CNRFC - Hydrology - Observed River/Reservoir Conditions

SALINAS RIVER - SPRECKELS (SPRC1)

Latitude: 36.63º N	Longitude: 121.67º W	Elevation: 21 Feet
Location: Monterey County in California		River Group: Central Coast

Monitor Stage: 20.0 Feet

Flood Stage: 23.0 Feet

Observed Data Credit
	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*	23,300	26.89	Mar 13, 2023
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
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
2023*	23,300	26.89	Mar 13, 2023
* 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
Upstream Photo	Gage House Photo	Downstream Photo

ESRI™ Locator Map

Official 7 Day National Weather Service Forecast (CAZ528)

Tonight: Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 50s. North winds around 5 mph and becoming east after midnight.

Tuesday: Partly cloudy. Highs in the mid 80s. East winds around 5 mph and becoming northwest in the afternoon.

Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy in the evening then becoming mostly cloudy. Patchy fog after midnight. Lows in the lower 50s. West winds 5 to 10 mph in the evening and becoming light.

Wednesday: Mostly cloudy in the morning then becoming partly cloudy. Highs in the upper 60s. West winds 5 to 15 mph.

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

Thursday: Mostly cloudy in the morning then becoming partly cloudy. A slight chance of rain. Highs in the lower 60s.

Thursday Night through Friday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 40s. Highs in the lower 60s.

Saturday: Mostly cloudy. Highs in the lower 60s.

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

Sunday: Rain likely. Highs in the lower 60s.

Flood Impacts
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.
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.
29.0 Feet	Major flooding continues along the entire reach. Possible evacuations of Soledad, Gonzales, Chualar, 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.
28.0 Feet	Major flooding of agricultural land within the reach of the gages. Major flooding begins along lower portions of Soledad, Gonzales, Chualar, 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.
27.0 Feet	Moderate flooding continues along the 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.
26.0 Feet	Moderate flooding of agricultural land and lower portions of Soledad, Gonzales, Chualar, 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.
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.
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.
19.0 Feet	Minor lowland flooding of agricultural land can be expected.

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.

NWS RSS Feed