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Napa River near St. Helena

Highest listed crest 23.61 ftFlood stage 18.0 ft53 crests since 1940

The Napa River near St. Helena crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 53 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1940 to 2023. The highest, 23.61 ft on December 31, 2005, was major flooding, 5.61 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the Napa River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
23.61 ft
December 31, 2005; 18,300 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
18.0 ft
Major flooding from 22.0 ft
Crests at major
1
33rd of 106 gauges in California
Most recent flood crest
February 27, 2019
19.50 ft, minor flooding
Location
Napa County
Near Santa Rosa (14.3 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Napa River near St. Helena
Action stage16.013Mar 10, 2023The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)18.02Feb 27, 2019Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage20.00—Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage22.01Dec 31, 2005Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

53 crests from 1940 to 2023. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Napa River near St. Helena, 1940 to 2023 510152025ft Flood stage 18.0 ftMajor 22.0 ft Feb 27, 1940: 14.50 ft, below flood stage; 11,700 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 1941: 11.64 ft, below flood stage; 7,870 cubic feet per secondJan 21, 1943: 11.43 ft, below flood stage; 7,600 cubic feet per secondDec 3, 1950: 11.90 ft, below flood stage; 7,680 cubic feet per secondDec 7, 1952: 12.47 ft, below flood stage; 8,950 cubic feet per secondJan 17, 1954: 11.75 ft, below flood stage; 8,020 cubic feet per secondDec 22, 1955: 15.17 ft, below flood stage; 12,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 24, 1958: 13.43 ft, below flood stage; 9,640 cubic feet per secondFeb 8, 1960: 14.48 ft, below flood stage; 11,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 13, 1962: 11.60 ft, below flood stage; 7,730 cubic feet per secondJan 31, 1963: 15.30 ft, below flood stage; 12,300 cubic feet per secondJan 5, 1965: 14.96 ft, below flood stage; 11,800 cubic feet per secondJan 5, 1966: 13.13 ft, below flood stage; 9,190 cubic feet per secondJan 21, 1967: 15.01 ft, below flood stage; 11,100 cubic feet per secondJan 13, 1969: 11.45 ft, below flood stage; 6,600 cubic feet per secondJan 24, 1970: 13.81 ft, below flood stage; 9,450 cubic feet per secondDec 3, 1970: 14.00 ft, below flood stage; 9,700 cubic feet per secondJan 16, 1973: 15.10 ft, below flood stage; 11,300 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 1974: 11.53 ft, below flood stage; 6,680 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 1975: 13.10 ft, below flood stage; 8,540 cubic feet per secondJan 16, 1978: 16.19 ft, action stage; 10,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 17, 1980: 14.00 ft, below flood stage; 7,200 cubic feet per secondDec 19, 1981: 16.30 ft, action stage; 10,000 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1983: 16.79 ft, action stage; 10,700 cubic feet per secondDec 25, 1983: 15.46 ft, below flood stage; 9,060 cubic feet per secondFeb 8, 1985: 14.08 ft, below flood stage; 7,390 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1991: 14.26 ft, below flood stage; 6,940 cubic feet per secondJan 20, 1993: 16.67 ft, action stage; 7,930 cubic feet per secondJan 9, 1995: 17.47 ft, action stage; 9,150 cubic feet per secondJan 14, 1995: 15.05 ft, below flood stage; 6,310 cubic feet per secondFeb 4, 1996: 14.46 ft, below flood stage; 5,800 cubic feet per secondJan 1, 1997: 17.70 ft, action stage; 13,100 cubic feet per secondJan 22, 1997: 17.00 ft, action stage; 11,360 cubic feet per secondJan 26, 1997: 14.10 ft, below flood stage; 6,761 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 1998: 16.60 ft, action stageDec 16, 2002: 16.47 ft, action stage; 10,200 cubic feet per secondDec 29, 2003: 14.92 ft, below flood stage; 7,760 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 2005: 23.61 ft, major flooding; 18,300 cubic feet per secondJan 1, 2008: 14.08 ft, below flood stage; 4,460 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 