San Lorenzo River (CA) at Big Trees, CA
River level and flood forecast · Santa Cruz County
The river is 13.4 ft below flood stage (16.5 ft).
Forecast to hold near 3.1 ft through Sat, Oct 17, 5 AM.
Flow: 15 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 San Lorenzo River (CA) at Big Trees to flood, when it floods, and when it's over.
Flood stages
| Major flood stage | 21.76 ft |
| Moderate flood stage | 19.5 ft |
| Flood stage | 16.5 ft |
| Action stage | 14 ft |
| Record crest (January 9, 2023) | 24.54 ft |
What floods at each level
From the National Weather Service, highest first.
- 21.76 ftMajor Flooding. At approximately 21.76 feet discharge in the San Lorenzo River is approximately 15,000 cfs. Major flooding in the Felton Grove neighborhood occurs at this stage, with roadways several feet deep and waters inundating the approaches to the Felton Covered Bridge. Felton Covered Bridge Park begins to experience widespread flooding at shallow depths. At 15,000 cfs, the City of Santa Cruz downstream will experience more serious flooding. The flood wave may take 2-3 hours to reach Santa Cruz.
- 19.5 ftModerate Flooding. The St. Bernard Street area in Paradise Park is under several feet of water, with below grade floodplain infrastructure several feet deeper. St. Augustine Avenue neighborhood in Paradise Park begins to flood. Flooding imminent or already occurring in the Felton Grove neighborhood. Ground stories, first floors, and garages flooded. Felton Covered Bridge Park begins to flood.
- 16.5 ftMinor Flooding. Flooding is either imminent or already occurring in Paradise Park, with initial flooding in the St. Bernard Street area.
- 14 ftAction Stage. Stage can rise rapidly on the San Lorenzo River, up to several feet per hour. Approximately 2.5 feet below flood levels in Paradise Park and approximately 5.5 feet below flood stage in Felton Grove.
Highest crests on record
- 24.54 ft — January 9, 2023
- 22.15 ft — December 31, 2022
- 21.83 ft — January 14, 2023
- 19.9 ft — March 10, 2023
- 16.9 ft — March 14, 2023
Recent crests: 16.9 ft (March 14, 2023) · 19.9 ft (March 10, 2023) · 21.83 ft (January 14, 2023) · 24.54 ft (January 9, 2023) · 22.15 ft (December 31, 2022)
Up and down the river, and nearby
Not an official source. River levels, forecasts, flood stages and impacts are from the National Weather Service (BTEC1); flow from the U.S. Geological Survey. Readings are provisional. In a flood, follow your local officials and the NWS at weather.gov.