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USGS Water-Year Summary 2024
08162500 Colorado River near Bay City, TX
LOCATION - Lat 28°58'26", long 96°00'44" referenced to North American Datum of 1927, Matagorda County, TX, Hydrologic Unit 12090302, on left bank, 6,300 ft downstream from upstream bridge on State Highway 35, 7,100 ft downstream from Texas and New Orleans Railroad Co. bridge, 2.8 mi west of Bay City, and at mile 32.5.
DRAINAGE AREA - 42,240 mi² of which 11,403 mi² probably is noncontributing.
REVISIONS HISTORY - WDR TX-81-3: Drainage area. WDR TX-88-3: 1985.
SURFACE-WATER RECORDS
PERIOD OF RECORD - July 1940 hourly readings and annual peak discharge (provided by Corps of Engineers) published in WSP 1046, July 1940 miscellaneous discharge measurements (provided by Corps of Engineers) published in WSP 898. Apr. 1948 to Nov. 2015, daily mean discharge. Nov. 2015 to current, daily mean discharge above 2,300 cfs. Records of elevation collected in this vicinity since 1946 are contained in reports of the National Weather Service.
PERIOD OF RECORD, Water-Quality.--
CHEMICAL DATA: Oct. 1974 to Sept. 1975.
BIOCHEMICAL DATA: Oct. 1974 to Sept. 1975.
GAGE - Water-stage recorder. Datum of gage is NGVD of 1929. July 2-6, 1940, nonrecording gage at highway bridge, 6,300 ft upstream at datum 30.60 ft lower. On Feb. 19, 1992, gage was temporarily moved 6,200 ft upstream at same datum. Gage re-established on left bank 6,300 ft downstream on May 12, 1993. Radio telemeter at station. Satellite telemeter at station.
REMARKS - Since installation of gage in Apr. 1948, at least 10% of contributing drainage area has been regulated. There are many other diversions above this station for irrigation and municipal supply. No flow at times in 1951-53, 1956 and 2002. Some records listed in the "Period of Record" for surface water and water quality may not be available electronically.
EXTREMES OUTSIDE PERIOD OF RECORD - Maximum elevation since 1869, 56.1 ft Dec. 10, 1913. Flood in July 1869 probably reached about same elevation. Elevation of other floods are as follows: May 8, 1922, 55.4 ft; June 1929, 55.0 ft; June 22, 1935, 54.6 ft; Oct. 5, 1936, 52.2 ft; Aug. 2, 1938, 53.4 ft; Nov. 27, 1940, 47.6 ft. All above flood data from information by Texas and New Orleans Railroad Co. and adjusted to present site.
