San Lorenzo River (CA) at Big Trees
No watches, warnings or advisories are in effect for this area.
Future / Actual / Minor
OWP 2.0 WWA Modal Title
01/11/2021, 10:04 PM UTC through 01/11/2021, 10:04 PM UTC
Sender
Sent
- Upstream gauge unavailableDownstream gauge unavailableWarning: no valid ratings curve available. Transformations to and from FEET/CFS/KCFS will not happen.
Traces and Thresholds Click to turn on/off display
Observed (OBS) 04/01/2025 3:30 PM PDTOfficial Forecast (FCST) 04/01/2025 1:48 PM PDTRecord: 28.9 ftCATEGORY STAGE 
Major Flooding 21.76 ft Moderate Flooding 19.5 ft Minor Flooding 16.5 ft Action 14 ft Reliability of the Forecast: Based on unobstructed flow
NOTE: Forecasts are issued routinely year-round.
National Water Model Hydrograph
Official NWS streamflow forecasts are produced by NWS hydrologic forecasters for river gauge locations using hydrologic models which are calibrated to that location. This process considers additional guidance and information, including local expertise and experience, to produce the best forecast possible. The NWM output provides supplemental guidance to NWS forecasters and should not be considered an official NWS river forecast.
Flood Impacts
- 21.76 - Major 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 - Moderate 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 - Minor Flooding. Flooding is either imminent or already occurring in Paradise Park, with initial flooding in the St. Bernard Street area.
Gauge Info
| Coordinates | 37.0444, -122.072 |
| RFC | CNRFC |
| State | CA |
| WFO | MTR |
| County | Santa Cruz |
| Data Provider(s) | |
| US Geological Survey | USGS--Water Resources of the United States |
| USGS | 11160500 |
Gauge Location
Recent Crests
| 1. | 16.90 ft | on 03-14-2023 |
| 2. | 19.90 ft | on 03-10-2023 |
| 3. | 21.83 ft | on 01-14-2023 |
| 4. | 24.54 ft | on 01-09-2023 |
| 5. | 22.15 ft | on 12-31-2022 |
Recent Crests
| 1. | 16.90 ft | on 03-14-2023 | |
| 2. | 19.90 ft | on 03-10-2023 | |
| 3. | 21.83 ft | on 01-14-2023 | |
| 4. | 24.54 ft | on 01-09-2023 | |
| 5. | 22.15 ft | on 12-31-2022 | |
| 6. | 16.06 ft | on 12-13-2021 | |
| 7. | 6.13 ft | on 04-05-2020 | 1 |
| 8. | 16.88 ft | on 01-17-2019 | 1 |
| 9. | 12.06 ft | on 03-22-2018 | 1 |
| 10. | 21.21 ft | on 02-20-2017 | 1 |
| 11. | 24.10 ft | on 02-07-2017 | 1 |
| 12. | 19.26 ft | on 01-22-2017 | 1 |
| 13. | 16.68 ft | on 01-20-2017 | 1 |
| 14. | 20.13 ft | on 01-10-2017 | 1 |
| 15. | 16.52 ft | on 01-08-2017 | 1 |
| 16. | 17.35 ft | on 01-04-2017 | 1 |
| 17. | 16.12 ft | on 12-15-2016 | 1 |
| 18. | 19.46 ft | on 03-05-2016 | 1 |
| 19. | 8.25 ft | on 02-08-2015 | 1 |
| 20. | 11.94 ft | on 12-12-2014 | 1 |
| 21. | 4.97 ft | on 01-05-2013 | 1 |
| 22. | 20.42 ft | on 12-23-2012 | 1 |
| 23. | 16.76 ft | on 12-02-2012 | 1 |
| 24. | 18.85 ft | on 03-24-2011 | 1 |
| 25. | 15.28 ft | on 03-20-2011 | 1 |
| 26. | 19.40 ft | on 01-20-2010 | 1 |
| 27. | 13.51 ft | on 10-13-2009 | 1 |
| 28. | 15.73 ft | on 01-25-2008 | 1 |
| 29. | 5.42 ft | on 12-18-2007 | 1 |
| 30. | 20.05 ft | on 02-07-1998 | 1 |
| 31. | 24.08 ft | on 02-03-1998 | 1 |
| 32. | 17.10 ft | on 01-01-1997 | 1 |
| 33. | 18.70 ft | on 12-10-1996 | 1 |
| 34. | 20.71 ft | on 03-10-1995 | 1 |
| 35. | 18.33 ft | on 01-09-1995 | 1 |
| 36. | 16.45 ft | on 02-12-1992 | 1 |
| 37. | 21.22 ft | on 02-17-1986 | 1 |
| 38. | 19.65 ft | on 03-02-1983 | 1 |
| 39. | 20.69 ft | on 01-24-1983 | 1 |
| 40. | 28.85 ft | on 01-05-1982 | 1 |
| 41. | 20.82 ft | on 02-19-1980 | 1 |
| 42. | 20.56 ft | on 01-16-1978 | 1 |
| 43. | 21.85 ft | on 01-14-1978 | 1 |
