Pajaro River at Chittenden, CA
River level and flood forecast · Santa Cruz County
The river is 21.9 ft below flood stage (24.1 ft).
Forecast to hold near 2.2 ft through Sat, Oct 17, 5 AM.
Flow: 5 cubic feet per second (USGS).
The last 7 days and the forecast
NWS forecast issued Mon, Oct 12, 7:36 AM. Forecasts change as rain falls and as upstream water arrives.
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An email when the National Weather Service forecasts Pajaro River at Chittenden to flood, when it floods, and when it's over.
Flood stages
| Major flood stage | 27.1 ft |
| Flood stage | 24.1 ft |
| Action stage | 22 ft |
| Record crest (February 3, 1998) | 33.73 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 33.73 ftStage and flow of record. 02/03/1998. 25,100 cfs
- 29 ftLevees protecting Watsonville and Pajaro at risk of failure. Flooding throughout the Pajaro Valley.
- 27.1 ftMajor Flood Stage. Levees protecting Pajaro at risk of overtopping at lowest points or severely strained if sandbagged. Seepage likely throughout the levee system.
- 25.1 ftWater levels within 2 feet of top of levee protecting Pajaro.
- 24.1 ftMinor Flood Stage. Water levels within 3 feet of top of levee protecting Pajaro. Increased potential for seepage through levee at vulnerable locations.
- 22 ftAction Stage. Water beginning to rise onto levee slopes.
Highest crests on record
- 33.73 ft — February 3, 1998
- 32.2 ft — March 11, 1995
- 29.53 ft — January 3, 1997
- 29.11 ft — March 11, 2023
- 27.66 ft — January 10, 2023
Recent crests: 10.23 ft (January 5, 2026) · 17.68 ft (February 13, 2025) · 15.48 ft (February 8, 2024) · 29.11 ft (March 11, 2023) · 25.78 ft (January 17, 2023)
Up and down the river, and nearby
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (AROC1); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.