Frio River at Concan
Texas · Tubing & floating
Measured at USGS 08195000 — Frio Rv at Concan, TX · NWS forecast point CNCT2
Reading taken Jul 29, 12:00 AM UTC
Running high and pushy for a tube or an inner-tube crowd
At 600 CFS, this gauge is running 1,333% of normal for late July — above the 45 CFS median USGS has recorded for this date across 100 years of record (1924–2026). The stage is 2.2 ft below the NWS action stage of 7.0 ft.
Data-derived guidance from USGS and NWS published values — not official advice, and not a safety assessment.
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Flood stages at Concan
Official National Weather Service categories for gauge CNCT2, issued by WFO EWX. Impact statements are the NWS's own wording for this location, reproduced verbatim.
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Major flood 15.0 ft
- 15.0 ft Major flooding increases very quickly to several feet deep over the Frio River banks of recreation camps near Rio Frio to near Concan. Sleeping campers, autos and recreational vehicles can be washed downstream. This is a life threatening level.
- 17.0 ft Up to near ten feet of turbulent flow smashes through campgrounds below Rio Frio to Concan. recreational vehicles, autos, and gear can easily be swept downstream. Lowest homes below Leakey to below Rio Frio are threatened. Residents in flood prone areas should prepare to evacuate as emergency officials assess the threat.
- 19.0 ft Disastrous life threatening flooding rises rapidly over ten feet deep over portions of the banks and campgrounds near Rio Frio to Concan. Sleeping campers, autos, RV trailers, and gear are washed downstream.
- 21.0 ft Life threatening flooding through campgrounds below Rio Frio to Concan washes recreational vehicles, autos, gear, and campers downstream. Lowest homes are flooded below Leakey to below Rio Frio. Much of Garner State Park is flooded.
- 23.0 ft Disastrous life threatening flooding from the headwaters to below Concan destroys anything in the flood plain. Homes are flooded below Leakey to below Rio Frio. Flow is up to 15 feet deep through campgrounds above Rio Frio to Concan washing autos, recreational vehicles, gear and campers downstream.
- 25.0 ft Disastrous life threatening flooding destroys anything in the flood plain from the headwaters to below Concan. Homes are flooded and a few washed downstream below Leakey to below Rio Frio. Up to and over 15 feet of turbulent flow is life threatening in camp grounds above Rio Frio to Concan.
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Moderate flood 12.0 ft
- 12.0 ft Moderate lowland flooding reaches camping areas near Rio Frio to above concan during recreation months threatening campers, autos, RV trailers, canoes and gear. Low roads and bridges are flooded and dangerous to auto traffic.
- 14.0 ft Flow extends well into the flood plain below Rio Frio to Concan. Turbulent flow several feet deep in campgrounds is dangerous to campers and their autos, RVs, and camping gear. Numerous roads and low bridges are severely flooded and dangerous to auto traffic.
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Minor flood 11.0 ft
- 11.0 ft Minor lowland flooding extends into low areas of resorts and camps below Rio Frio to Concan. Low roads and bridges in the flood plain are flooded and dangerous to auto traffic.
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Action 7.0 ft
- 9.0 ft Flow reaches lowest areas of camps above Rio Frio to Concan with no significant damage.
- Right now 4.82 ft
12 months of flow at Concan
Daily values from USGS gauge 08195000. Provisional data, subject to revision.
Highest crests on record at Concan
| Stage | Flow | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 34.40 ft | 162,000 CFS | Jul 1, 1932 |
| 31.20 ft | — | Jul 2, 2002 |
| 30.60 ft | 119,000 CFS | Sep 16, 1936 |
| 29.40 ft | 106,000 CFS | Jun 14, 1935 |
| 28.80 ft | — | Sep 18, 1923 |
| 25.50 ft | 67,680 CFS | Aug 22, 1998 |
| 24.40 ft | 61,000 CFS | Jun 22, 1997 |
| 22.40 ft | 50,700 CFS | Sep 16, 1991 |
| 21.59 ft | 47,500 CFS | Oct 28, 1996 |
| 19.96 ft | — | Jul 16, 2026 |
Historical crests published by the National Weather Service for this gauge.
About Frio River at Concan
This gauge measures Frio River at Concan, Texas — the reading paddlers, anglers and outfitters on this stretch check before committing to a shuttle.
Garner State Park; "is the Frio running" is a seasonal search.
Raw CFS means little on its own, so every reading on this page is shown against the USGS median for the same calendar day — 45 CFS for late July, from 100 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.
Frio River at Concan — common questions
What is the current flow on Frio River at Concan?
As of the last reading on this page, Frio River at Concan was running 600 CFS at a gage height of 4.82 ft, or 1,333% of the USGS median for this date. The number updates automatically from USGS gauge 08195000, 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 45 CFS, calculated from 100 years of record (1924–2026). 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 Frio 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.