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Brazos River near Hempstead

Highest listed crest 66.10 ftFlood stage 50.0 ft38 crests since 1899

The Brazos River near Hempstead crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 38 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1899 to 2017. The highest, 66.10 ft on December 8, 1913, was major flooding, 16.10 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the Brazos River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
66.10 ft
December 8, 1913
Flood stage
50.0 ft
Major flooding from 55.0 ft
Crests at major
2
218th of 370 gauges in Texas
Most recent flood crest
August 28, 2017
51.24 ft, minor flooding
Location
Washington County
Near Brenham (12.6 mi)

Flood stages

The thresholds the National Weather Service uses for this gauge today, and how many listed crests reached each.

Flood categories, Brazos River near Hempstead
Action stage25.030Apr 22, 2016The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)50.03Aug 28, 2017Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage53.03May 27, 2016Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage55.02Dec 8, 1913Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

38 crests from 1899 to 2017. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Brazos River near Hempstead, 1899 to 2017 3040506070ft Flood stage 50.0 ftMajor 55.0 ft Jul 4, 1899: 63.60 ft, major floodingDec 8, 1913: 66.10 ft, major floodingMay 19, 1939: 36.63 ft, action stage; 58,000 cubic feet per secondJul 3, 1940: 47.00 ft, action stage; 83,100 cubic feet per secondNov 30, 1940: 54.04 ft, moderate flooding; 116,000 cubic feet per secondApr 29, 1942: 47.52 ft, action stage; 90,500 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 1944: 52.00 ft, minor flooding; 108,000 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 1945: 49.31 ft, action stage; 106,000 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 1946: 45.30 ft, action stage; 85,300 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 1953: 45.40 ft, action stage; 79,200 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 1957: 54.21 ft, moderate flooding; 143,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 26, 1958: 45.80 ft, action stage; 91,800 cubic feet per secondOct 8, 1959: 42.29 ft, action stage; 74,000 cubic feet per secondJan 15, 1961: 45.10 ft, action stage; 78,200 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 1965: 51.23 ft, minor flooding; 106,000 cubic feet per secondSep 28, 1966: 44.30 ft, action stage; 75,000 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 1968: 42.43 ft, action stage; 73,400 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 1977: 43.13 ft, action stage; 84,700 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 1979: 45.93 ft, action stage; 83,800 cubic feet per secondJun 19, 1981: 39.41 ft, action stage; 59,200 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 1987: 41.64 ft, action stage; 58,900 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 1989: 36.20 ft, action stage; 44,300 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 1993: 36.11 ft, action stage; 46,200 cubic feet per secondJan 10, 1998: 38.23 ft, action stage; 54,700 cubic feet per secondOct 22, 1998: 43.66 ft, action stage; 79,100 cubic feet per secondDec 20, 2001: 38.98 ft, action stage; 59,200 cubic feet per secondFeb 24, 2003: 43.01 ft, action stage; 74,400 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 2004: 42.61 ft, action stage; 72,800 cubic feet per secondNov 27, 2004: 45.42 ft, action stage; 84,100 cubic feet per secondJul 18, 2007: 45.66 ft, action stage; 80,100 cubic feet per secondOct 30, 2009: 38.93 ft, action stage; 59,100 cubic feet per secondMar 24, 2012: 39.97 ft, action stage; 57,600 cubic feet per secondNov 3, 2013: 37.20 ft, action stage; 48,400 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 2015: 49.97 ft, action stage; 92,500 cubic feet per secondMar 15, 2016: 43.75 ft, action stage; 59,800 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 2016: 43.96 ft, action stage; 60,500 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 2016: 54.89 ft, moderate flooding; 153,000 cubic feet per secondAug 28, 2017: 51.24 ft, minor flooding; 101,000 cubic feet per second Highest, 66.10 ft, Dec 8, 1913 190019201940196019802000

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Brazos River near Hempstead 1890s: 1 1900s: 0 1910s: 1 1920s: 0 1930s: 0 1940s: 2 2 1950s: 1 1960s: 1 1970s: 0 1980s: 0 1990s: 0 2000s: 0 2010s: 2 1890s1900s1910s1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s
  1. These are the crests the local National Weather Service office lists for the gauge: the highest on record and recent crests. Lesser floods between them may be missing, so counts by decade are a floor.
  2. Categories use today's flood stages. Levees, dams and channel changes since a crest can make old and new stages not directly comparable.
  3. 12 crests measured on an earlier gauge datum are left out: 40.28 ft on May 6, 1990; 38.09 ft on Jan 12, 1991; 48.28 ft on Feb 28, 1991; 53.00 ft on Dec 28, 1991; 42.18 ft on Jan 22, 1992; 46.40 ft on Feb 8, 1992; and more.

