The extreme hydrologic response of gravelly, sandy soils in the Carnation Creek watershed is examined from observations at 12 standpipe piezometers. The nearly continuous piezometric data are reported as a time series of monthly maximum readings. Ten locations of measurement appear to exhibit an upper limit to the pore water pressure head that is independent of rainfall intensity and duration. Two locations exhibit artesian pressures that appear directly influenced by rainfall characteristics and may last for several hours. We found the impact of individual storms to be highly variable. The spatial variation in hydrologic response is attributed to the influence of preferential flow paths in the soil matrix. ¿ 2000 American Geophysical Union