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		Bulletin Group: Central Coast		River Group: Salinas/Pajaro

Monitor Stage: 20.0 Feet

Flood Stage: 23.0 Feet

Plot Type:

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
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
2018*	1,160	9.15	Mar 24, 2018
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
Upstream Photo	Gage House Photo	Downstream Photo

ESRI™ Locator Map

Impacts - E19 Information
19.0 Feet	Minor lowland flooding of agricultural land can be expected.
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.
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.
26.0 Feet	Moderate 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 Feet	Moderate 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 Feet	Major 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 Feet	Major 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 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.
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.

Official 7 Day National Weather Service Forecast (CAZ528)

Today: Mostly cloudy. Breezy. A chance of rain in the morning. A slight chance of drizzle. A slight chance of rain in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 60s. West winds 10 to 20 mph increasing to 20 to 30 mph in the afternoon.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy. Patchy fog after midnight. Lows in the upper 40s. West winds 10 to 20 mph. Gusts up to 35 mph in the evening.

Saturday: Partly cloudy in the morning then becoming sunny. Highs in the mid 60s. West winds 5 to 10 mph increasing to 10 to 20 mph in the afternoon.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear in the evening then becoming mostly cloudy. Patchy fog after midnight. Lows in the mid 40s. West winds 10 to 20 mph and becoming 5 to 10 mph after midnight.

Sunday: Mostly cloudy in the morning then becoming sunny. Patchy fog in the morning. Highs in the mid 60s to lower 70s. West winds 5 to 10 mph increasing to 10 to 20 mph in the afternoon.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 40s.

Monday: Sunny. Highs in the mid 60s to lower 70s.

Monday Night and Tuesday: Clear. Lows in the upper 40s. Highs in the 70s.

Tuesday Night through Wednesday Night: Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 40s. Highs in the upper 60s to mid 70s.

Thursday: Partly cloudy in the morning then becoming sunny. Highs in the upper 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.

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