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Colorado River (TX) at Wharton

Highest listed crest 50.47 ftFlood stage 39.0 ft44 crests since 1940

The Colorado River (TX) at Wharton crested at major flood stage 11 times among the 44 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1940 to 2017. The highest, 50.47 ft on August 31, 2017, was major flooding, 11.47 feet above flood stage. 5 other gauges on the Colorado River (TX) crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
50.47 ft
August 31, 2017; 93,600 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
39.0 ft
Major flooding from 43.0 ft
Crests at major
11
51st of 370 gauges in Texas
Most recent flood crest
August 31, 2017
50.47 ft, major flooding
Location
Wharton County
Near El Campo (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, Colorado River (TX) at Wharton
Action stage20.020Nov 4, 2013The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)39.04Nov 8, 2002Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage41.06May 31, 2015Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage43.011Aug 31, 2017Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

44 crests from 1940 to 2017. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Colorado River (TX) at Wharton, 1940 to 2017 102030405060ft Flood stage 39.0 ftMajor 43.0 ft Jul 3, 1940: 48.99 ft, major flooding; 100,000 cubic feet per secondNov 26, 1940: 48.30 ft, major flooding; 92,000 cubic feet per secondApr 30, 1957: 41.90 ft, moderate flooding; 54,200 cubic feet per secondOct 17, 1957: 43.00 ft, major flooding; 58,500 cubic feet per secondJun 27, 1960: 40.50 ft, minor flooding; 53,000 cubic feet per secondSep 15, 1961: 43.90 ft, major flooding; 59,600 cubic feet per secondJun 26, 1968: 41.06 ft, moderate flooding; 55,400 cubic feet per secondJun 15, 1973: 45.25 ft, major flooding; 59,400 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 1975: 41.50 ft, moderate flooding; 50,800 cubic feet per secondApr 23, 1977: 42.35 ft, moderate flooding; 53,000 cubic feet per secondJun 18, 1981: 38.50 ft, action stage; 43,300 cubic feet per secondNov 3, 1981: 40.55 ft, minor flooding; 49,300 cubic feet per secondMay 23, 1983: 28.85 ft, action stage; 23,700 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 1984: 16.19 ft, below flood stage; 5,140 cubic feet per secondFeb 25, 1985: 23.50 ft, action stage; 14,900 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 1985: 22.42 ft, action stage; 12,900 cubic feet per secondNov 27, 1985: 29.94 ft, action stage; 25,400 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 1987: 41.48 ft, moderate flooding; 51,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 27, 1988: 24.42 ft, action stageMar 19, 1988: 22.42 ft, action stage; 12,900 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 1989: 18.44 ft, below flood stage; 7,410 cubic feet per secondMay 6, 1990: 15.77 ft, below flood stage; 4,470 cubic feet per secondJan 12, 1991: 31.63 ft, action stage; 28,800 cubic feet per secondDec 27, 1991: 45.31 ft, major flooding; 61,900 cubic feet per secondJun 21, 1993: 33.06 ft, action stage; 31,800 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 1994: 22.62 ft, action stage; 13,800 cubic feet per secondOct 20, 1994: 40.69 ft, minor flooding; 49,600 cubic feet per secondSep 23, 1996: 20.47 ft, action stage; 11,900 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 1997: 31.29 ft, action stage; 30,600 cubic feet per secondOct 15, 1997: 28.85 ft, action stage; 25,200 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 1998: 21.54 ft, action stageOct 23, 1998: 48.72 ft, major flooding; 74,800 cubic feet per secondNov 19, 2001: 31.05 ft, action stage; 30,100 cubic feet per secondNov 8, 2002: 39.16 ft, minor flooding; 46,000 cubic feet per secondJun 13, 2004: 29.26 ft, action stage; 25,600 cubic feet per secondNov 26, 2004: 48.32 ft, major flooding; 73,200 cubic feet per secondJul 9, 2007: 35.01 ft, action stage; 37,600 cubic feet per secondApr 19, 2009: 32.04 ft, action stage; 30,900 cubic feet per secondMar 23, 2012: 29.32 ft, action stage; 23,800 cubic feet per secondNov 4, 2013: 33.28 ft, action stage; 31,900 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 2015: 42.78 ft, moderate flooding; 52,600 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 2016: 48.30 ft, major flooding; 65,100 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 2016: 47.00 ft, major flooding; 61,600 cubic feet per secondAug 31, 2017: 50.47 ft, major flooding; 93,600 cubic feet per second Highest, 50.47 ft, Aug 31, 2017 19401950196019701980199020002010

