« Back to Standard Rivers

Merced River at Pohono Bridge

Critical Stages
Action
10' - Flood
12.5' - Moderate
20' - Major

Latest Observation

Updated: 5:00 AM PST 12/18/25

Status: No Flooding

Stage: 1.96 ft

Flow: 0.105 kcfs

Forecast

TimeStage (ft)Flow (kcfs)
7 AM 12/18 2 0.112
8 AM 12/18 2 0.112
9 AM 12/18 2 0.112
10 AM 12/18 2 0.112
11 AM 12/18 2 0.112
12 PM 12/18 1.99 0.11
1 PM 12/18 1.99 0.11
2 PM 12/18 1.99 0.11
3 PM 12/18 1.99 0.11
4 PM 12/18 1.99 0.11
5 PM 12/18 1.99 0.11
6 PM 12/18 1.99 0.11
7 PM 12/18 1.99 0.11
8 PM 12/18 1.99 0.11
9 PM 12/18 1.98 0.108
10 PM 12/18 1.98 0.108
11 PM 12/18 1.98 0.108
12 AM 12/19 1.98 0.108
1 AM 12/19 1.98 0.108
2 AM 12/19 1.98 0.108
3 AM 12/19 1.98 0.108
4 AM 12/19 1.98 0.108
5 AM 12/19 1.98 0.108
6 AM 12/19 1.98 0.108
7 AM 12/19 1.98 0.108
8 AM 12/19 1.98 0.108
9 AM 12/19 1.97 0.107
10 AM 12/19 1.97 0.107
11 AM 12/19 1.97 0.107
12 PM 12/19 1.97 0.107
1 PM 12/19 1.97 0.107
2 PM 12/19 1.97 0.107
3 PM 12/19 1.97 0.107
4 PM 12/19 1.97 0.107
5 PM 12/19 1.97 0.107
6 PM 12/19 1.98 0.108
7 PM 12/19 2 0.112
8 PM 12/19 2.02 0.115
9 PM 12/19 2.04 0.119
10 PM 12/19 2.06 0.122
11 PM 12/19 2.09 0.128
12 AM 12/20 2.12 0.133
1 AM 12/20 2.16 0.141
2 AM 12/20 2.19 0.147
3 AM 12/20 2.23 0.156
4 AM 12/20 2.27 0.164
5 AM 12/20 2.3 0.171
6 AM 12/20 2.33 0.178
7 AM 12/20 2.36 0.185
8 AM 12/20 2.38 0.19
9 AM 12/20 2.4 0.195
10 AM 12/20 2.42 0.2
11 AM 12/20 2.44 0.205
12 PM 12/20 2.46 0.21
1 PM 12/20 2.47 0.213
2 PM 12/20 2.48 0.215
3 PM 12/20 2.48 0.215
4 PM 12/20 2.49 0.218
5 PM 12/20 2.5 0.22
6 PM 12/20 2.53 0.228
7 PM 12/20 2.56 0.236
8 PM 12/20 2.61 0.25
9 PM 12/20 2.67 0.267
10 PM 12/20 2.73 0.285
11 PM 12/20 2.81 0.309
12 AM 12/21 2.89 0.335
1 AM 12/21 2.99 0.368
2 AM 12/21 3.12 0.413
3 AM 12/21 3.3 0.481
4 AM 12/21 3.5 0.562
5 AM 12/21 3.69 0.645
6 AM 12/21 3.87 0.729
7 AM 12/21 4.07 0.828
8 AM 12/21 4.27 0.934
9 AM 12/21 4.44 1.03
10 AM 12/21 4.64 1.15
11 AM 12/21 4.81 1.25
12 PM 12/21 4.92 1.32
1 PM 12/21 5.02 1.39
2 PM 12/21 5.11 1.45
3 PM 12/21 5.2 1.51
4 PM 12/21 5.28 1.57
5 PM 12/21 5.35 1.62
6 PM 12/21 5.4 1.65
7 PM 12/21 5.43 1.67
8 PM 12/21 5.45 1.69
9 PM 12/21 5.47 1.7
10 PM 12/21 5.49 1.72
11 PM 12/21 5.51 1.73
12 AM 12/22 5.53 1.75
1 AM 12/22 5.56 1.77
2 AM 12/22 5.59 1.79
3 AM 12/22 5.62 1.82
4 AM 12/22 5.65 1.84
TimeStage (ft)Flow (kcfs)
5:00 AM 12/18 1.96 0.105
4:45 AM 12/18 1.97 0.107
4:30 AM 12/18 1.97 0.107
4:15 AM 12/18 1.97 0.107
4:00 AM 12/18 1.97 0.107
3:45 AM 12/18 1.97 0.107
3:30 AM 12/18 1.97 0.107
3:15 AM 12/18 1.97 0.107
3:00 AM 12/18 1.97 0.107
2:45 AM 12/18 1.97 0.107
2:30 AM 12/18 1.97 0.107
2:15 AM 12/18 1.97 0.107
2:00 AM 12/18 1.97 0.107
1:45 AM 12/18 1.97 0.107
1:30 AM 12/18 1.97 0.107
1:15 AM 12/18 1.97 0.107
1:00 AM 12/18 1.97 0.107
12:45 AM 12/18 1.97 0.107
12:30 AM 12/18 1.98 0.108
12:15 AM 12/18 1.97 0.107
12:00 AM 12/18 1.97 0.107
11:45 PM 12/17 1.97 0.107
11:30 PM 12/17 1.97 0.107
11:15 PM 12/17 1.97 0.107
11:00 PM 12/17 1.97 0.107
10:45 PM 12/17 1.97 0.107
10:30 PM 12/17 1.98 0.108
10:15 PM 12/17 1.98 0.108
10:00 PM 12/17 1.98 0.108
9:45 PM 12/17 1.98 0.108
Hydrograph for Merced River at Pohono Bridge
23.45' - Flood of record...1/3/97. $178 million damage to Yosemite Valley.
13.6' - Lift stations at Housekeeping Camp and Yosemite Creek flooded. Southside Drive at Chapel Meadow impassable.
12.5' - Northside Drive at Wosky Pond, El Capitan crossover, and Sentinel crossover are impassable to vehicles.
12' - Water on road at Northside Drive, Southside Drive, El Capitan crossover, Sentinel crossover, and Highway 140 near Cookie Cliff.
11.4' - Water begins to overtop road curbs on Northside Drive. Swinging Bridge overtops.
10' - Merced River at Pohono Bridge begins to rise out of its banks. Flood Stage.
9.5' - Lower Pines and Housekeeping Camp begin flooding.
7' - RIVER IS CLOSED TO RAFTERS AND FLOATATION DEVICES.
DateStage (ft)
Jan 3, 1997 23.43
Dec 23, 1955 21.52
Nov 19, 1950 20.98
Dec 11, 1937 20.1
Dec 23, 1964 16.96
Apr 11, 1982 13.11
Jan 13, 1980 13.01
May 16, 2005 12.54
May 30, 1983 12.1
May 22, 2023 12.08
Jun 18, 1983 11.62
Jun 5, 1995 10.7
Jun 9, 1978 10.19
Jun 13, 1996 10.14
Feb 16, 1982 9.91
May 31, 2003 9.56
May 14, 1984 8.94
Jan 1, 2023 8.05

Data provided by the National Weather Service.