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Colorado River (TX) near San Saba

Highest listed crest 62.24 ftFlood stage 30.0 ft20 crests since 1900

The Colorado River (TX) near San Saba crested at major flood stage 8 times among the 20 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1900 to 2025. The highest, 62.24 ft on July 23, 1938, was major flooding, 32.24 feet above flood stage. 5 other gauges on the Colorado River (TX) crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
62.24 ft
July 23, 1938; 224,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
30.0 ft
Major flooding from 38.0 ft
Crests at major
8
81st of 370 gauges in Texas
Most recent flood crest
July 14, 2025
30.91 ft, minor flooding
Location
Lampasas County
Texas

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) near San Saba
Action stage25.01May 17, 1965The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)30.07Jul 14, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage34.04Nov 4, 2000Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage38.08Jul 5, 2025Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

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

Listed crests at the Colorado River (TX) near San Saba, 1900 to 2025 203040506070ft Flood stage 30.0 ftMajor 38.0 ft Sep 25, 1900: 58.40 ft, major flooding; 184,000 cubic feet per secondOct 17, 1930: 39.90 ft, major flooding; 78,900 cubic feet per secondMay 19, 1935: 41.00 ft, major flooding; 86,000 cubic feet per secondSep 21, 1936: 56.70 ft, major flooding; 179,000 cubic feet per secondOct 1, 1936: 45.90 ft, major flooding; 115,000 cubic feet per secondJul 23, 1938: 62.24 ft, major flooding; 224,000 cubic feet per secondSep 11, 1952: 38.36 ft, major flooding; 69,000 cubic feet per secondMay 19, 1955: 34.05 ft, moderate flooding; 57,200 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 1956: 32.75 ft, minor flooding; 54,100 cubic feet per secondMay 14, 1957: 37.34 ft, moderate flooding; 66,200 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 1965: 29.30 ft, action stage; 42,400 cubic feet per secondOct 5, 1969: 30.56 ft, minor flooding; 44,500 cubic feet per secondOct 14, 1973: 31.35 ft, minor flooding; 46,200 cubic feet per secondApr 29, 1990: 31.14 ft, minor flooding; 46,200 cubic feet per secondDec 21, 1991: 31.60 ft, minor flooding; 47,400 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 1997: 34.48 ft, moderate flooding; 56,400 cubic feet per secondNov 4, 2000: 35.06 ft, moderate flooding; 58,300 cubic feet per secondOct 17, 2018: 32.39 ft, minor flooding; 35,600 cubic feet per secondJul 5, 2025: 41.92 ft, major flooding; 64,232 cubic feet per secondJul 14, 2025: 30.91 ft, minor flooding; 41,532 cubic feet per second Highest, 62.24 ft, Jul 23, 1938 1900192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Colorado River (TX) near San Saba 1900s: 1 1910s: 0 1920s: 0 1930s: 5 5 1940s: 0 1950s: 4 1960s: 1 1970s: 1 1980s: 0 1990s: 3 2000s: 1 2010s: 1 2020s: 2 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, Colorado River (TX) near San Saba
1Jul 23, 193862.24+32.24Major224,000
2Sep 25, 190058.40+28.40Major184,000
3Sep 21, 193656.70+26.70Major179,000
4Oct 1, 193645.90+15.90Major115,000
5Jul 5, 202541.92+11.92Major64,232
6May 19, 193541.00+11.00Major86,000
7Oct 17, 193039.90+9.90Major78,900
8Sep 11, 195238.36+8.36Major69,000
9May 14, 195737.34+7.34Moderate66,200
10Nov 4, 200035.06+5.06Moderate58,300
11Jun 23, 199734.48+4.48Moderate56,400
12May 19, 195534.05+4.05Moderate57,200
13May 3, 195632.75+2.75Minor54,100
14Oct 17, 201832.39+2.39Minor35,600
15Dec 21, 199131.60+1.60Minor47,400
16Oct 14, 197331.35+1.35Minor46,200
17Apr 29, 199031.14+1.14Minor46,200
18Jul 14, 202530.91+0.91Minor41,532
19Oct 5, 196930.56+0.56Minor44,500
20May 17, 196529.30−0.70Action42,400

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.

July 23, 1938: 62.24 ft here, major flooding

  • ColumbusTX · Jul 26, 1938 · 48.40 ft · Major · its highest
  • WinchellTX · Jul 24, 1938 · 45.70 ft · Major
  • AustinTX · Jul 25, 1938 · 45.20 ft · Major
  • La GrangeTX · Jul 27, 1938 · 42.95 ft · Major
  • SmithvilleTX · Jul 27, 1938 · 36.02 ft · Major

September 21, 1936: 56.70 ft here, major flooding

  • WinchellTX · Sep 19, 1936 · 62.20 ft · Major · its highest
  • AustinTX · Sep 28, 1936 · 43.20 ft · Major

October 1, 1936: 45.90 ft here, major flooding

  • AustinTX · Sep 28, 1936 · 43.20 ft · Major
  • SmithvilleTX · Sep 29, 1936 · 31.20 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 Saba this gaugeTX30.062.24 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
WhartonTX39.050.47 ft, Aug 31, 201711
Bay CityTX44.046.40 ft, Jun 26, 19602

Other gauges in Lampasas County

Flood gauges in Lampasas County
Kempner18.045.00 ft, Sep 1, 18735

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge SNBT2, 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.