Search
Menu

Explore

Hazards

Analysis

Rankings

Reference

Brazos River near South Bend

Highest listed crest 41.50 ftFlood stage 21.0 ft39 crests since 1900

The Brazos River near South Bend crested at major flood stage 4 times among the 39 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1900 to 2025. The highest, 41.50 ft on August 6, 1978, was major flooding, 20.50 feet above flood stage. 3 other gauges on the Brazos River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
41.50 ft
August 6, 1978; 78,100 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
21.0 ft
Major flooding from 34.0 ft
Crests at major
4
157th of 370 gauges in Texas
Most recent flood crest
May 2, 2025
23.87 ft, minor flooding
Location
Young County
Texas

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 South Bend
Action stage19.03Mar 17, 1998The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)21.026May 2, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage28.06Dec 22, 1991Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage34.04May 4, 1990Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

39 crests from 1900 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Brazos River near South Bend, 1900 to 2025 202530354045ft Flood stage 21.0 ftMajor 34.0 ft Sep 24, 1900: 29.50 ft, moderate floodingJan 1, 1908: 27.50 ft, minor floodingJun 16, 1930: 35.50 ft, major floodingMay 4, 1941: 27.35 ft, minor flooding; 87,400 cubic feet per secondSep 26, 1955: 28.73 ft, moderate flooding; 50,500 cubic feet per secondSep 30, 1955: 27.10 ft, minor flooding; 47,700 cubic feet per secondOct 6, 1955: 21.75 ft, minor flooding; 37,200 cubic feet per secondApr 29, 1957: 32.70 ft, moderate flooding; 66,000 cubic feet per secondSep 9, 1962: 24.90 ft, minor flooding; 44,300 cubic feet per secondSep 7, 1969: 21.38 ft, minor flooding; 25,400 cubic feet per secondJan 1, 1976: 36.20 ft, major floodingAug 6, 1978: 41.50 ft, major flooding; 78,100 cubic feet per secondOct 2, 1980: 25.79 ft, minor flooding; 28,200 cubic feet per secondOct 15, 1981: 30.35 ft, moderate flooding; 40,000 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 1982: 28.92 ft, moderate flooding; 31,400 cubic feet per secondJun 2, 1987: 24.32 ft, minor flooding; 22,800 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 1989: 20.88 ft, action stage; 14,200 cubic feet per secondMay 4, 1990: 34.27 ft, major flooding; 47,200 cubic feet per secondJun 5, 1991: 22.39 ft, minor flooding; 16,800 cubic feet per secondDec 22, 1991: 28.20 ft, moderate flooding; 32,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 27, 1992: 26.16 ft, minor flooding; 28,200 cubic feet per secondSep 15, 1996: 20.96 ft, action stage; 16,900 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 1997: 21.91 ft, minor flooding; 19,600 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1998: 20.73 ft, action stage; 15,100 cubic feet per secondAug 1, 2004: 23.58 ft, minor flooding; 22,580 cubic feet per secondNov 19, 2004: 22.56 ft, minor flooding; 20,539 cubic feet per secondJun 30, 2007: 27.50 ft, minor flooding; 28,803 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 2010: 24.39 ft, minor flooding; 19,444 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 2015: 22.11 ft, minor flooding; 15,035 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 2015: 23.42 ft, minor flooding; 17,222 cubic feet per secondJun 7, 2016: 26.34 ft, minor flooding; 22,500 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 2017: 21.23 ft, minor flooding; 14,046 cubic feet per secondOct 12, 2018: 21.45 ft, minor flooding; 13,589 cubic feet per secondOct 17, 2018: 24.72 ft, minor flooding; 18,683 cubic feet per secondOct 21, 2018: 24.57 ft, minor flooding; 18,406 cubic feet per secondDec 28, 2018: 23.15 ft, minor flooding; 16,103 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 2020: 23.26 ft, minor flooding; 16,787 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 2021: 26.76 ft, minor flooding; 23,302 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 2025: 23.87 ft, minor flooding; 17,966 cubic feet per second Highest, 41.50 ft, Aug 6, 1978 1900192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Brazos River near South Bend 1900s: 2 1910s: 0 1920s: 0 1930s: 1 1940s: 1 1950s: 4 1960s: 2 1970s: 2 1980s: 4 1990s: 5 2000s: 3 2010s: 9 9 2020s: 3 1900s1910s1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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.

Highest crests

Highest listed crests, Brazos River near South Bend
1Aug 6, 197841.50+20.50Major78,100
2Jan 1, 197636.20+15.20Major—
3Jun 16, 193035.50+14.50Major—
4May 4, 199034.27+13.27Major47,200
5Apr 29, 195732.70+11.70Moderate66,000
6Oct 15, 198130.35+9.35Moderate40,000
7Sep 24, 190029.50+8.50Moderate—
8Jun 27, 198228.92+7.92Moderate31,400
9Sep 26, 195528.73+7.73Moderate50,500
10Dec 22, 199128.20+7.20Moderate32,000
11Jan 1, 190827.50+6.50Minor—
12Jun 30, 200727.50+6.50Minor28,803
13May 4, 194127.35+6.35Minor87,400
14Sep 30, 195527.10+6.10Minor47,700
15Jun 4, 202126.76+5.76Minor23,302
16Jun 7, 201626.34+5.34Minor22,500
17Feb 27, 199226.16+5.16Minor28,200
18Oct 2, 198025.79+4.79Minor28,200
19Sep 9, 196224.90+3.90Minor44,300
20Oct 17, 201824.72+3.72Minor18,683
21Oct 21, 201824.57+3.57Minor18,406
22Apr 20, 201024.39+3.39Minor19,444
23Jun 2, 198724.32+3.32Minor22,800
24May 2, 202523.87+2.87Minor17,966
25Aug 1, 200423.58+2.58Minor22,580
26May 31, 201523.42+2.42Minor17,222
27Mar 21, 202023.26+2.26Minor16,787
28Dec 28, 201823.15+2.15Minor16,103
29Nov 19, 200422.56+1.56Minor20,539
30Jun 5, 199122.39+1.39Minor16,800
31May 9, 201522.11+1.11Minor15,035
32Feb 22, 199721.91+0.91Minor19,600
33Oct 6, 195521.75+0.75Minor37,200
34Oct 12, 201821.45+0.45Minor13,589
35Sep 7, 196921.38+0.38Minor25,400
36Jun 4, 201721.23+0.23Minor14,046
37Sep 15, 199620.96−0.04Action16,900
38May 18, 198920.88−0.12Action14,200
39Mar 17, 199820.73−0.27Action15,100

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.

August 6, 1978: 41.50 ft here, major flooding

  • Palo PintoTX · Aug 8, 1978 · 22.93 ft · Major
  • DennisTX · Aug 10, 1978 · 25.86 ft · Moderate
  • SeymourTX · Aug 5, 1978 · 14.20 ft · Minor

June 16, 1930: 35.50 ft here, major flooding

  • Palo PintoTX · Jun 16, 1930 · 30.00 ft · Major · its highest
  • SeymourTX · Jun 14, 1930 · 15.00 ft · Moderate

May 4, 1990: 34.27 ft here, major flooding

  • Glen RoseTX · Apr 28, 1990 · 35.76 ft · Major · its highest
  • DennisTX · Apr 27, 1990 · 31.46 ft · Major
  • Palo PintoTX · Apr 27, 1990 · 23.25 ft · Major

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 Bend this gaugeTX21.041.50 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
HempsteadTX50.066.10 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

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge SOUT2, 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.