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SwedenSalt River at Priest Drive near Phoenix water level
River gauge, Salt River, Arizona, United States
Right now
Below flood stage
Water level
- Flow
- 0.0 cfs
History
The forecast expects the river to rise to 4.74 ft by Friday, October 23 at 01:00 AM. Issued Monday, October 19 at 07:15 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.
What this means
The gauge at Salt River at Priest Drive near Phoenix reads 1.57 ft, a normal level.
It is 14.43 ft below the flood stage of 16.00 ft.
It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to rise to 4.74 ft by Friday, October 23 at 01:00 AM. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 1.56 ft and 2.71 ft.
Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Highest on record
- 12.73 ftFebruary 16, 1995
- Forecast peak
- 4.74 ftFriday, October 23 at 01:00 AM
What the stage means on the water
A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.
The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 16.00 ft, still 14.43 ft away.
What happens at each level
- 33.00 ft
- Flooding of adjacent area roadways and structures occurs. Airport runways are threatened.
- 29.00 ft
- Water reaches the top of the protective levee. Significant downstream flooding of areas adjacent to the river occurs.
- 20.00 ft
- Major flooding begins.
- 18.00 ft
- Moderate flooding begins.
- 17.00 ft
- Minor flooding in lowland areas occurs.
- 16.00 ft
- Water reaches bankfull and flood stage.
- 12.73 ft
- Peak flow on February 16, 1995 at 81400 cfs, highest since gage was installed in December 1993
- 7.00 ft
- Alert stage
- 1.57 ft
- Right now
Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12.73 ft | February 16, 1995 |
| 2 | 9.83 ft | February 12, 2005 |
| 3 | 7.27 ft | January 28, 2008 |
| 4 | 5.57 ft | April 13, 1998 |
| 5 | 4.73 ft | February 15, 2009 |
| 6 | 4.45 ft | February 14, 2003 |
| 7 | 4.33 ft | August 24, 2006 |
| 8 | 3.52 ft | April 2, 2004 |
| 9 | 3.05 ft | September 20, 1999 |
| 10 | 3.02 ft | March 3, 2000 |
Weather at the gauge
No rain in the last 3 days.
Forecast: Open-Meteo
Map
Other gauges on the Salt River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salt River near ChrysotileRiver gauge, Salt River | 2.14 ft | Below flood stage | −0.07 ft | 88 mi |
| Salt River near RooseveltRiver gauge, Salt River | 6.82 ft | Below flood stage | −0.14 ft | 61 mi |
| Salt River below Stewart Mountain DamRiver gauge, Salt River | 23.8 cfs | Low | +23.8 cfs | 24 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz River near LaveenRiver gauge, Santa Cruz River | 0.0 cfs | Normal | ±0 | 18 mi |
| Gila River near MaricopaRiver gauge, Gila River | 0.97 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 19 mi |
| Verde River near ScottsdaleRiver gauge, Verde River | 788 cfs | High | +30.0 cfs | 19 mi |
| Gila River at Estrella Parkway, near GoodyearRiver gauge, Gila River | 0.0 cfs | Normal | ±0 | 25 mi |
| Sycamore Creek near Fort McDowellRiver gauge, Sycamore Creek | 1.80 ft | Below flood stage | +1.53 ft | 30 mi |
| Verde River below Bartlett DamRiver gauge, Verde River | 891 cfs | Very high | −129.0 cfs | 31 mi |
| Cave Creek below Cottonwood Creek near Cave CreekRiver gauge, Cave Creek | 2.64 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 31 mi |
| New River near Rock SpringsRiver gauge, New River | 3.4 cfs | Very high | −0.5 cfs | 38 mi |
Questions and answers
What is flood stage for the Salt River at Priest Drive near Phoenix?
The official flood stage is 16.00 ft. The level is currently 14.43 ft below it.
Is gage height the same as water depth?
No. Gage height is measured from a fixed reference point chosen by the agency, so a reading of 10 ft does not mean the river is 10 ft deep.
What is the water level of Salt River at Priest Drive near Phoenix today?
On Oct 20, 2026, 02:30 AM MST, the water level was 1.57 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Salt River at Priest Drive near Phoenix rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is the level of Salt River at Priest Drive near Phoenix normal?
Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at Salt River at Priest Drive near Phoenix?
The highest level on record is 12.73 ft on February 16, 1995.
Is Salt River at Priest Drive near Phoenix expected to rise?
The forecast expects the river to rise to 4.74 ft by Friday, October 23 at 01:00 AM.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Station code
usgs:09512165(Agency page)- Coordinates
33.43411, -111.96133(WGS84)- Vertical datum
- NAVD88
- Update interval
- every 15 minutes
- Licence
- Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision
Published series
| Parameter | Last value | Time (UTC) | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water level | 1.57 ft | 2026-10-20 09:30 | Provisional |
| Flow | 0.0 cfs | 2026-10-20 09:30 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Salt River at Priest Drive near Phoenix (usgs:09512165). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/arizona/salt-river-at-priest-drive-near-phoenix
How we check values
Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.
Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer