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Texas | Central Texas
Brazos River
Riverside Park to Spivey Crossing RV Park
Check current paddling conditions for this Brazos River route, including water level, recent gauge trend, weather, and route details.
Route location
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Need to know
Why this call
Conditions
Gauge history and hourly forecast
The top card is the quick read. This lower section keeps the longer gauge trend, gauge context, and hourly forecast together.
Gauge detail
Gauge history & hourly forecastDetailed view
Gauge
Recent trend
Checking preferred range.
Checking trend.
Gauge source
--Checking timestampMN DNR provides the current paddling level here, but not chart-ready recent samples.
Weather
Hourly forecast
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Next 8 hours
Short-route forecast
Checking the next several hours.
Route overview
Quick facts and what's next
Distance, difficulty, shuttle basics, and the near-term outlook before you commit to the drive.
Quick facts
Plan ahead
Upcoming outlook
These are early planning reads. Re-check live conditions before you commit to the drive.
Waiting on forecast.
Waiting on forecast.
Plan
Plan your trip
Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.
Route logistics
Access and shuttle
Launch at Riverside Park below Whitney Dam and take out at Spivey Crossing for TPWD RACA's Whitney-to-Spivey Brazos segment. Use the Aquilla gauge with BRA's Brazos flow chart, then confirm dam releases, Spivey access, current, weather, and private-bank limits before leaving a shuttle.
Prepare this trip
Take the plan with you
Download the canonical route, add a calendar hold, or send a simple float plan to your group.
Put-in
Riverside Park below Whitney DamUSACE documents Riverside Park on both sides of the Brazos below Whitney Dam. The stored put-in coordinate is a route-guide access anchor for Riverside Park; use current signs, park roads, and safe riverbank conditions for the actual water entry.
Take-out
Spivey Crossing RV ParkUSACE says the east-side gravel access road to the river closes when floodwater is being released. If that access is closed, skip the route instead of improvising a dam-tailwater launch.
Plan this segment
Access caveats and watch for
Access caveats
- USACE documents Riverside Park on both sides of the Brazos below Whitney Dam. The stored put-in coordinate is a route-guide access anchor for Riverside Park; use current signs, park roads, and safe riverbank conditions for the actual water entry.
- USACE says the east-side gravel access road to the river closes when floodwater is being released. If that access is closed, skip the route instead of improvising a dam-tailwater launch.
- TPWD publishes Spivey as an active leased-access take-out through August 31, 2027. Call before arrival, confirm availability, pay the day-use fee, sign required liability paperwork, and prearrange shuttle handling when using it as the downstream exit.
- The route was implemented with USGS 08093100 at 55.3 cfs, far below BRA's 200 cfs paddling minimum. At similar readings, the app should rate the route below floor rather than encouraging a launch.
- Lake Whitney Dam releases can create rapid rises and swift current even if the day starts low. Recheck release conditions, weather, and the hydrograph before committing.
Watch for
- Flows at or below about 200 cfs on USGS 08093100, when BRA says the Brazos is below the minimum needed for paddling.
- Hydropower peaking or flood releases from Whitney Dam, rising water, fresh basin rainfall, or flows above about 1,200 cfs, when BRA's chart moves into hazardous or worse categories.
- Closed Riverside river-access road, changed park access, Spivey availability limits, fee or liability-form requirements, and shuttle confusion at the leased take-out.
- Private banks, ranch roads, low-water bars, driftwood, strainers, possible fences or debris after releases, and rural cell-service gaps.
- Heat, sun exposure, wind on open bends, and the temptation to continue past Spivey without the separate Spivey-to-Brazos-River-Nature-Center package.
Route gallery
See this route on the water
Photos help show what the access looks like and what the route actually feels like on the water.
Score & sources
Why this score
See the gauge, weather, and source notes behind today's call.
Why this scoreToday's evidence strength is checking
Evidence strength mostly comes down to three things: how direct the active gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.
- Checking evidence-strength notes.
- Checking evidence cautions.
Data behind the scoreGauge, thresholds, and timing
These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.
| Gauge site | Brazos Rv nr Aquilla, TX |
| Discharge | Checking |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| 24h trend | Checking |
| 24h change | Checking |
| Current band | Checking |
| Rain last 24h | Checking |
| Rain last 72h | Checking |
| Air temp | Checking |
| Water temp | Checking |
| Wind | Checking |
| Gusts | Checking |
| Rain timing | Checking |
| Target band | 501 cfs to 1,200 cfs |
| Low threshold | 200 cfs |
| High threshold | 5,000 cfs |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official data source |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | Brazos River Authority paddling-flow chart |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
NotesWhat to know before you go
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Official route shapeRiverside Park to Spivey Crossing, 9.59 mi
TPWD RACA river-segment data names the Whitney-to-Spivey route from Riverside Park to Spivey Crossing as a 9.59-mile Brazos segment and warns about hydropower peaking flows.
- Put-in accessUSACE Riverside Park below Whitney Dam
USACE documents Riverside Park downstream of Whitney Dam on both sides of the river, with camp/picnic sites, restrooms, a fishing platform, and an east-side gravel access road to the river that closes when floodwater is being released.
- Take-out accessSpivey Crossing RV Park, active TPWD leased access
TPWD publishes Spivey Crossing as an active leased-access take-out for the 10-mile float from Riverside Park, with coordinates, daylight access, call-ahead availability, fee, liability-form, and shuttle requirements.
- Direct live gaugeUSGS 08093100 at 55.3 cfs / 6.09 ft
USGS Water Services returned current Brazos River near Aquilla discharge and gage height at 2026-08-11 05:00 CDT during this implementation run.
- Brazos flow guidance200 cfs below minimum; 501-1,200 cfs ideal; 5,001+ cfs flood
BRA's public river-recreation chart lists 200 cfs or less as below the minimum needed for paddling, 501-1,200 cfs as ideal conditions, 1,200-3,000 cfs as hazardous, 3,001-5,000 cfs as experts-only, and 5,001+ cfs as flood conditions.
- Camping and safetyRiverside camp/picnic sites; Spivey private accommodations; dam-release warning
USACE documents Riverside camp/picnic facilities, TPWD describes Spivey RV/cabin/cottage services as adjacent private accommodations, and TPWD warns Lake Whitney Dam releases can cause rapid rises and swift current.
- Image decisionNo route-gallery image selected
Bounded TPWD RACA, USACE, BRA, Commons, USGS, Southwest Paddler, and same-route web review found route-context images but no clearly rights-clean exact Riverside-to-Spivey paddling asset selected for local reuse.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.
Paddler reports
Recent notes from paddlers
A few quick notes from people who were on this route recently.
Reports
Paddler reports
See recent photos and notes from people on the route.
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More routes to check next
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Quick answers
Brazos River paddling FAQ
What water level is good for paddling Brazos River?
Paddle Today watches Brazos Rv nr Aquilla, TX and treats 501 cfs to 1,200 cfs as the target band for this route, with weather and recent trend included in the final score.
Where does this Brazos River route start and end?
This route starts at Riverside Park below Whitney Dam and ends at Spivey Crossing RV Park, about About 9.6 mi on the water.
Is this Brazos River route good for beginners?
This is listed as an easy route, but conditions still matter. Check today's score, water level, weather, and access notes before you go.
Flag a change
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Access, hazards, wood, and shuttle details change. Send a quick correction if something looks off.