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San Marcos River at Luling

Highest listed crest 41.85 ftFlood stage 20.0 ft28 crests since 1869

The San Marcos River at Luling crested at major flood stage 19 times among the 28 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1869 to 2021. The highest, 41.85 ft on October 18, 1998, was major flooding, 21.85 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
41.85 ft
October 18, 1998; 206,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
20.0 ft
Major flooding from 30.0 ft
Crests at major
19
17th of 370 gauges in Texas
Most recent flood crest
October 15, 2021
30.56 ft, major flooding
Location
Caldwell County
Near Lockhart (14.8 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, San Marcos River at Luling
Action stage11.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)20.01Dec 28, 1994Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage24.08May 31, 2015Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage30.019Oct 15, 2021Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

28 crests from 1869 to 2021. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the San Marcos River at Luling, 1869 to 2021 202530354045ft Flood stage 20.0 ftMajor 30.0 ft Jan 1, 1869: 40.40 ft, major floodingMay 29, 1929: 37.10 ft, major floodingSep 12, 1952: 34.95 ft, major flooding; 57,000 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 1981: 34.82 ft, major flooding; 54,800 cubic feet per secondDec 23, 1986: 28.73 ft, moderate flooding; 9,860 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 1987: 31.40 ft, major flooding; 27,000 cubic feet per secondDec 22, 1991: 33.65 ft, major flooding; 39,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 5, 1992: 30.92 ft, major flooding; 16,800 cubic feet per secondDec 28, 1994: 22.07 ft, minor flooding; 5,400 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 1995: 27.12 ft, moderate flooding; 8,970 cubic feet per secondJun 23, 1997: 32.65 ft, major flooding; 25,200 cubic feet per secondOct 18, 1998: 41.85 ft, major flooding; 206,000 cubic feet per secondNov 4, 2000: 26.59 ft, moderate floodingNov 16, 2001: 34.64 ft, major floodingJul 6, 2002: 33.73 ft, major flooding; 33,000 cubic feet per secondNov 18, 2004: 32.83 ft, major flooding; 27,094 cubic feet per secondNov 22, 2004: 34.91 ft, major flooding; 46,594 cubic feet per secondMar 12, 2007: 31.75 ft, major flooding; 25,500 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 2007: 26.19 ft, moderate flooding; 9,580 cubic feet per secondJul 21, 2007: 31.31 ft, major floodingJun 10, 2010: 27.66 ft, moderate flooding; 13,700 cubic feet per secondApr 24, 2015: 24.51 ft, moderate flooding; 9,550 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 2015: 26.20 ft, moderate flooding; 11,599 cubic feet per secondMay 25, 2015: 36.58 ft, major flooding; 75,219 cubic feet per secondMay 31, 2015: 27.79 ft, moderate flooding; 13,957 cubic feet per secondOct 31, 2015: 36.27 ft, major flooding; 70,562 cubic feet per secondAug 27, 2017: 30.09 ft, major flooding; 19,300 cubic feet per secondOct 15, 2021: 30.56 ft, major flooding; 20,720 cubic feet per second Highest, 41.85 ft, Oct 18, 1998 18801900192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, San Marcos River at Luling 1860s: 1 1870s: 0 1880s: 0 1890s: 0 1900s: 0 1910s: 0 1920s: 1 1930s: 0 1940s: 0 1950s: 1 1960s: 0 1970s: 0 1980s: 3 1990s: 6 2000s: 8 8 2010s: 7 2020s: 1 1860s1880s1900s1920s1940s1960s1980s2000s2020s
  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, San Marcos River at Luling
1Oct 18, 199841.85+21.85Major206,000
2Jan 1, 186940.40+20.40Major—
3May 29, 192937.10+17.10Major—
4May 25, 201536.58+16.58Major75,219
5Oct 31, 201536.27+16.27Major70,562
6Sep 12, 195234.95+14.95Major57,000
7Nov 22, 200434.91+14.91Major46,594
8Jun 14, 198134.82+14.82Major54,800
9Nov 16, 200134.64+14.64Major—
10Jul 6, 200233.73+13.73Major33,000
11Dec 22, 199133.65+13.65Major39,500
12Nov 18, 200432.83+12.83Major27,094
13Jun 23, 199732.65+12.65Major25,200
14Mar 12, 200731.75+11.75Major25,500
15Jun 4, 198731.40+11.40Major27,000
16Jul 21, 200731.31+11.31Major—
17Feb 5, 199230.92+10.92Major16,800
18Oct 15, 202130.56+10.56Major20,720
19Aug 27, 201730.09+10.09Major19,300
20Dec 23, 198628.73+8.73Moderate9,860
21May 31, 201527.79+7.79Moderate13,957
22Jun 10, 201027.66+7.66Moderate13,700
23May 31, 199527.12+7.12Moderate8,970
24Nov 4, 200026.59+6.59Moderate—
25May 18, 201526.20+6.20Moderate11,599
26Mar 31, 200726.19+6.19Moderate9,580
27Apr 24, 201524.51+4.51Moderate9,550
28Dec 28, 199422.07+2.07Minor5,400

Other gauges in Caldwell County

Flood gauges in Caldwell County
Lockhart14.023.09 ft, Oct 18, 19988
Luling23.030.70 ft, Jul 1, 193610

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge LLGT2, 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.