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Palo Duro Creek at Spearman

Highest listed crest 23.68 ftFlood stage 20.0 ft8 crests since 1936

The Palo Duro Creek at Spearman crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 8 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1936 to 2023. The highest, 23.68 ft on June 4, 1936, was major flooding, 3.68 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
23.68 ft
June 4, 1936; 26,100 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
20.0 ft
Major flooding from 22.0 ft
Crests at major
2
218th of 370 gauges in Texas
Most recent flood crest
June 13, 2010
22.48 ft, major flooding
Location
Hansford County
Texas

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Palo Duro Creek at Spearman
Action stage9.05May 20, 2023The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)20.01Jun 19, 2004Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage21.00—Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage22.02Jun 13, 2010Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

8 crests from 1936 to 2023. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Palo Duro Creek at Spearman, 1936 to 2023 10152025ft Flood stage 20.0 ftMajor 22.0 ft Jun 4, 1936: 23.68 ft, major flooding; 26,100 cubic feet per secondOct 2, 1998: 14.00 ft, action stageJun 26, 2000: 10.12 ft, action stageJun 9, 2002: 14.31 ft, action stage; 2,300 cubic feet per secondJun 19, 2004: 20.10 ft, minor flooding; 22,920 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 2010: 15.94 ft, action stage; 1,657 cubic feet per secondJun 13, 2010: 22.48 ft, major flooding; 21,263 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 2023: 16.37 ft, action stage; 1,150 cubic feet per second Highest, 23.68 ft, Jun 4, 1936 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Palo Duro Creek at Spearman 1930s: 1 1 1940s: 0 1950s: 0 1960s: 0 1970s: 0 1980s: 0 1990s: 0 2000s: 1 2010s: 1 2020s: 0 1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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. 1 crest measured on an earlier gauge datum is left out: 22.55 ft on Oct 7, 1946.

Highest crests

Highest listed crests, Palo Duro Creek at Spearman
1Jun 4, 193623.68+3.68Major26,100
2Jun 13, 201022.48+2.48Major21,263
3Jun 19, 200420.10+0.10Minor22,920
4May 20, 202316.37−3.63Action1,150
5May 20, 201015.94−4.06Action1,657
6Jun 9, 200214.31−5.69Action2,300
7Oct 2, 199814.00−6.00Action—
8Jun 26, 200010.12−9.88Action—

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge SPMT2, 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.