| 44. | 22.53 ft | on 01-16-1973 | 1 |
| 45. | 15.80 ft | on 01-31-1960 | 1 |
| 46. | 17.76 ft | on 04-02-1958 | 1 |
| 47. | 22.55 ft | on 12-23-1955 | 1 |
| 48. | 16.85 ft | on 01-12-1952 | 1 |
| 49. | 16.35 ft | on 01-21-1943 | 1 |
| 50. | 16.10 ft | on 01-24-1942 | 1 |
| 51. | 17.15 ft | on 02-09-1941 | 1 |
| 52. | 21.10 ft | on 02-27-1940 | 1 |
| 53. | 16.30 ft | on 01-31-1938 | 1 |
Historic Crests
| 1. | 28.85 ft | on 01-05-1982 | 1 |
| 2. | 24.54 ft | on 01-09-2023 | |
| 3. | 24.10 ft | on 02-07-2017 | 1 |
| 4. | 24.08 ft | on 02-03-1998 | 1 |
| 5. | 22.55 ft | on 12-23-1955 | 1 |
Historic Crests
| 1. | 28.85 ft | on 01-05-1982 | 1 |
| 2. | 24.54 ft | on 01-09-2023 | |
| 3. | 24.10 ft | on 02-07-2017 | 1 |
| 4. | 24.08 ft | on 02-03-1998 | 1 |
| 5. | 22.55 ft | on 12-23-1955 | 1 |
| 6. | 22.53 ft | on 01-16-1973 | 1 |
| 7. | 22.15 ft | on 12-31-2022 | |
| 8. | 21.85 ft | on 01-14-1978 | 1 |
| 9. | 21.83 ft | on 01-14-2023 | |
| 10. | 21.22 ft | on 02-17-1986 | 1 |
| 11. | 21.21 ft | on 02-20-2017 | 1 |
| 12. | 21.10 ft | on 02-27-1940 | 1 |
| 13. | 20.82 ft | on 02-19-1980 | 1 |
| 14. | 20.71 ft | on 03-10-1995 | 1 |
| 15. | 20.69 ft | on 01-24-1983 | 1 |
| 16. | 20.56 ft | on 01-16-1978 | 1 |
| 17. | 20.42 ft | on 12-23-2012 | 1 |
| 18. | 20.13 ft | on 01-10-2017 | 1 |
| 19. | 20.05 ft | on 02-07-1998 | 1 |
| 20. | 19.90 ft | on 03-10-2023 | |
| 21. | 19.65 ft | on 03-02-1983 | 1 |
| 22. | 19.46 ft | on 03-05-2016 | 1 |
| 23. | 19.40 ft | on 01-20-2010 | 1 |
| 24. | 19.26 ft | on 01-22-2017 | 1 |
| 25. | 18.85 ft | on 03-24-2011 | 1 |
| 26. | 18.70 ft | on 12-10-1996 | 1 |
| 27. | 18.33 ft | on 01-09-1995 | 1 |
| 28. | 17.76 ft | on 04-02-1958 | 1 |
| 29. | 17.35 ft | on 01-04-2017 | 1 |
| 30. | 17.15 ft | on 02-09-1941 | 1 |
| 31. | 17.10 ft | on 01-01-1997 | 1 |
| 32. | 16.90 ft | on 03-14-2023 | |
| 33. | 16.88 ft | on 01-17-2019 | 1 |
| 34. | 16.85 ft | on 01-12-1952 | 1 |
| 35. | 16.76 ft | on 12-02-2012 | 1 |
| 36. | 16.68 ft | on 01-20-2017 | 1 |
| 37. | 16.52 ft | on 01-08-2017 | 1 |
| 38. | 16.45 ft | on 02-12-1992 | 1 |
| 39. | 16.35 ft | on 01-21-1943 | 1 |
| 40. | 16.30 ft | on 01-31-1938 | 1 |
| 41. | 16.12 ft | on 12-15-2016 | 1 |
| 42. | 16.10 ft | on 01-24-1942 | 1 |
| 43. | 16.06 ft | on 12-13-2021 | |
| 44. | 15.80 ft | on 01-31-1960 | 1 |
| 45. | 15.73 ft | on 01-25-2008 | 1 |
| 46. | 15.28 ft | on 03-20-2011 | 1 |
| 47. | 13.51 ft | on 10-13-2009 | 1 |
| 48. | 12.06 ft | on 03-22-2018 | 1 |
| 49. | 11.94 ft | on 12-12-2014 | 1 |
| 50. | 8.25 ft | on 02-08-2015 | 1 |
| 51. | 6.13 ft | on 04-05-2020 | 1 |
| 52. | 5.42 ft | on 12-18-2007 | 1 |
| 53. | 4.97 ft | on 01-05-2013 | 1 |
Vertical Datum Table
| type | NAVD88 |
|---|---|
| major Flooding | 251.82 ft |
| moderate Flooding | 249.56 ft |
| minor Flooding | 246.56 ft |
| action | 244.06 ft |
| Latest Value | 234.81 ft |
| Gauge Zero | 230.06 ft |
Gauge Photos
No Images Found
Probability Information
No Images Available
Collaborative Agencies
The National Weather Service prepares its forecasts and other services in collaboration with agencies like the US Geological Survey, US Bureau of Reclamation, US Army Corps of Engineers, Natural Resource Conservation Service, National Park Service, ALERT Users Group, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and many state and local emergency managers across the country. For details, please click here.
Resources
Hydrologic Resource Links
Additional Resource Links
WFO Information
Weather Forecast Office
San Francisco Bay Area
21 Grace Hopper Ave, Stop 5
Monterey, CA 93943-5505
Official Homepage