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Sims Bayou at Houston

Highest listed crest 30.44 ftFlood stage 26.2 ft43 crests since 1961

The Sims Bayou at Houston crested at major flood stage 5 times among the 43 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1961 to 2017. The highest, 30.44 ft on October 5, 1981, was major flooding, 4.24 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
30.44 ft
October 5, 1981; 7,860 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
26.2 ft
Major flooding from 28.2 ft
Crests at major
5
132nd of 370 gauges in Texas
Most recent flood crest
August 27, 2017
26.56 ft, minor flooding
Location
Harris County
Near South Houston (3.8 mi), Galena Park (5.9 mi), Pasadena (8.4 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Sims Bayou at Houston
Action stage23.215Oct 18, 1994The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)26.23Aug 27, 2017Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage27.26Jun 9, 2001Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage28.25Aug 18, 1983Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

43 crests from 1961 to 2017. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Sims Bayou at Houston, 1961 to 2017 1520253035ft Flood stage 26.2 ftMajor 28.2 ft Jun 19, 1961: 24.28 ft, action stage; 3,960 cubic feet per secondSep 11, 1961: 25.77 ft, action stageFeb 4, 1964: 19.93 ft, below flood stage; 2,120 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 1966: 27.99 ft, moderate flooding; 6,700 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 1970: 25.69 ft, action stage; 8,800 cubic feet per secondJul 7, 1973: 27.58 ft, moderate flooding; 10,000 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 1975: 28.64 ft, major flooding; 11,200 cubic feet per secondJun 16, 1976: 28.61 ft, major flooding; 11,200 cubic feet per secondJul 25, 1979: 27.87 ft, moderate floodingSep 20, 1979: 28.46 ft, major flooding; 10,900 cubic feet per secondMay 14, 1981: 25.37 ft, action stage; 7,470 cubic feet per secondAug 31, 1981: 27.36 ft, moderate flooding; 8,610 cubic feet per secondOct 5, 1981: 30.44 ft, major flooding; 7,860 cubic feet per secondOct 31, 1981: 21.15 ft, below flood stage; 2,650 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 1982: 25.91 ft, action stage; 4,950 cubic feet per secondJul 16, 1983: 20.83 ft, below flood stage; 2,460 cubic feet per secondAug 18, 1983: 28.70 ft, major flooding; 11,400 cubic feet per secondJan 9, 1984: 21.34 ft, below flood stage; 2,540 cubic feet per secondFeb 23, 1985: 24.95 ft, action stage; 4,010 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 1985: 22.33 ft, below flood stage; 2,820 cubic feet per secondNov 11, 1985: 27.30 ft, moderate flooding; 9,180 cubic feet per secondFeb 4, 1986: 26.99 ft, minor flooding; 5,800 cubic feet per secondJan 17, 1987: 22.12 ft, below flood stage; 2,740 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 1987: 24.80 ft, action stage; 7,400 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1988: 17.99 ft, below flood stage; 1,410 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 1989: 23.95 ft, action stage; 4,040 cubic feet per secondAug 1, 1989: 26.71 ft, minor flooding; 9,120 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 1990: 18.84 ft, below flood stage; 1,680 cubic feet per secondJan 15, 1991: 24.39 ft, action stage; 7,040 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 1991: 21.84 ft, below flood stage; 2,850 cubic feet per secondDec 22, 1991: 23.98 ft, action stage; 3,860 cubic feet per secondJan 18, 1992: 24.68 ft, action stage; 4,230 cubic feet per secondFeb 4, 1992: 25.16 ft, action stage; 4,490 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 1992: 23.16 ft, below flood stage; 3,460 cubic feet per secondJan 7, 1993: 21.76 ft, below flood stage; 2,810 cubic feet per secondJun 20, 1993: 24.59 ft, action stage; 4,180 cubic feet per secondOct 20, 1993: 25.61 ft, action stage; 4,770 cubic feet per secondNov 14, 1993: 21.54 ft, below flood stage; 2,720 cubic feet per secondOct 18, 1994: 25.35 ft, action stage; 7,730 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 1995: 21.69 ft, below flood stage; 2,780 cubic feet per secondDec 17, 1995: 21.67 ft, below flood stage; 2,780 cubic feet per secondJun 9, 2001: 27.91 ft, moderate flooding; 25,800 cubic feet per secondAug 27, 2017: 26.56 ft, minor flooding; 39,700 cubic feet per second Highest, 30.44 ft, Oct 5, 1981 19701980199020002010

