.
Does rain upstream change this reading quickly?
Yes. This is a free-flowing gauge, so it responds directly to rain in the basin upstream. Flashy rises of several feet in a few hours are normal on rivers like this after a heavy storm, which is why the reading is worth checking the morning you go.
What does gage height mean versus CFS?
Gage height is how high the water surface is above the gauge's own zero point, in feet — a local measure, not depth and not elevation. CFS is cubic feet per second, the volume of water moving past the gauge. Flood stages are set in gage height; float and paddling conditions are usually discussed in CFS.