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Truckee River at Wadsworth

Highest listed crest 19.51 ftFlood stage 15.0 ft10 crests since 1970

The Truckee River at Wadsworth crested at major flood stage 1 time among the 10 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1970 to 2017. The highest, 19.51 ft on January 3, 1997, was major flooding, 4.51 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
19.51 ft
January 3, 1997; 19,100 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
15.0 ft
Major flooding from 19.0 ft
Crests at major
1
22nd of 46 gauges in Nevada
Most recent flood crest
February 10, 2017
15.23 ft, minor flooding
Location
Washoe County
Near Fernley (6.8 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 at Wadsworth
Action stage13.05May 18, 1996The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)15.01Feb 10, 2017Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage17.03Jan 9, 2017Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage19.01Jan 3, 1997Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

10 crests from 1970 to 2017. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Truckee River at Wadsworth, 1970 to 2017 1214161820ft Flood stage 15.0 ftMajor 19.0 ft Jan 24, 1970: 13.06 ft, action stage; 7,790 cubic feet per secondJan 14, 1980: 13.77 ft, action stage; 8,820 cubic feet per secondDec 20, 1981: 13.35 ft, action stage; 8,210 cubic feet per secondMar 13, 1983: 13.21 ft, action stage; 8,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 19, 1986: 18.38 ft, moderate flooding; 16,800 cubic feet per secondMay 18, 1996: 13.08 ft, action stage; 7,820 cubic feet per secondJan 3, 1997: 19.51 ft, major flooding; 19,100 cubic feet per secondDec 31, 2005: 17.33 ft, moderate flooding; 14,800 cubic feet per secondJan 9, 2017: 17.17 ft, moderate flooding; 14,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 10, 2017: 15.23 ft, minor flooding; 11,000 cubic feet per second Highest, 19.51 ft, Jan 3, 1997 19701980199020002010

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Truckee River at Wadsworth 1970s: 0 1980s: 1 1990s: 1 2000s: 1 2010s: 2 2 1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s
  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 Wadsworth
1Jan 3, 199719.51+4.51Major19,100
2Feb 19, 198618.38+3.38Moderate16,800
3Dec 31, 200517.33+2.33Moderate14,800
4Jan 9, 201717.17+2.17Moderate14,500
5Feb 10, 201715.23+0.23Minor11,000
6Jan 14, 198013.77−1.23Action8,820
7Dec 20, 198113.35−1.65Action8,210
8Mar 13, 198313.21−1.79Action8,000
9May 18, 199613.08−1.92Action7,820
10Jan 24, 197013.06−1.94Action7,790

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 3, 1997: 19.51 ft here, major flooding

  • VistaNV · Jan 2, 1997 · 23.26 ft · Major
  • 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
  • Tahoe CityCA · Jan 2, 1997 · 9.59 ft · Major · its highest
  • Derby DamNV · Jan 3, 1997 · 14.99 ft · Minor · its highest

February 19, 1986: 18.38 ft here, moderate flooding

  • VistaNV · Feb 18, 1986 · 22.00 ft · Major
  • NixonNV · Feb 19, 1986 · 13.94 ft · Major
  • Derby DamNV · Feb 19, 1986 · 14.51 ft · Minor

December 31, 2005: 17.33 ft here, moderate flooding

  • VistaNV · Dec 31, 2005 · 20.62 ft · Moderate
  • RenoNV · Dec 31, 2005 · 13.52 ft · Moderate · its highest
  • TruckeeCA · Dec 31, 2005 · 7.02 ft · Moderate
  • TracyNV · Dec 31, 2005 · 17.39 ft · Minor · its highest
  • Derby DamNV · Dec 31, 2005 · 14.13 ft · Minor
  • MogulNV · Dec 31, 2005 · 13.15 ft · Minor

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
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
Wadsworth this gaugeNV15.019.51 ft, Jan 3, 19971
NixonNV10.515.42 ft, Jan 3, 19974

Other gauges in Washoe County

Flood gauges in Washoe County
Verdi7.513.72 ft, Jan 1, 19973
Incline Village3.53.87 ft, Jan 2, 19970
Steamboat4.06.26 ft, Feb 17, 19862
Reno12.013.52 ft, Dec 31, 20050
Vista17.023.46 ft, Feb 1, 19634
Mogul12.515.85 ft, Jan 2, 19971
Nixon10.515.42 ft, Jan 3, 19974

Washoe County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Nevada

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge WADN2, 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.