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Sims Bayou at Houston 1960s: 1 1970s: 5 1980s: 6 6 1990s: 0 2000s: 1 2010s: 1 1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s
  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, Sims Bayou at Houston
1Oct 5, 198130.44+4.24Major7,860
2Aug 18, 198328.70+2.50Major11,400
3Jun 9, 197528.64+2.44Major11,200
4Jun 16, 197628.61+2.41Major11,200
5Sep 20, 197928.46+2.26Major10,900
6May 20, 196627.99+1.79Moderate6,700
7Jun 9, 200127.91+1.71Moderate25,800
8Jul 25, 197927.87+1.67Moderate—
9Jul 7, 197327.58+1.38Moderate10,000
10Aug 31, 198127.36+1.16Moderate8,610
11Nov 11, 198527.30+1.10Moderate9,180
12Feb 4, 198626.99+0.79Minor5,800
13Aug 1, 198926.71+0.51Minor9,120
14Aug 27, 201726.56+0.36Minor39,700
15May 13, 198225.91−0.29Action4,950
16Sep 11, 196125.77−0.43Action—
17May 21, 197025.69−0.51Action8,800
18Oct 20, 199325.61−0.59Action4,770
19May 14, 198125.37−0.83Action7,470
20Oct 18, 199425.35−0.85Action7,730
21Feb 4, 199225.16−1.04Action4,490
22Feb 23, 198524.95−1.25Action4,010
23Jun 12, 198724.80−1.40Action7,400
24Jan 18, 199224.68−1.52Action4,230
25Jun 20, 199324.59−1.61Action4,180
26Jan 15, 199124.39−1.81Action7,040
27Jun 19, 196124.28−1.92Action3,960
28Dec 22, 199123.98−2.22Action3,860
29May 18, 198923.95−2.25Action4,040
30May 29, 199223.16−3.04Below flood stage3,460
31Mar 20, 198522.33−3.87Below flood stage2,820
32Jan 17, 198722.12−4.08Below flood stage2,740
33May 8, 199121.84−4.36Below flood stage2,850
34Jan 7, 199321.76−4.44Below flood stage2,810
35Apr 4, 199521.69−4.51Below flood stage2,780
36Dec 17, 199521.67−4.53Below flood stage2,780
37Nov 14, 199321.54−4.66Below flood stage2,720
38Jan 9, 198421.34−4.86Below flood stage2,540
39Oct 31, 198121.15−5.05Below flood stage2,650
40Jul 16, 198320.83−5.37Below flood stage2,460
41Feb 4, 196419.93−6.27Below flood stage2,120
42Apr 26, 199018.84−7.36Below flood stage1,680
43Mar 17, 198817.99−8.21Below flood stage1,410

Other gauges in Harris County

Flood gauges in Harris County
Barker111.0114.86 ft, Apr 18, 20165
Gessner Drive57.061.60 ft, May 26, 20157
Houston41.045.67 ft, Aug 27, 20171
Barker Reservoir93.2101.60 ft, Aug 27, 20170
Piney Point Village52.062.84 ft, Aug 31, 20171
Shepherd Drive28.041.90 ft, Aug 28, 20172
West Belt Drive62.271.22 ft, Aug 31, 20173
Crosby53.458.99 ft, Aug 28, 20170
Telephone Road43.547.40 ft, Aug 29, 20170
Cypress122.0129.97 ft, Aug 28, 20173
Hockley157.3162.85 ft, Aug 28, 20176
Westfield85.597.12 ft, Aug 29, 20179
Houston55.062.88 ft, Aug 28, 201710
Houston30.044.85 ft, Aug 28, 201717
Houston84.886.16 ft, Apr 18, 20160
Addicks Reservoir96.0109.09 ft, Aug 30, 20170
Addicks109.0112.64 ft, Apr 18, 20163
Sheldon10.028.72 ft, Aug 29, 201716
Spring91.5111.60 ft, Oct 18, 19944
Tide Station (HGX) at Manchester3.77.57 ft, Sep 14, 20211
Tide Station (HGX) at Morgan's Point3.76.03 ft, Sep 14, 20211
Humble49.369.18 ft, Aug 29, 201724
Houston32.045.60 ft, Aug 28, 20174
Tomball129.4133.89 ft, Aug 28, 20171

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge HSIT2, 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.