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SwedenSalinas River near Spreckels water level
River gauge, Salinas River, California, United States
Right now
Below flood stage
Water level
- Flow
- 0.0 cfs
History
The forecast expects the river to rise to 3.91 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 03:00 AM. Issued Monday, October 19 at 06:40 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.
What this means
Water levels are unremarkable at Salinas River near Spreckels, where the gauge shows 2.81 ft.
It is 20.19 ft below the flood stage of 23.00 ft.
The level has held steady over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to rise to 3.91 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 03:00 AM. The 30-day range is 2.81 ft – 2.82 ft.
Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Highest on record
- 30.29 ftMarch 12, 1995
- Forecast peak
- 3.91 ftTuesday, October 20 at 03:00 AM
Paddling and fishing conditions
Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.
For reference, flood stage is 23.00 ft.
What happens at each level
- 30.29 ft
- 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.
- 30.00 ft
- Disastrous flooding 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.
- 29.00 ft
- Major flooding continues along the entire reach. Possible evacuations of Soledad, Gonzales, Chualar, 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.
- 28.00 ft
- Major Flood Stage. Major flooding of agricultural land within the reach of the gages. Major flooding begins along lower portions of Soledad, Gonzales, Chualar, 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.
- 27.00 ft
- Moderate flooding continues along the 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.
- 26.00 ft
- Moderate Flood Stage. Moderate flooding of agricultural land and lower portions of Soledad, Gonzales, Chualar, 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.
- 24.00 ft
- Significant flooding of the lowest portions of agricultural land begins within the reach of the gage. River Road and Spreckels Boulevard begin to flood.
- 23.00 ft
- Minor Flood Stage. 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.
- 19.00 ft
- Action Stage. Minor lowland flooding of agricultural land can be expected.
- 2.81 ft
- Right now
Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 30.29 ft | March 12, 1995 |
| 2 | 26.89 ft | March 13, 2023 |
| 3 | 26.51 ft | February 26, 1969 |
| 4 | 25.94 ft | March 17, 2023 |
| 5 | 25.00 ft | February 12, 1938 |
| 6 | 24.63 ft | January 13, 2023 |
| 7 | 24.54 ft | February 8, 1998 |
| 8 | 23.90 ft | February 8, 1937 |
| 9 | 23.44 ft | March 3, 1983 |
| 10 | 22.83 ft | January 18, 2023 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
Map
Other gauges on the Salinas River
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salinas River near Santa MargaritaRiver gauge, Salinas River | 0.0 cfs | Low | ±0 | 105 mi |
| Salinas River near BradleyRiver gauge, Salinas River | 2.56 ft | Below flood stage | −0.01 ft | 66 mi |
| Salinas River near King CityRiver gauge, Salinas River | 4.32 ft | No reference yet | 42 mi | |
| Salinas River near ChualarRiver gauge, Salinas River | 0.0 cfs | Normal | ±0 | 9 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reclamation Ditch near SalinasCanal gauge, Reclamation Ditch | 0.4 cfs | Very low | −0.1 cfs | 5.4 mi |
| Carmel R A Robles Del RioRiver gauge | 2.04 ft | Below flood stage | +0.01 ft | 11 mi |
| Carmel River near CarmelRiver gauge, Carmel River | 0.0 cfs | Normal | ±0 | 13 mi |
| Pajaro R A ChittendenRiver gauge | 2.22 ft | Below flood stage | −0.01 ft | 19 mi |
| Pajaro R A WatsonvilleRiver gauge | 4.0 cfs | Normal | +2.2 cfs | 19 mi |
| Salsipuedes Creek near WatsonvilleRiver gauge, Salsipuedes Creek | 2.7 cfs | Very high | +2.7 cfs | 20 mi |
| Corralitos C A FreedomRiver gauge | 0.0 cfs | Low | ±0 | 22 mi |
| Tres Pinos Creek near Tres PinosRiver gauge, Tres Pinos Creek | 0.0 cfs | Low | ±0 | 23 mi |
Questions and answers
What is flood stage for the Salinas River near Spreckels?
The official flood stage is 23.00 ft. The level is currently 20.19 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 Salinas River near Spreckels today?
On Oct 20, 2026, 07:00 AM PDT, the water level was 2.81 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is Salinas River near Spreckels rising or falling?
Steady over the last 24 hours.
Is the level of Salinas River near Spreckels normal?
Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.
What is the highest water level ever recorded at Salinas River near Spreckels?
The highest level on record is 30.29 ft on March 12, 1995.
Is Salinas River near Spreckels expected to rise?
The forecast expects the river to rise to 3.91 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 03:00 AM.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Station code
usgs:11152500(Agency page)- Coordinates
36.63107, -121.67245(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 | 2.81 ft | 2026-10-20 14:00 | Provisional |
| Flow | 0.0 cfs | 2026-10-20 14:00 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: Salinas River near Spreckels (usgs:11152500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/california/salinas-river-near-spreckels
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