National Weather Service California Nevada River Forecast Center Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Weather Service

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SALINAS RIVER - SPRECKELS (SPRC1)
Latitude: 36.63º NLongitude: 121.67º WElevation: 21 Feet
Location: Monterey County in CaliforniaRiver Group: Central Coast
Issuance Time: Mar 28 2023 at 7:57 AM PDTNext Issuance: Mar 28 2023 at 3:00 PM PDT
Monitor Stage: 20.0 FeetFlood Stage: 23.0 Feet

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

Verification - Historical Graphical RVF
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Historical Stage/Flow Data
Water Year
Peak Discharge (cfs)
Stage (feet)
Date
 Most Recent 5 Years
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
2017*
11,100
19.92
Feb 22, 2017
 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
Official 7 Day National Weather Service Forecast   (CAZ528)
Rest of Today: Rain. Highs in the upper 50s. South winds 10 to 20 mph with gusts to around 35 mph.

Tonight: Rain in the evening, then a chance of rain after midnight. Lows in the lower 40s. Southwest winds 5 to 15 mph and Becoming south 5 to 10 mph after midnight.

Wednesday: Showers and a slight chance of thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 50s. South winds 10 to 20 mph.

Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy. A chance of showers and a slight chance of thunderstorms in the evening, then a chance of rain after midnight. Lows around 40. South winds 5 to 15 mph and Becoming east around 5 mph after midnight. Chance of precipitation 50 percent.

Thursday: Mostly cloudy in the morning then becoming partly cloudy. Highs in the upper 50s. Northeast winds around 5 mph and Becoming northwest 5 to 15 mph in the afternoon.

Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy. Lows in the lower 40s.

Friday: Mostly cloudy in the morning then becoming partly cloudy. Highs in the upper 50s.

Friday Night: Mostly clear. Lows around 40.

Saturday and Saturday Night: Partly cloudy. Highs in the lower 60s. Lows in the mid 40s.

Sunday: Mostly cloudy in the morning then becoming partly cloudy. A slight chance of rain. Highs in the upper 50s.

Sunday Night and Monday: Partly cloudy. A slight chance of rain. Lows in the lower 40s. Highs in the mid 50s.
Impacts - E19 Information
19.0 FeetMinor lowland flooding of agricultural land can be expected.
23.0 FeetA 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 FeetSignificant 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 FeetModerate 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 FeetModerate 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 FeetMajor 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 FeetMajor 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 FeetDisastrous 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 FeetFlood 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.
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.