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Colorado River (TX) at Wharton 1940s: 2 1950s: 2 1960s: 3 1970s: 3 1980s: 2 1990s: 3 2000s: 2 2010s: 4 4 1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s
  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, Colorado River (TX) at Wharton
1Aug 31, 201750.47+11.47Major93,600
2Jul 3, 194048.99+9.99Major100,000
3Oct 23, 199848.72+9.72Major74,800
4Nov 26, 200448.32+9.32Major73,200
5Nov 26, 194048.30+9.30Major92,000
6Apr 22, 201648.30+9.30Major65,100
7May 31, 201647.00+8.00Major61,600
8Dec 27, 199145.31+6.31Major61,900
9Jun 15, 197345.25+6.25Major59,400
10Sep 15, 196143.90+4.90Major59,600
11Oct 17, 195743.00+4.00Major58,500
12May 31, 201542.78+3.78Moderate52,600
13Apr 23, 197742.35+3.35Moderate53,000
14Apr 30, 195741.90+2.90Moderate54,200
15May 27, 197541.50+2.50Moderate50,800
16Jun 17, 198741.48+2.48Moderate51,600
17Jun 26, 196841.06+2.06Moderate55,400
18Oct 20, 199440.69+1.69Minor49,600
19Nov 3, 198140.55+1.55Minor49,300
20Jun 27, 196040.50+1.50Minor53,000
21Nov 8, 200239.16+0.16Minor46,000
22Jun 18, 198138.50−0.50Action43,300
23Jul 9, 200735.01−3.99Action37,600
24Nov 4, 201333.28−5.72Action31,900
25Jun 21, 199333.06−5.94Action31,800
26Apr 19, 200932.04−6.96Action30,900
27Jan 12, 199131.63−7.37Action28,800
28Mar 18, 199731.29−7.71Action30,600
29Nov 19, 200131.05−7.95Action30,100
30Nov 27, 198529.94−9.06Action25,400
31Mar 23, 201229.32−9.68Action23,800
32Jun 13, 200429.26−9.74Action25,600
33May 23, 198328.85−10.15Action23,700
34Oct 15, 199728.85−10.15Action25,200
35Feb 27, 198824.42−14.58Action—
36Feb 25, 198523.50−15.50Action14,900
37May 16, 199422.62−16.38Action13,800
38Mar 19, 198522.42−16.58Action12,900
39Mar 19, 198822.42−16.58Action12,900
40Feb 23, 199821.54−17.46Action—
41Sep 23, 199620.47−18.53Action11,900
42May 20, 198918.44−20.56Below flood stage7,410
43May 20, 198416.19−22.81Below flood stage5,140
44May 6, 199015.77−23.23Below flood stage4,470

The worst floods along the Colorado River (TX)

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

August 31, 2017: 50.47 ft here, major flooding

  • La GrangeTX · Aug 28, 2017 · 54.14 ft · Major
  • ColumbusTX · Aug 29, 2017 · 48.17 ft · Major
  • Bay CityTX · Sep 2, 2017 · 46.16 ft · Major
  • SmithvilleTX · Aug 28, 2017 · 31.91 ft · Major
  • BastropTX · Aug 28, 2017 · 26.31 ft · Moderate

July 3, 1940: 48.99 ft here, major flooding

  • ColumbusTX · Jul 1, 1940 · 46.20 ft · Major

October 23, 1998: 48.72 ft here, major flooding

  • La GrangeTX · Oct 20, 1998 · 45.50 ft · Major
  • ColumbusTX · Oct 21, 1998 · 43.56 ft · Major
  • SmithvilleTX · Oct 18, 1998 · 34.75 ft · Major
  • BastropTX · Oct 19, 1998 · 32.30 ft · Major

Gauges on the Colorado River (TX)

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

Flood gauges on the Colorado River (TX)
SilverTX15.022.98 ft, Sep 9, 19803
BallingerTX18.027.78 ft, Sep 29, 20127
WinchellTX26.062.20 ft, Sep 19, 193618
San SabaTX30.062.24 ft, Jul 23, 19388
Lake TravisTX685.0710.44 ft, Dec 25, 19917
AustinTX33.051.00 ft, Jul 7, 18697
BastropTX23.060.30 ft, Jul 7, 186912
SmithvilleTX20.047.40 ft, Dec 4, 19139
La GrangeTX26.056.70 ft, Jul 9, 186910
ColumbusTX34.048.40 ft, Jul 26, 193811
Wharton this gaugeTX39.050.47 ft, Aug 31, 201711
Bay CityTX44.046.40 ft, Jun 26, 19602

Other gauges in Wharton County

Flood gauges in Wharton County
Louise19.024.35 ft, Nov 21, 20040
East Bernard17.031.99 ft, Aug 30, 20172
Boling18.043.79 ft, Aug 31, 201723

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge WHAT2, 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.