Salinas River near Bradley, CA

River level and flood forecast · Monterey County

Normal2.7 ftas of Mon 7:30 PM

The river is 11.3 ft below flood stage (14 ft).

Forecast to hold near 2.7 ft through Sat, Oct 17, 5 AM.

Flow: 69 cubic feet per second (USGS).

River camera

Salinas River near Bradley, CA: the newest picture from the USGS camera — Taken Mon 6:45 PM
Watch the time-lapse

Camera by the U.S. Geological Survey. Most take a picture every hour, some every few minutes; many stop at night.

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.

Get flood alerts for this river

An email when the National Weather Service forecasts Salinas River near Bradley to flood, when it floods, and when it's over.

Flood stages

Major flood stage	22 ft
Moderate flood stage	20 ft
Flood stage	14 ft
Action stage	12 ft
Record crest (March 11, 1995)	23.44 ft

What floods at each level

From the National Weather Service, highest first.

23.4 ftFLOOD STAGE OF RECORD. March 11th, 1995, 120,000 cfs. Extensive flood damage to roads and agricultural land in the Salinas Valley. 100,000 arces inundated in the Salinas Valley with as least 2,000 acres permanently destroyed by erosion and sediment depostion.
23 ftDisastrous flooding occurs across wide expanses of agricultural land in the Salinas Valley, including damage due to erosion and sediment deposition. At least 90,000 acres of farm land is inundated in the Salinas Valley. Salinas Valley travel is impossible. Some residences along the lower portions of Bradley, San Ardo, San Lucas, King City, Greenfield and Soledad are in danger of flooding.
22 ftMajor Flood Stage. Major flooding occurs along the lower portions of Bradley, San Ardo, San Lucas, King City, Greenfield and Soledad. Most primary and secondary roads are flooded making travel in the Salinas Valley very difficult. Widespread flooding occurs at the San Ardo oil fields. Water and sewage treatment plants along the upper Salinas River are in danger of flooding. Major damage continues to a wide expanse of agricultural land in the Salinas Valley with at least 40,000 acres inundated.
20 ftModerate Flood Stage. Moderate flooding occurs along the lower portions of Bradley, San Ardo, San Lucas, King City, Greenfield and Soledad. Many of the secondary roads and some of the primary roads along the Salinas River will flood. Major damage due to erosion and sediment deposition with 15,000 acres possibly inundated in the Salinas Valley. Major damage to agricultural land along the upper Salinas River is expected.
18 ftMinor flooding begins at the San Ardo oil fields. Significant flooding of lowest portions of towns within the reach of the gage (from Bradley to Soledad). Flooding of secondary roads begins along the reach. Significant flooding of agricultural land within the reach. Minor damage due to erosion and sediment deposition.
16 ftMinor flooding of agricultural land is expected. The lower portions of the San Ardo oil fields is close to flooding.
14 ftMinor Flood Stage. Right bank overflows at gage. San Ardo oil fields in danger of flooding.
12 ftAction Stage.

Highest crests on record

23.44 ft — March 11, 1995
20.34 ft — February 24, 1969
19.64 ft — January 10, 2023
19.63 ft — March 11, 2023
18.68 ft — February 10, 1978

Recent crests: 17.3 ft (March 15, 2023) · 19.63 ft (March 11, 2023) · 19.64 ft (January 10, 2023) · 4.89 ft (December 20, 2021) · 4.88 ft (January 29, 2021)

Up and down the river, and nearby

See it on the live map →Radar & warnings for Monterey County NWS gauge page USGS gauge 11150500

Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (BRDC1); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.