Lake Houston read 42.20 feet on Saturday evening, September 26, and no flood watches, flood warnings or flash flood warnings were in effect for Harris, Montgomery or Liberty counties. One alert is active in Harris County and it is an air quality alert, not a water alert: the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has declared an Ozone Action Day for the Houston area for Sunday, September 27.
Lake Levels at a Glance
| Lake | Level | Percent Full | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Houston | 42.20 feet | 98.9 percent | 5:30 p.m. Central, Saturday, September 26 |
| Lake Conroe | 199.63 feet | 93.6 percent | Daily value, Saturday, September 26 |
Lake Houston
The U.S. Geological Survey gauge at Lk Houston nr Sheldon, TX, site number 08072000, read 42.20 feet at 5:30 p.m. Central on Saturday, September 26. Across the previous 48 hours the gauge posted 190 readings and moved between 42.20 feet and 42.32 feet, a spread of about one tenth of a foot. The high end of that range was 10:45 p.m. Thursday and the low end is this evening’s reading, so the lake has continued to ease down through the week rather than responding to rainfall.
The Texas Water Development Board lists Lake Houston at 42.25 feet and 98.9 percent full for Saturday. That is five hundredths of a foot above the 5:30 p.m. USGS reading. The two figures are measured differently: the TWDB number is a single daily value while the USGS gauge reports every 15 minutes and has kept slipping through the day. Both are reported here rather than choosing one.
Lake Conroe
The Texas Water Development Board put Lake Conroe at 199.63 feet and 93.6 percent full in its daily value for Saturday, September 26, down two hundredths of a foot from 199.65 feet on Friday. The lake has declined every day for more than a week, from 94.0 percent full on Wednesday to 93.6 percent now.
Lake Conroe matters in a Lake Houston paper because San Jacinto River Authority releases from Lake Conroe flow down the West Fork of the San Jacinto River into Lake Houston. The upstream level is part of the local flooding picture in Kingwood, Humble and Atascocita, which is why it is reported here alongside the Lake Houston gauge.
Weather for the Lake Houston Area
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. Southeast wind 0 to 5 mph. Chance of precipitation 0 percent. No heat index value was published for this period.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 93. East wind 0 to 5 mph. Chance of precipitation 1 percent.
Sunday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. South wind 0 to 5 mph. Chance of precipitation 0 percent.
Active Alerts
No flood watches, flood warnings or flash flood warnings are active for Harris, Montgomery or Liberty counties.
One alert covers part of the coverage area. The National Weather Service office in Houston and Galveston issued an Air Quality Alert at 3:47 p.m. Saturday for Harris County and neighboring coastal counties, carrying a Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Ozone Action Day for the Houston, Galveston and Brazoria area for Sunday, September 27. It runs through 8 p.m. Sunday. Conditions are expected to favor high ozone levels, and TCEQ asks residents to share rides, combine trips, avoid drive-through lanes and conserve energy. The Ozone Action Day issued Friday for Saturday expires at 7 p.m. this evening. Nothing is active for Montgomery or Liberty counties.
Sources
Lake Houston elevation from the U.S. Geological Survey gauge 08072000. Percent full and the Lake Conroe reading from the Texas Water Development Board. Forecast and alerts from the National Weather Service Houston and Galveston office. Gauge readings are provisional and subject to revision by USGS.
