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S. Santiam River at Waterloo

Highest listed crest 24.50 ftFlood stage 12.0 ft15 crests since 1927

The S. Santiam River at Waterloo crested at major flood stage 10 times among the 15 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1927 to 2019. The highest, 24.50 ft on December 22, 1964, was major flooding, 12.50 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
24.50 ft
December 22, 1964; 95,200 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
12.0 ft
Major flooding from 16.0 ft
Crests at major
10
3rd of 100 gauges in Oregon
Most recent flood crest
February 7, 1996
13.09 ft, minor flooding
Location
Linn County
Near Lebanon (4.8 mi), Sweet Home (8.8 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, S. Santiam River at Waterloo
Action stage10.23Apr 12, 2019The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)12.01Feb 7, 1996Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage14.00—Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage16.010Dec 22, 1964Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

15 crests from 1927 to 2019. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the S. Santiam River at Waterloo, 1927 to 2019 10152025ft Flood stage 12.0 ftMajor 16.0 ft Feb 21, 1927: 19.40 ft, major floodingMar 31, 1931: 22.00 ft, major flooding; 70,000 cubic feet per secondJan 1, 1943: 20.10 ft, major floodingDec 28, 1945: 22.85 ft, major flooding; 74,200 cubic feet per secondNov 22, 1953: 20.20 ft, major floodingJan 18, 1954: 19.40 ft, major floodingDec 21, 1955: 19.60 ft, major floodingDec 11, 1956: 21.10 ft, major flooding; 69,300 cubic feet per secondFeb 10, 1961: 21.08 ft, major flooding; 69,200 cubic feet per secondDec 22, 1964: 24.50 ft, major flooding; 95,200 cubic feet per secondJan 15, 1974: 10.58 ft, action stage; 20,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 7, 1996: 13.09 ft, minor flooding; 29,200 cubic feet per secondNov 19, 1996: 11.31 ft, action stage; 22,000 cubic feet per secondNov 26, 1999: 10.08 ft, below flood stage; 18,600 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 2019: 11.96 ft, action stage; 25,500 cubic feet per second Highest, 24.50 ft, Dec 22, 1964 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, S. Santiam River at Waterloo 1920s: 1 1930s: 1 1940s: 2 1950s: 4 4 1960s: 2 1970s: 0 1980s: 0 1990s: 1 2000s: 0 2010s: 0 1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s
  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, S. Santiam River at Waterloo
1Dec 22, 196424.50+12.50Major95,200
2Dec 28, 194522.85+10.85Major74,200
3Mar 31, 193122.00+10.00Major70,000
4Dec 11, 195621.10+9.10Major69,300
5Feb 10, 196121.08+9.08Major69,200
6Nov 22, 195320.20+8.20Major—
7Jan 1, 194320.10+8.10Major—
8Dec 21, 195519.60+7.60Major—
9Feb 21, 192719.40+7.40Major—
10Jan 18, 195419.40+7.40Major—
11Feb 7, 199613.09+1.09Minor29,200
12Apr 12, 201911.96−0.04Action25,500
13Nov 19, 199611.31−0.69Action22,000
14Jan 15, 197410.58−1.42Action20,500
15Nov 26, 199910.08−1.92Below flood stage18,600

Other gauges in Linn County

Flood gauges in Linn County
Jefferson15.024.22 ft, Dec 22, 19642
Scio18.020.08 ft, Jan 19, 20121
Albany25.041.00 ft, Dec 4, 18612
Harrisburg14.023.00 ft, Dec 4, 18616

Linn County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Oregon

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge WTLO3, 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.