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

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SAN LORENZO RIVER - BIG TREES (BTEC1)
Latitude: 37.04º NLongitude: 122.07º WElevation: 227 Feet
Location: Santa Cruz County in CaliforniaRiver Group: Central Coast
Monitor Stage: 14.0 FeetFlood Stage: 16.5 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.

Historical Stage/Flow Data
Water Year
Peak Discharge (cfs)
Stage (feet)
Date
 Most Recent 5 Years
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
2019
8,850
16.88
Jan 17, 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
ESRI™ Locator Map
Official 7 Day National Weather Service Forecast   (CAZ512)
Rest of Today: Rain. Highs in the mid 50s. Northwest winds 10 to 15 mph with gusts to around 30 mph.

Tonight: Partly cloudy in the evening then becoming mostly clear. Lows in the upper 30s to mid 40s. Northwest winds 10 to 20 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny. Highs in the 40s to upper 50s. North winds 5 to 10 mph. Gusts up to 25 mph in the morning.

Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows in the upper 30s. North winds around 5 mph and becoming east after midnight.

Wednesday: Mostly cloudy. A chance of rain. Highs in the 50s. South winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy. A slight chance of rain. Lows in the upper 40s.

Thursday through Friday: Mostly cloudy. A chance of rain. Highs in the lower 50s to mid 60s. Lows in the 40s.

Friday Night: Mostly cloudy in the evening then becoming mostly clear. A chance of rain. Lows in the upper 30s to mid 40s.

Saturday and Saturday Night: Mostly clear. Highs in the 50s to lower 60s. Lows in the upper 30s to mid 40s.

Sunday: Sunny in the morning then becoming mostly cloudy. A slight chance of rain. Highs in the 50s to lower 60s.
Impacts - E19 Information
21.76 FeetMajor 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 FeetModerate 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 FeetMinor Flooding. Flooding is either imminent or already occurring in Paradise Park, with initial flooding in the St. Bernard Street area.
14.0 FeetMonitor 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.
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.