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Latitude: 36.63º N | Longitude: 121.67º W | Elevation: 21 Feet | |||
Location: Monterey County in California | Bulletin Group: Central Coast | River Group: Salinas/Pajaro |
Issuance Time: | Sep 27 2023 at 8:08 AM PDT | Next Issuance: | Sep 28 2023 at 9:00 AM PDT |
Monitor Stage: 20.0 Feet | Flood Stage: 23.0 Feet |
Observed Data Credit | |
![]() | Raw streamflow data is provided by the US Geological Survey (USGS). |
Historical Stage/Flow Data |
|||
Water Year
|
Peak Discharge (cfs)
|
Stage (feet)
|
Date
|
Most Recent 5 Years | |||
2022* |
574 |
9.24 |
Dec 29, 2021 |
2021* |
2,470 |
12.94 |
Jan 30, 2021 |
2020* |
437 |
8.34 |
Apr 8, 2020 |
2019* |
6,370 |
17.88 |
Feb 16, 2019 |
2018* |
1,160 |
9.15 |
Mar 24, 2018 |
Historical High Stage/Flow Events (Period of Record - Oct 1929 to Present)** - Ranked by Flow | |||
1995* |
95,000 |
30.29 |
Mar 12, 1995 |
1969* |
83,100 |
26.51 |
Feb 26, 1969
|
1938 |
75,000*** |
25.00 |
Feb 12, 1938 |
1983* | 63,000 | 23.44 | Mar 3, 1983 |
1978* | 57,400 | 22.66 | Feb 11, 1978 |
* Discharge affected by regulation or diversion | |||
** Most recent continuous record back to Oct 1929 with segmented periods back to Jan 1900 | |||
*** Highest flow since regulation by Santa Margarita Lake began in 1941 | |||
**** No flow observed during the entire water year |
Location Photographs | ||
ESRI™ Locator Map |
Impacts - E19 Information | |
19.0 Feet | Minor lowland flooding of agricultural land can be expected. |
23.0 Feet | A few farm residences will begin to flood near the Salinas River along the reach of the gage. River Road will begin to flood near Spreckels. |
24.0 Feet | Significant flooding of the lowest portions of agricultural land begins within the reach of the gage. River Road and Spreckels Boulevard begin to flood. |
26.0 Feet | Moderate flooding of agricultural land and lower portions of Soledad, Gonzales, Chular, Spence and Spreckels. Primary and secondary roads begin to flood within the reach. Highway 68 begins to flood. Levees in danger of breaching along the reach. At least 20,000 acres of farm land inundated in the Salinas Valley. |
27.0 Feet | Moderate flooding continues along reach. Approaches to river bridges within the reach begin to erode. Lower portions of Castroville begin to flood. Highway 156 near Castroville begins to flood. Flooding to Foster Road, 1 mile of Salinas. |
28.0 Feet | Major flooding of agricultural land within the reach of the gages. Major flooding begins along lower portions of Soledad, Gonzales, Chular, Spence, Spreckels and Castroville. Water/sewage treatment plants in danger of being flooded. Many secondary and some primary roads inundated making travel difficult in the Salinas Valley. Highway 156 and 68 inundated and closed. Major damage to wide expanses of agricultural land in the Salinas Valley with 40,000 acres inundated. |
29.0 Feet | Major flooding continues along the entire reach. Possible evacuations of Soledad, Gonzales, Chular, Spreckels, and Castroville. All roads to Spreckels inundated, isolating the town. US 101 inundated just north of Soledad. Highway 1 south of Castroville near Nashua Road begins to flood. |
30.0 Feet | Disastrous floding within the reach of the gage. Major damage to Southern Pacific Railroad near Castroville and Spreckels. Castroville residences and businesses from Merritt Street toward the Salinas River inundated. Disastrous flooding to farm land in the Salinas Valley, including severe damage due to erosion and sediment deposition. At least 100,000 acres inundated. Travel in the Salinas Valley near impossible. Water/sewage treatment plants flooded. |
30.29 Feet | Flood of record, March 12, 1995, 95,000 cfs. Disastrous flood damage to roads and agriculture land in the Salinas Valley. The city of Salinas in danger of being inundated, with the lowest portions of the city beginning to flood. Historical note: at least 2,000 acres of agricultural land were permanently destroyed by erosion and soil deposition by this flood of record. |
Official 7 Day National Weather Service Forecast (CAZ528) |
Today: Sunny. Highs in the 70s. Northwest winds around 5 mph increasing to west 10 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Tonight: Partly cloudy in the evening then becoming mostly cloudy. Lows in the lower 50s. West winds 10 to 20 mph and becoming southwest 5 to 10 mph after midnight. Thursday: Mostly cloudy in the morning then becoming sunny. Highs in the 70s. Northwest winds around 5 mph increasing to 10 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Thursday Night: Clear in the evening then becoming mostly cloudy. Lows in the lower 50s. West winds 10 to 20 mph and becoming 5 to 10 mph after midnight. Friday: Partly cloudy. Highs near 70. West winds around 5 mph increasing to 10 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Friday Night: Mostly cloudy. Lows in the mid 50s. Saturday: Mostly cloudy. Highs in the lower to mid 60s. Saturday Night through Sunday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 50s. Highs in the mid 60s to lower 70s. Monday through Tuesday: Mostly clear. Highs in the 60s to upper 70s. Lows in the lower 50s. |
Product Disclaimer |
This river graphic is not intended to serve as a substitute for official flood watches, warnings, advisories, or statements issued by the NWS San Francisco Bay Area-Monterey Weather Forecast Office. Observations are preliminary and subject to change. River levels identified as "forecast" should be consistent with those contained in official NWS products. River levels identified as "guidance" have significant uncertainty due to future weather or reservoir regulation and are provided for planning purposes only. |