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Eel River (CA) at Fernbridge

Highest listed crest 29.50 ftFlood stage 20.0 ft53 crests since 1937

The Eel River (CA) at Fernbridge crested at major flood stage 9 times among the 53 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1937 to 2025. The highest, 29.50 ft on December 23, 1964, was major flooding, 9.50 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the Eel River (CA) crested above flood stage within a week of it, 2 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
29.50 ft
December 23, 1964
Flood stage
20.0 ft
Major flooding from 25.0 ft
Crests at major
9
4th of 106 gauges in California
Most recent flood crest
February 3, 2025
21.08 ft, minor flooding
Location
Humboldt County
Near Fortuna (3.7 mi), Eureka (12.8 mi)

Flood stages

The thresholds the National Weather Service uses for this gauge today, and how many listed crests reached each.

Flood categories, Eel River (CA) at Fernbridge
Action stage14.012Jan 14, 2024The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)20.013Feb 3, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage22.018Nov 22, 2024Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage25.09Feb 27, 2019Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

53 crests from 1937 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Eel River (CA) at Fernbridge, 1937 to 2025 1015202530ft Flood stage 20.0 ftMajor 25.0 ft Dec 11, 1937: 25.40 ft, major floodingFeb 28, 1940: 24.43 ft, moderate floodingDec 27, 1945: 22.60 ft, moderate floodingJan 22, 1951: 23.15 ft, moderate floodingFeb 2, 1952: 22.50 ft, moderate floodingJan 9, 1953: 22.10 ft, moderate floodingDec 22, 1955: 27.70 ft, major floodingJan 16, 1956: 21.30 ft, minor floodingFeb 21, 1956: 22.65 ft, moderate floodingFeb 8, 1960: 24.85 ft, moderate floodingDec 23, 1964: 29.50 ft, major floodingJan 5, 1966: 24.20 ft, moderate floodingJan 24, 1970: 24.80 ft, moderate floodingJan 16, 1974: 26.33 ft, major floodingMar 30, 1974: 24.81 ft, moderate floodingMar 18, 1975: 21.90 ft, minor floodingJan 14, 1980: 20.36 ft, minor floodingDec 19, 1981: 23.70 ft, moderate floodingFeb 16, 1982: 20.60 ft, minor floodingDec 17, 1982: 20.60 ft, minor floodingJan 27, 1983: 23.60 ft, moderate floodingFeb 18, 1986: 26.00 ft, major floodingMar 13, 1987: 14.11 ft, action stageDec 10, 1987: 15.51 ft, action stageNov 23, 1988: 16.95 ft, action stageJan 8, 1990: 15.40 ft, action stageMar 5, 1991: 15.36 ft, action stageJan 1, 1993: 18.52 ft, action stageJan 21, 1993: 23.46 ft, moderate floodingJan 9, 1995: 25.31 ft, major floodingJan 14, 1995: 21.79 ft, minor floodingJan 1, 1997: 25.22 ft, major floodingJan 1, 2006: 25.39 ft, major flooding; 320,000 cubic feet per secondJan 20, 2010: 14.07 ft, action stageDec 29, 2010: 17.65 ft, action stageMar 28, 2012: 16.34 ft, action stageDec 2, 2012: 22.93 ft, moderate floodingMar 30, 2014: 14.21 ft, action stageDec 12, 2014: 17.86 ft, action stageFeb 7, 2015: 20.70 ft, minor floodingJan 18, 2016: 21.34 ft, minor floodingFeb 14, 2016: 20.01 ft, minor floodingDec 16, 2016: 20.47 ft, minor floodingJan 11, 2017: 24.94 ft, moderate floodingFeb 10, 2017: 23.00 ft, moderate floodingFeb 16, 2019: 20.02 ft, minor flooding; 165,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 27, 2019: 25.62 ft, major flooding; 325,300 cubic feet per secondOct 25, 2021: 13.23 ft, below flood stageDec 31, 2022: 21.80 ft, minor floodingMar 15, 2023: 22.35 ft, moderate floodingJan 14, 2024: 17.75 ft, action stageNov 22, 2024: 23.72 ft, moderate floodingFeb 3, 2025: 21.08 ft, minor flooding Highest, 29.50 ft, Dec 23, 1964 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Eel River (CA) at Fernbridge 1930s: 1 1940s: 2 1950s: 6 1960s: 3 1970s: 4 1980s: 6 1990s: 4 2000s: 1 2010s: 9 9 2020s: 4 1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  1. These are the crests the local National Weather Service office lists for the gauge: the highest on record and recent crests. Lesser floods between them may be missing, so counts by decade are a floor.
  2. Categories use today's flood stages. Levees, dams and channel changes since a crest can make old and new stages not directly comparable.

