TornadoLiveMap

Salt River at 51st Ave-Phoenix — water level right now

Maricopa County, Arizona · NWS gauge SFFA3
Loading the latest reading…
–
current stage (ft)
 
18
minor flood stage
 
14.3
record crest
set 2005-02-12
–
flood status
official NWS category
Official NOAA forecast → Full US flood map →

Flood stages at this gauge

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

action · 14
minor · 18
moderate · 20
major · 24
Flood stageLevel (ft)What it means
Major flood stage24extensive inundation and significant evacuations — a serious event
Moderate flood stage20some buildings and roads inundated; evacuations possible
Minor flood stage18low-lying roads and fields near the river start to flood
Action stage14water is approaching flood level — time to pay attention

Highest floods on record here

#Crest (ft)Datevs. minor flood stage
114.32005-02-123.7 below
26.772003-02-1511.23 below
35.822004-03-0512.18 below
43.122006-08-1214.88 below

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

Salt River at Priest Road-Tempe 12 mi away · loading… Indian Bend Wash at Sweetwater Rd 17 mi away · loading… Gila River near Maricopa 19 mi away · loading… Reata Pass Wash above Scottsdale 27 mi away · loading… Hassayampa River near Arlington 32 mi away · loading… Weekes Wash at Apache Junction 34 mi away · loading…

Gauge details

NWS gauge IDSFFA3
CountyMaricopa
StateArizona
NWS forecast officePhoenix
River forecast centerColorado Basin River Forecast Center
Coordinates33.404, -112.169
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 Salt River at 51st Ave-Phoenix

Is Salt River at 51st Ave-Phoenix 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. Minor flooding at this gauge begins at 18 ft. Blue means normal, yellow is action stage, orange minor, red moderate and dark red major flooding.

What is flood stage for Salt River at 51st Ave-Phoenix?

major flood stage 24 ft, moderate flood stage 20 ft, minor flood stage 18 ft, action stage 14 ft. These are official National Weather Service thresholds set specifically for this gauge, not generic values.

What is the record flood at Salt River at 51st Ave-Phoenix?

The highest crest on file at this gauge is 14.3 ft, reached on 2005-02-12 — that is -3.7 ft above minor flood stage. 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 Phoenix and local emergency management.