Santa Cruz River at Congress Street, AZ
River level and flood forecast · Pima County
The river is 12.5 ft below flood stage (12 ft).
Forecast to hold near -0.5 ft through Sun, Oct 18, 4 AM.
Flow: 0 cubic feet per second (USGS).
The last 7 days and the forecast
NWS forecast issued Mon, Oct 12, 5:57 PM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.
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An email when the National Weather Service forecasts Santa Cruz River at Congress Street to flood, when it floods, and when it's over.
Flood stages
| Major flood stage | 15 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 13 ft |
| Flood stage | 12 ft |
| Action stage | 11 ft |
| Record crest (October 2, 1983) | 22.2 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 15 ftSections of soil-cement protectio overtopped and could fail, leading to widespread flooding.
- 13 ftSilverbell Rd threatened between El Camino del Cerro and Ina Rd. Possible damage to bridge abutments along entire reach.
- 12 ftBank 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 ftLow areas of the Santa Cruz River Trail are inundated.
Highest crests on record
- 22.2 ft — October 2, 1983
- 11.67 ft — August 23, 2005
- 11.67 ft — January 19, 1993
- 10.72 ft — July 31, 2007
- 10.21 ft — September 15, 2011
Recent crests: 10.21 ft (September 15, 2011) · 9.83 ft (July 31, 2010) · 5.76 ft (July 4, 2009) · 5.78 ft (July 20, 2008) · 10.72 ft (July 31, 2007)
Up and down the river, and nearby
- UpstreamSanta Cruz River at Green Valley, AZ
- DownstreamSanta Cruz River at Cortaro, AZ
- Rillito Creek at Dodge Boulevard, AZ
- Rillito Creek at La Cholla, AZ
- Canada del Oro Wash at Ina Road, AZ
- Tanque Verde Creek near Sabino Canyon Rd., AZ
- Pantano Wash at Broadway Blvd, AZ
- Sabino Creek near Sabino Dam, AZ
- Rincon Creek at Rincon Creek, AZ
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (TSCA3); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.