Highest crests

The 50 highest of 53 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Eel River (CA) at Fernbridge
1Dec 23, 196429.50+9.50Major—
2Dec 22, 195527.70+7.70Major—
3Jan 16, 197426.33+6.33Major—
4Feb 18, 198626.00+6.00Major—
5Feb 27, 201925.62+5.62Major325,300
6Dec 11, 193725.40+5.40Major—
7Jan 1, 200625.39+5.39Major320,000
8Jan 9, 199525.31+5.31Major—
9Jan 1, 199725.22+5.22Major—
10Jan 11, 201724.94+4.94Moderate—
11Feb 8, 196024.85+4.85Moderate—
12Mar 30, 197424.81+4.81Moderate—
13Jan 24, 197024.80+4.80Moderate—
14Feb 28, 194024.43+4.43Moderate—
15Jan 5, 196624.20+4.20Moderate—
16Nov 22, 202423.72+3.72Moderate—
17Dec 19, 198123.70+3.70Moderate—
18Jan 27, 198323.60+3.60Moderate—
19Jan 21, 199323.46+3.46Moderate—
20Jan 22, 195123.15+3.15Moderate—
21Feb 10, 201723.00+3.00Moderate—
22Dec 2, 201222.93+2.93Moderate—
23Feb 21, 195622.65+2.65Moderate—
24Dec 27, 194522.60+2.60Moderate—
25Feb 2, 195222.50+2.50Moderate—
26Mar 15, 202322.35+2.35Moderate—
27Jan 9, 195322.10+2.10Moderate—
28Mar 18, 197521.90+1.90Minor—
29Dec 31, 202221.80+1.80Minor—
30Jan 14, 199521.79+1.79Minor—
31Jan 18, 201621.34+1.34Minor—
32Jan 16, 195621.30+1.30Minor—
33Feb 3, 202521.08+1.08Minor—
34Feb 7, 201520.70+0.70Minor—
35Feb 16, 198220.60+0.60Minor—
36Dec 17, 198220.60+0.60Minor—
37Dec 16, 201620.47+0.47Minor—
38Jan 14, 198020.36+0.36Minor—
39Feb 16, 201920.02+0.02Minor165,700
40Feb 14, 201620.01+0.01Minor—
41Jan 1, 199318.52−1.48Action—
42Dec 12, 201417.86−2.14Action—
43Jan 14, 202417.75−2.25Action—
44Dec 29, 201017.65−2.35Action—
45Nov 23, 198816.95−3.05Action—
46Mar 28, 201216.34−3.66Action—
47Dec 10, 198715.51−4.49Action—
48Jan 8, 199015.40−4.60Action—
49Mar 5, 199115.36−4.64Action—
50Mar 30, 201414.21−5.79Action—

The worst floods along the Eel River (CA)

For this gauge's highest crests, the other gauges on the Eel River (CA) that crested above flood stage within a week.

December 23, 1964: 29.50 ft here, major flooding

  • ScotiaCA · Dec 23, 1964 · 72.00 ft · Major · its highest
  • Fort SewardCA · Dec 22, 1964 · 82.60 ft · Moderate · its highest

December 22, 1955: 27.70 ft here, major flooding

  • ScotiaCA · Dec 22, 1955 · 61.90 ft · Moderate

January 16, 1974: 26.33 ft here, major flooding

  • ScotiaCA · Jan 16, 1974 · 52.31 ft · Minor

Gauges on the Eel River (CA)

In USGS station-number order, which runs downstream within a river basin.

Flood gauges on the Eel River (CA)
Fort SewardCA70.082.60 ft, Dec 22, 19640
ScotiaCA51.072.00 ft, Dec 23, 19641
Fernbridge this gaugeCA20.029.50 ft, Dec 23, 19649

Other gauges in Humboldt County

Flood gauges in Humboldt County
Fort Seward70.082.60 ft, Dec 22, 19640
Scotia51.072.00 ft, Dec 23, 19641
Orleans38.050.25 ft, Dec 22, 19641
Arcata22.032.70 ft, Dec 22, 19642
Miranda33.046.00 ft, Dec 22, 19642
Hoopa48.057.00 ft, Dec 22, 19641
Bridgeville17.024.00 ft, Dec 22, 19642

Humboldt County: every hazard · River floods across the country · California

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge FRNC1, retrieved October 30, 2026. Stages in feet on the gauge's own datum, not elevation. Crests are as the National Weather Service lists them; preliminary values may be revised.