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Pedernales River at Fredericksburg

Highest listed crest 41.60 ftFlood stage 22.0 ft17 crests since 1978

The Pedernales River at Fredericksburg crested at major flood stage 5 times among the 17 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1978 to 2026. The highest, 41.60 ft on August 2, 1978, was major flooding, 19.60 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the Pedernales River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
41.60 ft
August 2, 1978
Flood stage
22.0 ft
Major flooding from 32.0 ft
Crests at major
5
132nd of 370 gauges in Texas
Most recent flood crest
July 16, 2026
35.59 ft, major flooding
Location
Gillespie County
Near Fredericksburg (3.2 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Pedernales River at Fredericksburg
Action stage12.04Jul 4, 2025The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)22.01Oct 16, 2018Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage25.04Aug 17, 2007Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage32.05Jul 16, 2026Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

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

Listed crests at the Pedernales River at Fredericksburg, 1978 to 2026 1020304050ft Flood stage 22.0 ftMajor 32.0 ft Aug 2, 1978: 41.60 ft, major floodingJun 1, 1979: 34.40 ft, major flooding; 64,000 cubic feet per secondSep 1, 1979: 38.70 ft, major floodingMay 3, 1990: 25.68 ft, moderate flooding; 18,600 cubic feet per secondDec 20, 1991: 32.09 ft, major flooding; 39,900 cubic feet per secondJun 22, 1997: 31.87 ft, moderate flooding; 47,000 cubic feet per secondJul 5, 2002: 27.40 ft, moderate floodingAug 17, 2007: 31.70 ft, moderate flooding; 58,500 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 2015: 11.72 ft, below flood stage; 3,724 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 2016: 14.88 ft, action stage; 9,171 cubic feet per secondOct 16, 2018: 22.59 ft, minor flooding; 27,912 cubic feet per secondMay 28, 2020: 14.21 ft, action stage; 8,040 cubic feet per secondMay 1, 2021: 13.80 ft, action stage; 7,290 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 2023: 10.75 ft, below flood stage; 2,720 cubic feet per secondJul 23, 2024: 10.02 ft, below flood stage; 2,010 cubic feet per secondJul 4, 2025: 14.80 ft, action stage; 9,030 cubic feet per secondJul 16, 2026: 35.59 ft, major flooding Highest, 41.60 ft, Aug 2, 1978 19801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Pedernales River at Fredericksburg 1970s: 3 3 1980s: 0 1990s: 3 2000s: 2 2010s: 1 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, Pedernales River at Fredericksburg
1Aug 2, 197841.60+19.60Major—
2Sep 1, 197938.70+16.70Major—
3Jul 16, 202635.59+13.59Major—
4Jun 1, 197934.40+12.40Major64,000
5Dec 20, 199132.09+10.09Major39,900
6Jun 22, 199731.87+9.87Moderate47,000
7Aug 17, 200731.70+9.70Moderate58,500
8Jul 5, 200227.40+5.40Moderate—
9May 3, 199025.68+3.68Moderate18,600
10Oct 16, 201822.59+0.59Minor27,912
11May 29, 201614.88−7.12Action9,171
12Jul 4, 202514.80−7.20Action9,030
13May 28, 202014.21−7.79Action8,040
14May 1, 202113.80−8.20Action7,290
15May 25, 201511.72−10.28Below flood stage3,724
16Jun 16, 202310.75−11.25Below flood stage2,720
17Jul 23, 202410.02−11.98Below flood stage2,010

The worst floods along the Pedernales River

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

August 2, 1978: 41.60 ft here, major flooding

July 16, 2026: 35.59 ft here, major flooding

December 20, 1991: 32.09 ft here, major flooding

Gauges on the Pedernales River

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

Flood gauges on the Pedernales River
Fredericksburg this gaugeTX22.041.60 ft, Aug 2, 19785
Johnson CityTX14.042.50 ft, Sep 11, 195218

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge FRBT2, 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.