CNRFC - Hydrology - River Guidance - Graphical RVF

Location:

SAN LORENZO RIVER - BIG TREES (BTEC1)

Latitude: 37.04º N	Longitude: 122.07º W	Elevation: 227 Feet
Location: Santa Cruz County in California		Bulletin Group: Central Coast		River Group: Salinas/Pajaro

Issuance Time:

May 01 2025 at 7:38 AM PDT

Next Issuance:

May 02 2025 at 9:00 AM PDT

Action/Monitor: 14.0 Feet

Minor Flood: 16.5 Feet

Moderate Flood: 19.5 Feet

Major Flood: 21.76 Feet

Plot Type:

Please Note:
1) Each individual timeseries plotted on the graphical river forecast can be toggled on and off by clicking the legend entry above. If the "Observed (Raw Data)" contains bad data and is toggled off, the plot will scale to the remaining timeseries.

2) At extremely low river flows, the "Observed (Raw Data)" may show readings below the lower end of the available rating table, while the "Observed (Simulated)" will only show values at the bottom of the rating table, creating a potential discrepancy between the two readings.

Observed Data Credit
	Raw streamflow data is provided by the US Geological Survey (USGS). View US Geological Survey (USGS) Data for this station location.

Historical Stage/Flow Data
Water Year	Peak Discharge (cfs)	Stage (feet)	Date
Most Recent 5 Years
2024	5,220	14.69	Feb 4, 2024
2023	20,500	24.54	Jan 9, 2023
2022	5,600	16.06	Dec 13, 2021
2021	1,750	9.11	Jan 28, 2021
2020	2,170	8.88	Dec 7, 2019
Historical High Stage/Flow Events (Period of Record - Oct 1936 to Present)* - Ranked by Flow
1956	30,400	22.55**	Dec 23, 1955
1982	29,700	28.85	Jan 5, 1982
1940	24,000	21.10**	Feb 27, 1940
2023	20,500	24.54	Jan 9, 2023
1986	19,800	21.22	Feb 17, 1986
* Low flow partially regulated by Loch Lomond Reservoir since 1961, and inflatable fiber dam located 500 ft upstream from gauge. Many small diversions upstream from station for domestic supply.
** Unknown old datum.

Location Photographs
Upstream Photo	Gage House Photo	Downstream Photo

ESRI™ Locator Map

Flood Impacts
21.76 Feet	Major Flooding. At approximately 21.76 feet discharge in the San Lorenzo River is approximately 15,000 cfs. Major flooding in the Felton Grove neighborhood occurs at this stage, with roadways several feet deep and waters inundating the approaches to the Felton Covered Bridge. Felton Covered Bridge Park begins to experience widespread flooding at shallow depths. At 15,000 cfs, the City of Santa Cruz downstream will experience more serious flooding. The flood wave may take 2-3 hours to reach Santa Cruz.
19.5 Feet	Moderate Flooding. The St. Bernard Street area in Paradise Park is under several feet of water, with below grade floodplain infrastructure several feet deeper. St. Augustine Avenue neighborhood in Paradise Park begins to flood. Flooding imminent or already occurring in the Felton Grove neighborhood. Ground stories, first floors, and garages flooded. Felton Covered Bridge Park begins to flood.
16.5 Feet	Minor Flooding. Flooding is either imminent or already occurring in Paradise Park, with initial flooding in the St. Bernard Street area.
14.0 Feet	Monitor Stage. Stage can rise rapidly on the San Lorenzo River, up to several feet per hour. Approximately 2.5 feet below flood levels in Paradise Park and approximately 5.5 feet below flood stage in Felton Grove.

Official 7 Day National Weather Service Forecast (CAZ512)

rest of Today: Sunny. Highs in the upper 50s to mid 60s. Southwest winds around 5 mph.

Tonight: Mostly clear in the evening then becoming partly cloudy. Patchy fog after midnight. Lows in the mid 40s. West winds 5 to 10 mph.

Friday: Partly cloudy in the morning then becoming sunny. Highs in the mid 50s to upper 60s. Northwest winds 5 to 10 mph with gusts to around 25 mph.

Friday Night: Mostly cloudy. Patchy fog after midnight. Lows in the upper 40s. Northwest winds 10 to 20 mph.

Saturday: Mostly cloudy in the morning then becoming partly cloudy. Highs in the 40s to upper 50s. Northwest winds 10 to 20 mph with gusts to around 45 mph.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy. Breezy. Lows in the lower 40s.

Sunday through Wednesday: Mostly clear. Highs in the mid 50s to lower 70s. Lows in the mid to upper 40s.

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.

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Verification - Historical Graphical RVF
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