The Colorado River Floods — and Wharton County Has a Long History of It

Wharton sits on the northeast bank of the lower Colorado River, about 35 miles from the Gulf of Mexico. The river's broad floodplain covers large parts of the county. Historical floods struck the area in 1913, 1922, 1935, 1938, 1940, and 2002 — and Hurricane Harvey caused record river levels in 2017.

FEMA maps show much of the area near the river as Zone AE (a high-risk flood zone with calculated base flood elevations). If you buy property in a Zone AE area with a federally backed mortgage, flood insurance is required. Check your specific address on FEMA's Map Service Center before buying. The NOAA river gauge at Wharton tracks current river levels.