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Latitude: 36.90º N | Longitude: 121.60º W | Elevation: 82 Feet | |||
Location: Santa Cruz County in California | Bulletin Group: Central Coast | River Group: Salinas/Pajaro |
Action/Monitor: 22.0 Feet | Minor Flood: 24.1 Feet | Moderate Flood: N/A | Major Flood: 27.1 Feet |
Please Note: | Provisional monitor and flood stages have been established along the Pajaro River due to observed impacts to the levee system from previous flood events. |
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 | |||
2023 |
13,200 |
29.11 |
Mar 11, 2023 |
2022 |
1,150 |
11.57 |
Dec 28, 2021 |
2021 |
1,160 |
9.97 |
Jan 29, 2021 |
2020 |
1,070 |
9.60 |
Apr 6, 2020 |
2019 |
4,540 |
20.49 |
Feb 15, 2019 |
Historical High Stage/Flow Events (Period of Record - February 1938* to Present) - Ranked by Flow | |||
1998 |
25,100 |
33.73 |
Feb 3, 1998 |
1956 |
24,000 |
32.46 |
Dec 24, 1955 |
1958 |
23,500 |
33.11 |
Apr 3, 1958 |
1995 |
21,500 |
32.20 |
Mar 11, 1995 |
1969 |
17,800 |
23.90 |
Feb 25, 1969 |
2023 |
13,200 |
29.11 |
Mar 11, 2023 |
* Missing data during 1939, otherwise record complete |
Location Photographs | ||
ESRI™ Locator Map |
Flood Impacts | |
33.73 Feet | Stage and flow of record. 02/03/1998. 25,100 cfs |
29.0 Feet | Levees protecting Watsonville and Pajaro at risk of failure. Flooding throughout the Pajaro Valley. |
27.1 Feet | Major Flood Stage. Levees protecting Pajaro at risk of overtopping at lowest points or severely strained if sandbagged. Seepage likely throughout the levee system. |
25.1 Feet | Water levels within 2 feet of top of levee protecting Pajaro. |
24.1 Feet | Minor Flood Stage. Water levels within 3 feet of top of levee protecting Pajaro. Increased potential for seepage through levee at vulnerable locations. |
22.0 Feet | Monitor Stage. Water beginning to rise onto levee slopes. |
Official 7 Day National Weather Service Forecast (CAZ529) |
Rest of Tonight: Clear. Areas of frost after midnight. Lows in the mid 30s. Northwest winds around 5 mph late in the evening and Becoming light. Sunday: Sunny. Areas of frost in the morning. Highs in the upper 50s. Light winds and becoming northwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Sunday Night: Clear. Areas of frost after midnight. Lows in the lower 30s. North winds around 5 mph in the evening and becoming light. Monday: Sunny in the morning then becoming partly cloudy. Widespread frost in the morning. Highs in the upper 50s. Light winds and becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon. Monday Night: Partly cloudy. Patchy fog and frost after midnight. A slight chance of drizzle after midnight. Lows in the mid 30s. Northwest winds around 5 mph in the evening and becoming light. Tuesday: Partly cloudy. Patchy fog. A slight chance of drizzle. Highs in the mid 50s. Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy. A chance of rain and drizzle. Lows in the upper 30s. Wednesday: Rain. Highs in the mid 50s. Wednesday Night and Thursday: Rain. Lows in the mid 40s. Highs in the upper 50s. Thursday Night: Patchy fog. Rain and a chance of drizzle. Lows in the mid 40s. Friday: Mostly cloudy. Patchy fog. A chance of rain. Highs in the upper 50s. Friday Night: Partly cloudy. Areas of fog. A slight chance of rain. Lows in the lower 40s. Saturday: Mostly cloudy in the morning then becoming partly cloudy. Areas of fog. Highs in the lower 60s. |
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. |