Highest crests

Highest listed crests, Brazos River near Hempstead
1Dec 8, 191366.10+16.10Major—
2Jul 4, 189963.60+13.60Major—
3May 27, 201654.89+4.89Moderate153,000
4May 2, 195754.21+4.21Moderate143,000
5Nov 30, 194054.04+4.04Moderate116,000
6May 7, 194452.00+2.00Minor108,000
7Aug 28, 201751.24+1.24Minor101,000
8May 22, 196551.23+1.23Minor106,000
9May 31, 201549.97−0.03Action92,500
10Apr 26, 194549.31−0.69Action106,000
11Apr 29, 194247.52−2.48Action90,500
12Jul 3, 194047.00−3.00Action83,100
13Jun 7, 197945.93−4.07Action83,800
14Feb 26, 195845.80−4.20Action91,800
15Jul 18, 200745.66−4.34Action80,100
16Nov 27, 200445.42−4.58Action84,100
17May 18, 195345.40−4.60Action79,200
18May 20, 194645.30−4.70Action85,300
19Jan 15, 196145.10−4.90Action78,200
20Sep 28, 196644.30−5.70Action75,000
21Apr 22, 201643.96−6.04Action60,500
22Mar 15, 201643.75−6.25Action59,800
23Oct 22, 199843.66−6.34Action79,100
24Apr 20, 197743.13−6.87Action84,700
25Feb 24, 200343.01−6.99Action74,400
26May 17, 200442.61−7.39Action72,800
27May 13, 196842.43−7.57Action73,400
28Oct 8, 195942.29−7.71Action74,000
29Jun 16, 198741.64−8.36Action58,900
30Mar 24, 201239.97−10.03Action57,600
31Jun 19, 198139.41−10.59Action59,200
32Dec 20, 200138.98−11.02Action59,200
33Oct 30, 200938.93−11.07Action59,100
34Jan 10, 199838.23−11.77Action54,700
35Nov 3, 201337.20−12.80Action48,400
36May 19, 193936.63−13.37Action58,000
37May 21, 198936.20−13.80Action44,300
38Jun 23, 199336.11−13.89Action46,200

The worst floods along the Brazos River

For this gauge's highest crests, the other gauges on the Brazos River that crested above flood stage within a week.

December 8, 1913: 66.10 ft here, major flooding

  • HighbankTX · Dec 1, 1913 · 42.00 ft · Major · its highest
  • WacoTX · Dec 3, 1913 · 39.70 ft · Major

July 4, 1899: 63.60 ft here, major flooding

  • WacoTX · Jun 30, 1899 · 34.38 ft · Major

May 27, 2016: 54.89 ft here, moderate flooding

  • RichmondTX · Jun 2, 2016 · 54.74 ft · Major
  • Glen RoseTX · Jun 3, 2016 · 35.17 ft · Major
  • San FelipeTX · May 28, 2016 · 128.85 ft · Moderate
  • DennisTX · Jun 2, 2016 · 26.53 ft · Moderate
  • Palo PintoTX · Jun 1, 2016 · 21.09 ft · Moderate

Gauges on the Brazos River

In USGS station-number order, which runs downstream within a river basin.

Flood gauges on the Brazos River
Lubbock 4ESETX11.014.99 ft, Sep 15, 20230
JusticeburgTX19.025.80 ft, Jan 1, 19140
Aspermont 10STX21.029.50 ft, Sep 26, 19550
SeymourTX12.023.00 ft, Sep 28, 19551
South BendTX21.041.50 ft, Aug 6, 19784
Palo PintoTX16.030.00 ft, Jun 16, 19306
DennisTX21.031.88 ft, Oct 14, 19816
Glen RoseTX29.035.76 ft, Apr 28, 19904
AquillaTX29.045.00 ft, May 9, 19221
WacoTX19.040.90 ft, Sep 27, 193615
HighbankTX35.042.00 ft, Dec 1, 19132
Hempstead this gaugeTX50.066.10 ft, Dec 8, 19132
San FelipeTX122.5129.00 ft, Aug 29, 20170
RichmondTX45.055.19 ft, Sep 1, 20176
US 59TX66.567.69 ft, May 12, 20240
RosharonTX43.052.65 ft, Aug 29, 20177
West ColumbiaTX26.030.73 ft, Sep 3, 20173

Washington County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Texas

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge HPDT2, retrieved October 30, 2026. Stages in feet on the gauge's own datum, not elevation. Crests are as the National Weather Service lists them; preliminary values may be revised.