Shoal Creek at West 12th Street, TX
River level and flood forecast · Travis County
Normal1.0 ftas of Mon 2:20 PM
The river is 6.0 ft below flood stage (7 ft).
Flow: 0 cubic feet per second (USGS).
The last 7 days and the forecast
NWS forecast issued Sun, Dec 31, 6 PM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.
Flood stages
| Major flood stage | 12 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 10 ft |
| Flood stage | 7 ft |
| Action stage | 5 ft |
| Record crest (May 24, 1981) | 23.11 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 23 ftDisastrous, life threatening flooding reaches the level of the May 24, 1981 flood. Homes in the flood plain will be destroyed from the headwaters of Shoal Creek to Lady Bird Lake. Businesses will be disastrously flooded along Lamar Boulevard below W 12th Street. Travel near shoal creek should be avoided.
- 21 ftDisastrous flooding approaches the level of the May 24, 1981 flood. Many businesses along Lamar Boulevard below 12th St have several feet of water in them. Homes are flooded from above Anderson Street to Lady Bird Lake. There should not be auto traffic near Shoal Creek.
- 19.5 ftLife threatening flooding inundates the West 12th Street bridge floor. Shoal Creek exceeds its channel above W 12th Street, producing disastrous business flooding along Lamar Boulevard. Numerous streets and bridges are extremely dangerous. Widespread residential flooding occurs from the Shoal Creek headwaters downstream to Lady Bird Lake.
- 18 ftMajor flooding severely damages many businesses below W 12th Street along Lamar Boulevard. Shoal Creek is near going over the right bank at the Lamar Boulevard bridge near W 12th St, and nearing the 12th Street bridge floor. Numerous streets and bridges along Shoal Creek are severely flooded and dangerous to motorists. Several homes are flooded from the Shoal Creek headwaters to Lady Bird Lake.
- 16 ftSeveral businesses along Lamar Boulevard to below West 12th Street flood. Flow reaches the low steel of the 12th Street Bridge. Much of Pease Park above 12th Street is flooded. Lowest streets and bridges are severely flooded and dangerous to motorists.
- 14 ftMajor flooding reaches lowest businesses near W 6th Street and Lamar Boulevard. Much of the lowest areas of Pease Park are flooded. Lowest streets in the flood plain are inundated.
- 12 ftMajor lowland flooding is threatening businesses along Lamar Boulevard below West 12th Street. Much of Pease Park above 12th Street is flooded as well as low areas of the flood plain from the headwaters to Lady Bird Lake.
- 10 ftModerate lowland flooding reaches lowest areas of Pease Park. Flow is threatening low bridges and significantly into the flood plain.
- 9 ftLowest areas of Pease Park above W 12th Street flood.
- 7 ftMinor lowland flooding begins to enter lowest areas of Pease Park just upstream of W 12th Street.
- 5 ftFlow exceeds lowest banks.
Highest crests on record
- 23.11 ft — May 24, 1981
- 20.76 ft — May 25, 2015
- 19.22 ft — November 15, 2001
- 18.14 ft — December 20, 1991
- 16.06 ft — October 30, 2015
Recent crests: 14.87 ft (May 29, 2025) · 14.87 ft (May 28, 2025) · 10.2 ft (May 27, 2025) · 9.54 ft (May 16, 2024) · 6.9 ft (April 20, 2023)
Up and down the river, and nearby
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (AHOT2); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.