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Medina River at Bandera

Highest listed crest 46.62 ftFlood stage 13.0 ft10 crests since 1978

The Medina River at Bandera crested at major flood stage 5 times among the 10 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1978 to 2026. The highest, 46.62 ft on August 2, 1978, was major flooding, 33.62 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
46.62 ft
August 2, 1978; 550,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
13.0 ft
Major flooding from 24.0 ft
Crests at major
5
132nd of 370 gauges in Texas
Most recent flood crest
July 17, 2026
16.76 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Bandera County
Texas

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Medina River at Bandera
Action stage10.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)13.00—Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage14.05Jul 17, 2026Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage24.05May 24, 2015Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

10 crests from 1978 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Medina River at Bandera, 1978 to 2026 1020304050ft Flood stage 13.0 ftMajor 24.0 ft Aug 2, 1978: 46.62 ft, major flooding; 550,000 cubic feet per secondDec 3, 1985: 16.09 ft, moderate flooding; 10,400 cubic feet per secondJun 3, 1987: 24.90 ft, major flooding; 55,800 cubic feet per secondDec 21, 1992: 18.32 ft, moderate flooding; 17,200 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 1997: 24.49 ft, major flooding; 52,000 cubic feet per secondJul 5, 2002: 38.91 ft, major flooding; 159,000 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 2007: 14.46 ft, moderate flooding; 8,880 cubic feet per secondMay 24, 2015: 24.93 ft, major flooding; 46,700 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 2016: 20.59 ft, moderate flooding; 26,890 cubic feet per secondJul 17, 2026: 16.76 ft, moderate flooding Highest, 46.62 ft, Aug 2, 1978 19801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Medina River at Bandera 1970s: 1 1980s: 2 2 1990s: 2 2000s: 2 2010s: 2 2020s: 1 1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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, Medina River at Bandera
1Aug 2, 197846.62+33.62Major550,000
2Jul 5, 200238.91+25.91Major159,000
3May 24, 201524.93+11.93Major46,700
4Jun 3, 198724.90+11.90Major55,800
5Jun 22, 199724.49+11.49Major52,000
6May 29, 201620.59+7.59Moderate26,890
7Dec 21, 199218.32+5.32Moderate17,200
8Jul 17, 202616.76+3.76Moderate—
9Dec 3, 198516.09+3.09Moderate10,400
10Mar 30, 200714.46+1.46Moderate8,880

The worst floods along the Medina River

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

July 5, 2002: 38.91 ft here, major flooding

  • San Antonio US 281STX · Jul 4, 2002 · 55.65 ft · Major · its highest
  • SomersetTX · Jul 6, 2002 · 42.19 ft · Major · its highest
  • La CosteTX · Jul 6, 2002 · 32.00 ft · Major · its highest

May 24, 2015: 24.93 ft here, major flooding

June 3, 1987: 24.90 ft here, major flooding

Gauges on the Medina River

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

Flood gauges on the Medina River
Bandera this gaugeTX13.046.62 ft, Aug 2, 19785
Medina LakeTX1,064.21,065.76 ft, Jun 3, 20160
La CosteTX15.032.00 ft, Jul 6, 20023
SomersetTX18.042.19 ft, Jul 6, 20021
San Antonio US 281STX20.055.65 ft, Jul 4, 200211

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge BDAT2, 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.