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Truckee River at Tahoe City

Highest listed crest 9.59 ftFlood stage 8.0 ft7 crests since 1969

The Truckee River at Tahoe City crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 7 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1969 to 2018. The highest, 9.59 ft on January 2, 1997, was major flooding, 1.59 feet above flood stage. 7 other gauges on the Truckee River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 5 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
9.59 ft
January 2, 1997; 2,690 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
8.0 ft
Major flooding from 9.5 ft
Crests at major
1
33rd of 106 gauges in California
Most recent flood crest
April 26, 2017
8.25 ft, minor flooding
Location
Placer County
Near Truckee (13.0 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Truckee River at Tahoe City
Action stage7.01Apr 10, 2018The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)8.04Apr 26, 2017Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage9.01Jun 19, 1969Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage9.51Jan 2, 1997Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

7 crests from 1969 to 2018. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Truckee River at Tahoe City, 1969 to 2018 7.588.599.510ft Flood stage 8.0 ftMajor 9.5 ft Jun 19, 1969: 9.32 ft, moderate flooding; 2,630 cubic feet per secondDec 26, 1983: 8.47 ft, minor flooding; 2,360 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1986: 8.84 ft, minor flooding; 2,450 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 1996: 8.45 ft, minor flooding; 2,350 cubic feet per secondJan 2, 1997: 9.59 ft, major flooding; 2,690 cubic feet per secondApr 26, 2017: 8.25 ft, minor flooding; 2,220 cubic feet per secondApr 10, 2018: 7.98 ft, action stage; 2,060 cubic feet per second Highest, 9.59 ft, Jan 2, 1997 19701980199020002010

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Truckee River at Tahoe City 1960s: 1 1970s: 0 1980s: 2 2 1990s: 2 2000s: 0 2010s: 1 1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s
  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, Truckee River at Tahoe City
1Jan 2, 19979.59+1.59Major2,690
2Jun 19, 19699.32+1.32Moderate2,630
3Mar 13, 19868.84+0.84Minor2,450
4Dec 26, 19838.47+0.47Minor2,360
5May 21, 19968.45+0.45Minor2,350
6Apr 26, 20178.25+0.25Minor2,220
7Apr 10, 20187.98−0.02Action2,060

The worst floods along the Truckee River

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

January 2, 1997: 9.59 ft here, major flooding

  • VistaNV · Jan 2, 1997 · 23.26 ft · Major
  • WadsworthNV · Jan 3, 1997 · 19.51 ft · Major · its highest
  • MogulNV · Jan 2, 1997 · 15.85 ft · Major · its highest
  • NixonNV · Jan 3, 1997 · 15.42 ft · Major · its highest
  • FaradCA · Jan 2, 1997 · 13.21 ft · Major
  • TruckeeCA · Jan 2, 1997 · 10.03 ft · Major · its highest
  • Derby DamNV · Jan 3, 1997 · 14.99 ft · Minor · its highest

Gauges on the Truckee River

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

Flood gauges on the Truckee River
Tahoe City this gaugeCA8.09.59 ft, Jan 2, 19971
TruckeeCA5.510.03 ft, Jan 2, 19973
FaradCA11.014.37 ft, Nov 21, 19504
MogulNV12.515.85 ft, Jan 2, 19971
RenoNV12.013.52 ft, Dec 31, 20050
VistaNV17.023.46 ft, Feb 1, 19634
TracyNV14.017.39 ft, Dec 31, 20050
Derby DamNV11.014.99 ft, Jan 3, 19970
WadsworthNV15.019.51 ft, Jan 3, 19971
NixonNV10.515.42 ft, Jan 3, 19974

Other gauges in Placer County

Flood gauges in Placer County
Tahoe City12.514.31 ft, Jan 9, 20170
Truckee5.510.03 ft, Jan 2, 19973
Sunnyside8.09.74 ft, Jan 1, 19974

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge TRTC1, 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.