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Rio Grande at Johnson Ranch

Highest listed crest 28.40 ftFlood stage 15.0 ft25 crests since 1932

The Rio Grande at Johnson Ranch crested at major flood stage 13 times among the 25 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1932 to 2026. The highest, 28.40 ft on September 30, 1978, was major flooding, 13.40 feet above flood stage. 3 other gauges on the Rio Grande crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
28.40 ft
September 30, 1978; 71,900 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
15.0 ft
Major flooding from 19.0 ft
Crests at major
13
41st of 370 gauges in Texas
Most recent flood crest
July 21, 2026
15.22 ft, minor flooding
Location
Brewster County
Texas
Identifiers
NWS TELT2
No USGS station

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Rio Grande at Johnson Ranch
Action stage12.01Aug 16, 2010The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)15.07Jul 21, 2026Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage17.04Jun 30, 2025Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage19.013Jul 4, 2025Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

25 crests from 1932 to 2026. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Rio Grande at Johnson Ranch, 1932 to 2026 1015202530ft Flood stage 15.0 ftMajor 19.0 ft Oct 3, 1932: 24.60 ft, major flooding; 97,000 cubic feet per secondSep 23, 1938: 19.75 ft, major flooding; 58,800 cubic feet per secondSep 10, 1942: 19.65 ft, major flooding; 57,700 cubic feet per secondSep 27, 1958: 24.70 ft, major flooding; 61,900 cubic feet per secondOct 4, 1958: 22.93 ft, major flooding; 52,500 cubic feet per secondSep 30, 1978: 28.40 ft, major flooding; 71,900 cubic feet per secondOct 3, 1990: 26.38 ft, major flooding; 60,741 cubic feet per secondSep 29, 1991: 22.38 ft, major floodingSep 24, 1992: 19.10 ft, major flooding; 29,420 cubic feet per secondOct 12, 2003: 19.46 ft, major flooding; 21,151 cubic feet per secondJul 26, 2004: 17.14 ft, moderate flooding; 8,969 cubic feet per secondSep 20, 2008: 27.27 ft, major flooding; 25,533 cubic feet per secondAug 16, 2010: 12.45 ft, action stage; 4,428 cubic feet per secondJul 22, 2013: 15.14 ft, minor flooding; 8,633 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 2017: 15.38 ft, minor flooding; 12,376 cubic feet per secondSep 24, 2017: 15.15 ft, minor flooding; 9,113 cubic feet per secondJun 3, 2019: 22.00 ft, major flooding; 18,229 cubic feet per secondSep 1, 2022: 17.13 ft, moderate flooding; 10,962 cubic feet per secondSep 16, 2022: 16.17 ft, minor flooding; 9,786 cubic feet per secondJul 23, 2024: 15.74 ft, minor flooding; 8,277 cubic feet per secondSep 3, 2024: 18.52 ft, moderate flooding; 12,211 cubic feet per secondJun 6, 2025: 15.11 ft, minor flooding; 7,461 cubic feet per secondJun 30, 2025: 17.23 ft, moderate flooding; 10,347 cubic feet per secondJul 4, 2025: 19.93 ft, major flooding; 14,198 cubic feet per secondJul 21, 2026: 15.22 ft, minor flooding; 7,009 cubic feet per second Highest, 28.40 ft, Sep 30, 1978 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Rio Grande at Johnson Ranch 1930s: 2 1940s: 1 1950s: 2 1960s: 0 1970s: 1 1980s: 0 1990s: 3 2000s: 3 2010s: 4 2020s: 8 8 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.

Highest crests

Highest listed crests, Rio Grande at Johnson Ranch
1Sep 30, 197828.40+13.40Major71,900
2Sep 20, 200827.27+12.27Major25,533
3Oct 3, 199026.38+11.38Major60,741
4Sep 27, 195824.70+9.70Major61,900
5Oct 3, 193224.60+9.60Major97,000
6Oct 4, 195822.93+7.93Major52,500
7Sep 29, 199122.38+7.38Major—
8Jun 3, 201922.00+7.00Major18,229
9Jul 4, 202519.93+4.93Major14,198
10Sep 23, 193819.75+4.75Major58,800
11Sep 10, 194219.65+4.65Major57,700
12Oct 12, 200319.46+4.46Major21,151
13Sep 24, 199219.10+4.10Major29,420
14Sep 3, 202418.52+3.52Moderate12,211
15Jun 30, 202517.23+2.23Moderate10,347
16Jul 26, 200417.14+2.14Moderate8,969
17Sep 1, 202217.13+2.13Moderate10,962
18Sep 16, 202216.17+1.17Minor9,786
19Jul 23, 202415.74+0.74Minor8,277
20May 22, 201715.38+0.38Minor12,376
21Jul 21, 202615.22+0.22Minor7,009
22Sep 24, 201715.15+0.15Minor9,113
23Jul 22, 201315.14+0.14Minor8,633
24Jun 6, 202515.11+0.11Minor7,461
25Aug 16, 201012.45−2.55Action4,428

The worst floods along the Rio Grande

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

September 30, 1978: 28.40 ft here, major flooding

September 20, 2008: 27.27 ft here, major flooding

October 3, 1990: 26.38 ft here, major flooding

Gauges on the Rio Grande

Flood gauges sharing the river's name, linked within 80 miles of one another.

Flood gauges on the Rio Grande
Boquillas CrossingTX13.025.50 ft, Oct 3, 19784
CastolonTX15.024.70 ft, Sep 27, 19582
Johnson Ranch this gaugeTX15.028.40 ft, Sep 30, 197813
Presidio International BridgeTX15.528.21 ft, Sep 16, 20085

Other gauges in Brewster County

Flood gauges in Brewster County
Boquillas Crossing13.025.50 ft, Oct 3, 19784
Castolon15.024.70 ft, Sep 27, 19582

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge TELT2, 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.