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SwedenSanta Cruz River at Tucson water level
River gauge, Santa Cruz River, Arizona, United States
Right now
Below flood stage
Water level
- Flow
- 0.0 cfs
History
The forecast expects the river to fall to −0.46 ft by Monday, October 19 at 08:00 AM. Issued Monday, October 19 at 07:29 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.
What this means
The Santa Cruz River at Tucson is at −0.50 ft, in the normal range.
It is 12.50 ft below the flood stage of 12.00 ft.
It has dropped 0.50 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to −0.46 ft by Monday, October 19 at 08:00 AM. In the last month it has stayed between −0.51 ft and 0.00 ft.
Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Highest on record
- 22.20 ftOctober 2, 1983
- Forecast peak
- −0.46 ftMonday, October 19 at 08:00 AM
Floating and fishing near Santa Cruz River at Tucson
Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.
Flood stage here is 12.00 ft, 12.50 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.
What happens at each level
- 15.00 ft
- Sections of soil-cement protectio overtopped and could fail, leading to widespread flooding.
- 13.00 ft
- Silverbell Rd threatened between El Camino del Cerro and Ina Rd. Possible damage to bridge abutments along entire reach.
- 12.00 ft
- Bank erosion likely outside soil cement protection, maily on left bank just downstream of Christopher Columbus Park and north of El Camino del Cerro. Inundation of gravel pits downstream towards the Rillito River begins.
- 11.00 ft
- Low areas of the Santa Cruz River Trail are inundated.
- −0.50 ft
- Right now
Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22.20 ft | October 2, 1983 |
| 2 | 11.67 ft | January 19, 1993 |
| 3 | 11.67 ft | August 23, 2005 |
| 4 | 10.72 ft | July 31, 2007 |
| 5 | 10.21 ft | September 15, 2011 |
| 6 | 9.83 ft | July 31, 2010 |
| 7 | 8.90 ft | August 23, 1988 |
| 8 | 8.52 ft | July 31, 2006 |
| 9 | 8.32 ft | July 24, 1990 |
| 10 | 7.81 ft | October 23, 2000 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
Map
Other gauges on the Santa Cruz River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz River near LochielRiver gauge, Santa Cruz River | 0.0 cfs | Low | ±0 | 64 mi |
| Santa Cruz River near NogalesRiver gauge, Santa Cruz River | 7.9 cfs | Normal | −5.0 cfs | 61 mi |
| Santa Cruz River at TubacRiver gauge, Santa Cruz River | 21.13 ft | Below flood stage | −0.21 ft | 42 mi |
| Santa Cruz River at ContinentalRiver gauge, Santa Cruz River | 1.13 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 24 mi |
| Santa Cruz River at Silverlake Road, at TucsonRiver gauge, Santa Cruz River | 24.46 ft | No reference yet | −0.01 ft | 1.5 mi |
| Santa Cruz River at CortaroRiver gauge, Santa Cruz River | 8.39 ft | Below flood stage | +0.20 ft | 11 mi |
| Santa Cruz River at Trico Road, near MaranaRiver gauge, Santa Cruz River | 2.70 ft | Below flood stage | +0.24 ft | 25 mi |
| Santa Cruz River near LaveenRiver gauge, Santa Cruz River | 0.0 cfs | Normal | ±0 | 98 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rillito Creek at Dodge Boulevard, at TucsonRiver gauge, Rillito Creek | 3.11 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 5.2 mi |
| Sabino Creek near TucsonRiver gauge, Sabino Creek | 1.10 ft | Below flood stage | +0.01 ft | 12 mi |
| Rincon Creek near TucsonRiver gauge, Rincon Creek | 0.0 cfs | Normal | ±0 | 22 mi |
| Pantano Wash near VailRiver gauge, Pantano Wash | 0.2 cfs | Low | ±0 | 22 mi |
| Brawley Wash near Three PointsRiver gauge, Brawley Wash | 5.68 ft | Below flood stage | +0.01 ft | 23 mi |
| Barrel Canyon near SonoitaRiver gauge, Barrel Canyon | 0.0 cfs | Normal | ±0 | 30 mi |
| San Pedro River at Redington Bridge near RedingtonRiver gauge, San Pedro River | 6.74 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 33 mi |
Questions and answers
What is flood stage for the Santa Cruz River at Tucson?
The official flood stage is 12.00 ft. The level is currently 12.50 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 Santa Cruz River at Tucson today?
On Oct 19, 2026, 12:45 PM MST, the water level was −0.50 ft. Down 0.50 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is Santa Cruz River at Tucson rising or falling?
Down 0.50 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is the level of Santa Cruz River at Tucson normal?
Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at Santa Cruz River at Tucson?
The highest level on record is 22.20 ft on October 2, 1983.
Is Santa Cruz River at Tucson expected to rise?
The forecast expects the river to fall to −0.46 ft by Monday, October 19 at 08:00 AM.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Station code
usgs:09482500(Agency page)- Coordinates
32.22121, -110.98179(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 | −0.50 ft | 2026-10-19 19:45 | Provisional |
| Flow | 0.0 cfs | 2026-10-19 19:45 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Santa Cruz River at Tucson (usgs:09482500). Accessed October 19, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/arizona/santa-cruz-river-at-tucson
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