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IntermediateBoat entry

Rio Grande Valley

Texas, United States
Open Water suggestedVariable Gulf visibility (often 10-40 ft)14–20 m depthBoat entryRash guard or 2mm shorty typical

Boat dive — see Entry & access.

Rio Grande Valley at a glance

Rio Grande Valley is a intermediate boat dive site in Texas, United States with depths of 14–20 m (46–66 ft). Typically most favorable Aug · from 3 years of archive data. Divers commonly see Red snapper, Atlantic spadefish, and Sheepshead. Recent reports put the water around 29°C (83°F). Check the latest conditions and entry details before you go.

Marine model · graded 10h ago
0.7 mwaves — under a meter expected

Tap a factor for its source and model point · Forecast 29°C · seasonal avg 28°C

Site hazards: Variable Gulf visibility (often 10-40 ft) · Current · Fishing line and hooks on reef patches

All 4 hazards ↓

Dive windows this week

Best: Thu
Mon7:00–21:00
Tue7:00–21:00
Wed7:00–21:00
Thu7:00–21:00
Fri7:00–21:00
Sat7:00–21:00
Sun7:00–21:00

Favorable windowModerate window— no window

First light 6:26 · Sunrise 6:51 · Sunset 20:18

Source: Open-Meteo marine · model point 7.6 km from site · graded 10h ago

Forecast only — always assess conditions on site.

Forecast · NOAA tide model

Tide & slack timing

Loading tide predictions

Recent diver reports

Dated firsthand observations from divers — not current conditions.

No diver reports for this site yet. — one dated observation helps every diver after you.

What Divers Say

Known for: Red snapper, Atlantic spadefish, Sheepshead
Best time: Summer through early fall when Gulf seas are calmest and blue water pushes inshore.

Based on community reviews and site data. Conditions vary — always verify before diving.

Best months, historically

What conditions have historically been typical at this site, month by month — not a forecast.

  1. Jan31%18°C1.7 m
  2. Feb49%18°C1.5 m
  3. Mar46%20°C1.5 m
  4. Apr44%23°C1.6 m
  5. May55%26°C1.3 m
  6. Jun64%28°C1.3 m
  7. Jul91%28°C1.0 m
  8. Aug95%29°C0.8 m
  9. Sep90%30°C1.0 m
  10. Oct58%28°C1.4 m
  11. Nov50%25°C1.5 m
  12. Dec69%21°C1.4 m

August hastypically had the largest share of favorable days here. Conditions vary year to year — this is historical context, not a forecast.

Based on 3 years of archive data. Bar height shows the share of days each month whose conditions have historically scored favorably.

Marine life seen at this site

Species noted at this site — not a promise of what you’ll encounter.

Species seen here

  • Red snapperCommonly seen
  • Atlantic spadefishCommonly seen
  • SheepsheadCommonly seen
  • Gray triggerfishOccasionally seen
  • Greater amberjackOccasionally seen
  • Sea turtleOccasionally seen

Fills & rentals nearby

No dive shops mapped within 25 km. Know one? Add it to the map.

Site details

RGV (Rio Grande Valley) Reef is the largest and most complex artificial reef off the Texas coast, a 1,650-acre site 13 miles northeast of South Padre Island built since 2017 from tens of thousands of recycled concrete railroad ties, cinder blocks, box culverts and cleaned steel-hulled vessels. The graduated low- and high-relief patches in roughly 45-65 ft of water hold huge numbers of red snapper and other reef fish, and local dive operators run charters to the reef alongside the nearby Texas Clipper wreck.

boatreefwreck

Variable Gulf visibility (often 10-40 ft)

Current

Fishing line and hooks on reef patches

Boat traffic from anglers

Reviews

No reviews yet — this site is waiting for its first. Dived here? Your rating and a few lines help the next diver.

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