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Truckee River near Truckee

Highest listed crest 10.03 ftFlood stage 5.5 ft16 crests since 1950

The Truckee River near Truckee crested at major flood stage 3 times among the 16 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1950 to 2022. The highest, 10.03 ft on January 2, 1997, was major flooding, 4.53 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
10.03 ft
January 2, 1997; 11,900 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
5.5 ft
Major flooding from 7.5 ft
Crests at major
3
19th of 106 gauges in California
Most recent flood crest
January 8, 2017
6.53 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Placer County
Near Truckee (3.8 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 near Truckee
Action stage4.57Apr 7, 2018The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)5.52Dec 20, 1981Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage6.53Jan 8, 2017Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage7.53Jan 2, 1997Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

16 crests from 1950 to 2022. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Truckee River near Truckee, 1950 to 2022 4681012ft Flood stage 5.5 ftMajor 7.5 ft Nov 20, 1950: 7.28 ft, moderate flooding; 6,480 cubic feet per secondJun 5, 1952: 4.75 ft, action stage; 2,640 cubic feet per secondDec 23, 1955: 7.98 ft, major flooding; 7,760 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 1958: 4.97 ft, action stage; 2,920 cubic feet per secondFeb 1, 1963: 9.59 ft, major flooding; 11,000 cubic feet per secondJan 13, 1980: 6.34 ft, minor flooding; 4,900 cubic feet per secondDec 20, 1981: 6.25 ft, minor flooding; 4,760 cubic feet per secondJan 2, 1997: 10.03 ft, major flooding; 11,900 cubic feet per secondJun 13, 1998: 4.72 ft, action stage; 2,600 cubic feet per secondMay 19, 2005: 4.53 ft, action stage; 2,370 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 2005: 7.02 ft, moderate flooding; 6,030 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 2017: 6.53 ft, moderate flooding; 5,210 cubic feet per secondFeb 8, 2017: 5.36 ft, action stage; 3,450 cubic feet per secondMay 5, 2017: 4.91 ft, action stage; 2,850 cubic feet per secondApr 7, 2018: 5.32 ft, action stage; 3,390 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 2022: 4.48 ft, below flood stage; 2,310 cubic feet per second Highest, 10.03 ft, Jan 2, 1997 19501960197019801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Truckee River near Truckee 1950s: 2 2 1960s: 1 1970s: 0 1980s: 2 1990s: 1 2000s: 1 2010s: 1 2020s: 0 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 near Truckee
1Jan 2, 199710.03+4.53Major11,900
2Feb 1, 19639.59+4.09Major11,000
3Dec 23, 19557.98+2.48Major7,760
4Nov 20, 19507.28+1.78Moderate6,480
5Dec 31, 20057.02+1.52Moderate6,030
6Jan 8, 20176.53+1.03Moderate5,210
7Jan 13, 19806.34+0.84Minor4,900
8Dec 20, 19816.25+0.75Minor4,760
9Feb 8, 20175.36−0.14Action3,450
10Apr 7, 20185.32−0.18Action3,390
11May 18, 19584.97−0.53Action2,920
12May 5, 20174.91−0.59Action2,850
13Jun 5, 19524.75−0.75Action2,640
14Jun 13, 19984.72−0.78Action2,600
15May 19, 20054.53−0.97Action2,370
16Dec 31, 20224.48−1.02Below flood stage2,310

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: 10.03 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
  • Tahoe CityCA · Jan 2, 1997 · 9.59 ft · Major · its highest
  • Derby DamNV · Jan 3, 1997 · 14.99 ft · Minor · its highest

February 1, 1963: 9.59 ft here, major flooding

  • VistaNV · Feb 1, 1963 · 23.46 ft · Major · its highest
  • NixonNV · Feb 2, 1963 · 13.30 ft · Major
  • Derby DamNV · Feb 1, 1963 · 14.78 ft · Minor
  • FaradCA · Feb 1, 1963 · 11.80 ft · Minor

December 23, 1955: 7.98 ft here, major flooding

  • NixonNV · Dec 24, 1955 · 13.16 ft · Major
  • FaradCA · Dec 23, 1955 · 12.98 ft · Moderate

Gauges on the Truckee River

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

Flood gauges on the Truckee River
Tahoe CityCA8.09.59 ft, Jan 2, 19971
Truckee this gaugeCA5.510.03 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
Tahoe City8.09.59 ft, Jan 2, 19971
Sunnyside8.09.74 ft, Jan 1, 19974

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge TRCC1, 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.