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Susan River at Susanville

Highest listed crest 18.83 ftFlood stage 12.0 ft30 crests since 1903

The Susan River at Susanville crested at major flood stage 12 times among the 30 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1903 to 2025. The highest, 18.83 ft on January 24, 1970, was major flooding, 6.83 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
18.83 ft
January 24, 1970; 5,850 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
12.0 ft
Major flooding from 14.0 ft
Crests at major
12
2nd of 106 gauges in California
Most recent flood crest
February 4, 2025
13.67 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Lassen County
Near Susanville (2.3 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Susan River at Susanville
Action stage10.57Nov 23, 2024The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)12.03Mar 26, 1971Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage13.06Feb 4, 2025Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage14.012Feb 10, 2017Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

30 crests from 1903 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Susan River at Susanville, 1903 to 2025 101214161820ft Flood stage 12.0 ftMajor 14.0 ft Mar 30, 1903: 12.19 ft, minor flooding; 2,280 cubic feet per secondFeb 22, 1904: 11.98 ft, action stage; 2,190 cubic feet per secondNov 19, 1950: 11.03 ft, action stage; 1,800 cubic feet per secondApr 4, 1952: 11.35 ft, action stage; 1,930 cubic feet per secondJan 9, 1953: 12.14 ft, minor flooding; 2,260 cubic feet per secondDec 23, 1955: 14.81 ft, major flooding; 3,540 cubic feet per secondFeb 24, 1957: 10.77 ft, action stage; 1,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 24, 1958: 14.35 ft, major flooding; 3,300 cubic feet per secondFeb 8, 1960: 10.98 ft, action stage; 1,780 cubic feet per secondJan 31, 1963: 15.48 ft, major flooding; 3,900 cubic feet per secondDec 22, 1964: 17.48 ft, major flooding; 5,100 cubic feet per secondJan 21, 1969: 14.13 ft, major flooding; 3,190 cubic feet per secondJan 24, 1970: 18.83 ft, major flooding; 5,850 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 1971: 12.72 ft, minor flooding; 2,520 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 1974: 14.15 ft, major flooding; 3,200 cubic feet per secondJan 13, 1980: 15.25 ft, major flooding; 3,770 cubic feet per secondNov 23, 1981: 16.51 ft, major flooding; 4,560 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1983: 13.43 ft, moderate flooding; 2,850 cubic feet per secondFeb 17, 1986: 17.52 ft, major flooding; 5,120 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1989: 13.18 ft, moderate flooding; 2,730 cubic feet per secondJan 2, 1997: 17.57 ft, major flooding; 5,150 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 2005: 13.89 ft, moderate flooding; 3,071 cubic feet per secondDec 2, 2012: 13.71 ft, moderate flooding; 2,985 cubic feet per secondJan 9, 2017: 13.30 ft, moderate flooding; 2,786 cubic feet per secondFeb 10, 2017: 15.18 ft, major flooding; 3,734 cubic feet per secondMar 22, 2018: 10.00 ft, below flood stage; 1,415 cubic feet per secondOct 25, 2021: 10.27 ft, below flood stage; 1,513 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 2022: 11.03 ft, action stage; 1,801 cubic feet per secondNov 23, 2024: 11.19 ft, action stage; 1,864 cubic feet per secondFeb 4, 2025: 13.67 ft, moderate flooding; 2,964 cubic feet per second Highest, 18.83 ft, Jan 24, 1970 192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Susan River at Susanville 1900s: 1 1910s: 0 1920s: 0 1930s: 0 1940s: 0 1950s: 3 1960s: 3 1970s: 3 1980s: 5 5 1990s: 1 2000s: 1 2010s: 3 2020s: 1 1900s1910s1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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

Highest listed crests, Susan River at Susanville
1Jan 24, 197018.83+6.83Major5,850
2Jan 2, 199717.57+5.57Major5,150
3Feb 17, 198617.52+5.52Major5,120
4Dec 22, 196417.48+5.48Major5,100
5Nov 23, 198116.51+4.51Major4,560
6Jan 31, 196315.48+3.48Major3,900
7Jan 13, 198015.25+3.25Major3,770
8Feb 10, 201715.18+3.18Major3,734
9Dec 23, 195514.81+2.81Major3,540
10Feb 24, 195814.35+2.35Major3,300
11Mar 30, 197414.15+2.15Major3,200
12Jan 21, 196914.13+2.13Major3,190
13Dec 31, 200513.89+1.89Moderate3,071
14Dec 2, 201213.71+1.71Moderate2,985
15Feb 4, 202513.67+1.67Moderate2,964
16Mar 13, 198313.43+1.43Moderate2,850
17Jan 9, 201713.30+1.30Moderate2,786
18Mar 11, 198913.18+1.18Moderate2,730
19Mar 26, 197112.72+0.72Minor2,520
20Mar 30, 190312.19+0.19Minor2,280
21Jan 9, 195312.14+0.14Minor2,260
22Feb 22, 190411.98−0.02Action2,190
23Apr 4, 195211.35−0.65Action1,930
24Nov 23, 202411.19−0.81Action1,864
25Nov 19, 195011.03−0.97Action1,800
26Dec 31, 202211.03−0.97Action1,801
27Feb 8, 196010.98−1.02Action1,780
28Feb 24, 195710.77−1.23Action1,700
29Oct 25, 202110.27−1.73Below flood stage1,513
30Mar 22, 201810.00−2.00Below flood stage1,415

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge SUSC1, 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.