2025-12-20T00:00:00-07:00
...CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS THURSDAY AND FRIDAY... Strong northwest winds will spread across the northeast plains after sunrise today, with gusts 45 to 65 mph creating critical fire weather conditions despite somewhat marginal humidity values near 20%. Early Friday, westerly downslope winds will bring strong gusts to the Front Range mountains and foothills, with potential for these to spread into wind-favored portions of the adjacent lower elevations. Peak gusts of 70-90 mph are increasing in likelihood for the windiest locations (considerably lower for areas along and east of I-25). With a warmer and drier air mass in place, humidity values in the teens look to extend into much of the foothills, and certainly across the lower elevations. Such conditions may be a longer duration than usual, with potential for low humidity to extend into the evening hours prior to the arrival of a front. The National Weather Service in Denver has issued a Fire Weather Watch for wind and low relative humidity, which is in effect from Friday morning through Friday evening. * AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 215, 216, 241, 243, 245, 246 and 247. * TIMING...From Friday morning through late Friday evening. * WINDS...West 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 80 mph in and near the foothills. West 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 45 mph for areas roughly along and east of I-25. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 10 to 15%. * IMPACTS...Conditions will be favorable for rapid fire spread. Avoid outdoor burning and any activity that may produce a spark and start a wildfire.
Summary
Total streamflow across the
Nacimiento River
was last observed at
68
cfs, and is expected to yield approximately
135
acre-ft of water today; about 104%
of normal.
Average streamflow for this time of year is
66 cfs,
with recent peaks last observed
on
2023-03-11 when daily discharge volume was observed at
14,150 cfs.
Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the
Nacimiento R Bl Nacimiento Dam Nr Bradley Ca
reporting a streamflow rate of 64.8 cfs.
However, the streamgauge with the highest stage along the river is the
Nacimiento R Bl Sapaque C Nr Bryson Ca
with a gauge stage of 7.89 ft.
This river is monitored from 2 different streamgauging stations along the Nacimiento River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 819 ft, the
Nacimiento R Bl Sapaque C Nr Bryson Ca.
River Details
| Last Updated | 2025-12-18 |
| Discharge Volume | 135 ACRE-FT |
| Streamflow |
68.09 cfs
+1.67 cfs (+2.51%) |
| Percent of Normal | 103.66% |
| Maximum |
14,150.0 cfs
2023-03-11 |
| Seasonal Avg | cfs |
River Streamflow Levels
| Streamgauge | Streamflow | Gauge Stage | 24hr Change (%) | % Normal | Minimum (cfs) | Maximum (cfs) | Air Temp | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Nacimiento R Bl Sapaque C Nr Bryson Ca
USGS 11148900 |
3 cfs | 7.89 ft | 8.94 | |||||
|
Nacimiento R Bl Nacimiento Dam Nr Bradley Ca
USGS 11149400 |
65 cfs | 2.49 ft | 2.21 |
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Streamflow Elevation Profile
The river has played an important role in the history of the area, serving as a water source for the Salinan and Chumash tribes. Today, the Nacimiento River is used for recreational and agricultural purposes. The river is impounded by two major reservoirs, Lake Nacimiento and Lake San Antonio, which provide water for irrigation, drinking, and power generation. The Nacimiento River watershed is also home to several smaller dams and reservoirs, including the Nacimiento Dam and the San Antonio Dam. Recreational activities on the river include boating, fishing, and camping, while agriculture in the area primarily consists of vineyards, orchards, and crop farming. The river's hydrology is affected by droughts and seasonal rainfall patterns.