2009: 11.06 ft, below flood stage; 2,800 cubic feet per secondJan 20, 2010: 12.99 ft, below flood stage; 3,740 cubic feet per secondMar 20, 2011: 14.99 ft, below flood stage; 7,330 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 2012: 10.95 ft, below flood stage; 3,500 cubic feet per secondDec 23, 2012: 16.87 ft, action stage; 9,690 cubic feet per secondFeb 9, 2014: 8.77 ft, below flood stage; 2,200 cubic feet per secondDec 11, 2014: 15.63 ft, below flood stage; 5,540 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 2016: 13.85 ft, below flood stage; 4,520 cubic feet per secondFeb 7, 2017: 19.20 ft, minor flooding; 9,340 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 2018: 11.31 ft, below flood stage; 3,970 cubic feet per secondFeb 27, 2019: 19.50 ft, minor flooding; 9,570 cubic feet per secondOct 24, 2021: 16.82 ft, action stage; 7,560 cubic feet per secondJan 9, 2023: 16.71 ft, action stage; 7,630 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 2023: 16.61 ft, action stage; 7,070 cubic feet per second Highest, 23.61 ft, Dec 31, 2005 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Napa River near St. Helena 1940s: 0 1950s: 0 1960s: 0 1970s: 0 1980s: 0 1990s: 0 2000s: 1 2010s: 2 2 2020s: 0 1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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, Napa River near St. Helena
1Dec 31, 200523.61+5.61Major18,300
2Feb 27, 201919.50+1.50Minor9,570
3Feb 7, 201719.20+1.20Minor9,340
4Jan 1, 199717.70−0.30Action13,100
5Jan 9, 199517.47−0.53Action9,150
6Jan 22, 199717.00−1.00Action11,360
7Dec 23, 201216.87−1.13Action9,690
8Oct 24, 202116.82−1.18Action7,560
9Mar 13, 198316.79−1.21Action10,700
10Jan 9, 202316.71−1.29Action7,630
11Jan 20, 199316.67−1.33Action7,930
12Mar 10, 202316.61−1.39Action7,070
13Feb 21, 199816.60−1.40Action—
14Dec 16, 200216.47−1.53Action10,200
15Dec 19, 198116.30−1.70Action10,000
16Jan 16, 197816.19−1.81Action10,000
17Dec 11, 201415.63−2.37Below flood stage5,540
18Dec 25, 198315.46−2.54Below flood stage9,060
19Jan 31, 196315.30−2.70Below flood stage12,300
20Dec 22, 195515.17−2.83Below flood stage12,600
21Jan 16, 197315.10−2.90Below flood stage11,300
22Jan 14, 199515.05−2.95Below flood stage6,310
23Jan 21, 196715.01−2.99Below flood stage11,100
24Mar 20, 201114.99−3.01Below flood stage7,330
25Jan 5, 196514.96−3.04Below flood stage11,800
26Dec 29, 200314.92−3.08Below flood stage7,760
27Feb 27, 194014.50−3.50Below flood stage11,700
28Feb 8, 196014.48−3.52Below flood stage11,600
29Feb 4, 199614.46−3.54Below flood stage5,800
30Mar 4, 199114.26−3.74Below flood stage6,940
31Jan 26, 199714.10−3.90Below flood stage6,761
32Feb 8, 198514.08−3.92Below flood stage7,390
33Jan 1, 200814.08−3.92Below flood stage4,460
34Dec 3, 197014.00−4.00Below flood stage9,700
35Feb 17, 198014.00−4.00Below flood stage7,200
36Mar 6, 201613.85−4.15Below flood stage4,520
37Jan 24, 197013.81−4.19Below flood stage9,450
38Feb 24, 195813.43−4.57Below flood stage9,640
39Jan 5, 196613.13−4.87Below flood stage9,190
40Mar 21, 197513.10−4.90Below flood stage8,540
41Jan 20, 201012.99−5.01Below flood stage3,740
42Dec 7, 195212.47−5.53Below flood stage8,950
43Dec 3, 195011.90−6.10Below flood stage7,680
44Jan 17, 195411.75−6.25Below flood stage8,020
45Apr 4, 194111.64−6.36Below flood stage7,870
46Feb 13, 196211.60−6.40Below flood stage7,730
47Mar 30, 197411.53−6.47Below flood stage6,680
48Jan 13, 196911.45−6.55Below flood stage6,600
49Jan 21, 194311.43−6.57Below flood stage7,600
50Mar 22, 201811.31−6.69Below flood stage3,970

The worst floods along the Napa River

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

December 31, 2005: 23.61 ft here, major flooding

  • NapaCA · Dec 31, 2005 · 29.85 ft · Major

February 27, 2019: 19.50 ft here, minor flooding

  • NapaCA · Feb 27, 2019 · 26.47 ft · Moderate

Gauges on the Napa River

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

Flood gauges on the Napa River
St. Helena this gaugeCA18.023.61 ft, Dec 31, 20051
NapaCA25.030.50 ft, Mar 9, 19954

Other gauges in Napa County

Flood gauges in Napa County
Napa25.030.50 ft, Mar 9, 19954

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge SHEC1, 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.