TornadoLiveMap

Rillito Creek at La Cholla — water level right now

Pima County, Arizona · NWS gauge RICA3
Loading the latest reading…
–
current stage (ft)
 
11.93
record crest
set 1993-01-08
–
flood status
official NWS category
Official NOAA forecast → USGS data → Full US flood map →

Flood stages at this gauge

Where the water stands right now against the four official thresholds:

action · 12.3
Flood stageLevel (ft)What it means
Action stage12.3water is approaching flood level — time to pay attention

Highest floods on record here

#Crest (ft)Datevs. minor flood stage
111.931993-01-08—
28.981996-09-03—
38.671990-07-24—
46.652002-08-05—
56.561999-07-15—
66.481995-01-05—
76.362003-08-26—
85.761991-03-01—
95.631998-02-18—
105.551992-02-13—
115.482000-10-23—
125.271994-02-09—

Historic crests recorded at this gauge by the National Weather Service — the 12 highest on file.

Where this gauge is

The marker is this gauge; nearby gauges load live and are clickable.

Nearby river gauges

Canada del Oro Wash at Ina Road 3 mi away · loading… Rillito Creek at Dodge Boulevard 6 mi away · loading… Santa Cruz River at Congress Street 6 mi away · loading… Santa Cruz River at Cortaro 6 mi away · loading… Tanque Verde Creek near Sabino Canyon Rd. 10 mi away · loading… Pantano Wash at Broadway Blvd 12 mi away · loading…

Gauge details

NWS gauge IDRICA3
USGS site09486055
CountyPima
StateArizona
NWS forecast officeTucson
River forecast centerColorado Basin River Forecast Center
Coordinates32.303, -111.012
Time zoneMST7MST
Turn Around, Don't Drown. Six inches of moving water can knock you off your feet and twelve inches can float a car. Never drive around barricades or into water of unknown depth — most flood deaths happen in vehicles.

Questions about Rillito Creek at La Cholla

Is Rillito Creek at La Cholla flooding right now?

The live reading at the top of this page answers that: the gauge is compared against its official NWS flood stages every 15 minutes. Blue means normal, yellow is action stage, orange minor, red moderate and dark red major flooding.

What is flood stage for Rillito Creek at La Cholla?

action stage 12.3 ft. These are official National Weather Service thresholds set specifically for this gauge, not generic values.

What is the record flood at Rillito Creek at La Cholla?

The highest crest on file at this gauge is 11.93 ft, reached on 1993-01-08. The full list of the highest crests is in the table on this page.

Where does this data come from?

From the NOAA National Water Prediction Service, the official U.S. river gauge network — a U.S. government work in the public domain. Live stage is refreshed every 15 minutes; flood thresholds and historic crests are refreshed monthly. For life-safety decisions follow NWS Tucson and local emergency management.