River Report

Sabinal River river

3 streamgauges 156% of normal Last updated 2026-05-24
Aggregate flow
5cfs
% of normal
156%
Daily volume
9AF
Seasonal avg
3cfs

Total streamflow across the Sabinal River was last observed at 5 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 9 acre-ft of water today; about 156% of normal. River levels are high. Average streamflow for this time of year is 3 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2025-07-16 when daily discharge volume was observed at 1,967 cfs.

Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Sabinal Rv Nr Sabinal reporting a streamflow rate of 3.02 cfs. This is also the highest stage along the Sabinal River, with a gauge stage of 4.7 ft at this location. This river is monitored from 3 different streamgauging stations along the Sabinal River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 1,533 ft, the Sabinal Rv Bl Mill Ck Nr Vanderpool.

Max discharge

Sabinal Rv Nr Sabinal

3.02cfs
Highest stage

Sabinal Rv Nr Sabinal

4.7ft
Highest-elevation gauge

Sabinal Rv Bl Mill Ck Nr Vanderpool

1,533ft
Aggregate trend

River streamflow levels

Daily aggregate streamflow across every monitored gauge along the Sabinal River. Use the range buttons to zoom in on a specific period.

Total streamflow

Sum of all monitored streamgauges · daily

Per-gauge breakdown

Every streamgauge along the Sabinal River

All 3 USGS gauges Snoflo tracks for this river, with current flow, stage, recent change, percent of normal, and the gauge's all-time min / max. Click any header to sort. Cells are heatmapped relative to the column min/max -- darker blue = higher.

Streamgauge Streamflow (cfs) Gauge stage (ft) 24h Δ (%) % Normal Min (cfs) Max (cfs) Elevation (ft)
Sabinal Rv Bl Mill Ck Nr Vanderpool TX
USGS 08197936
1 0.30 0.0 60% 0 335 1,533
Sabinal Rv Nr Sabinal TX
USGS 08198000
3 4.70 -10.1 41% 0 9,060 1,138
Sabinal Rv At Sabinal TX
USGS 08198500
1 2.85 41.9 400% 0 6,160 912
Annual peaks

Maximum streamflow discharge by year

The single highest aggregate discharge recorded each year. Spotting the multi-year trend reveals droughts vs. wet cycles long before the headline daily flow does.

Annual peak discharge

From the river's full record · one point per water year

Profile

Streamflow elevation profile

Each bubble is one gauge along the river, plotted by current streamflow (x-axis) vs elevation (y-axis), sized by gauge stage. Reading top-to-bottom traces the river from headwaters down to its mouth -- you can see flow accumulate as elevation drops.

Elevation vs streamflow

One point per monitored gauge · bubble size = gauge stage

About this river

Sabinal River

The Sabinal River is a 64-mile-long river that runs from the Edwards Plateau in Texas to the Gulf of Mexico. Native Americans inhabited the area around the river for thousands of years before Spanish explorers arrived in the 16th century. The river has a low flow rate and is characterized by clear water, limestone bedrock, and large cypress trees. There are several reservoirs and dams on the river, including the Nueces River Dam and the Sabinal Canyon Dam. These reservoirs are used for flood control, agriculture, and recreation. The Sabinal River is a popular spot for kayaking, fishing, and swimming. The river is also an important source of water for irrigation and ranching in the surrounding area.

Around the river

Recreation along the Sabinal River

Fishing access and paddle runs Snoflo tracks within the watershed.

Track the Sabinal River in the Snoflo app

Set per-gauge push alerts (e.g. "alert me when flow at the Russian R Nr Healdsburg crosses 5,000 cfs"), and Snoflo's iOS app pushes the moment USGS reports the crossing.

FAQ

About the Sabinal River

Where does the data for the Sabinal River come from?

Streamflow and gauge stage data are sourced from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Information System. The aggregate flow shown at the top of the page is computed by Snoflo as the sum of all monitored gauges along the river.

How is "percent of normal" calculated?

Today's aggregate streamflow is compared to the historical average aggregate streamflow on this calendar day across the river's full record. 100% means right on average; values above 100% indicate above-normal flow (wet year); values below indicate below-normal (dry year or drought).

Why are some gauges showing very different flows?

Gauges along a river measure flow at different points: headwater gauges read what's coming off the snowpack or mountain runoff; downstream gauges integrate everything upstream, including tributary inputs. Wide spreads usually mean a tributary is contributing significantly between gauges.

What's the elevation profile chart showing?

Each bubble is one gauge along the river, plotted by streamflow (x-axis) and elevation (y-axis), sized by gauge stage. Reading top-down traces the river from headwaters to mouth -- you can see flow build as elevation drops.

Can I get alerts when a specific gauge crosses a threshold?

Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app on a per-gauge basis. Open any individual streamgauge from the table above and favorite it to set a discharge threshold.