USGS Streamgage 09512280
Cave Creek below Cottonwood Creek near Cave Creek, AZ
Cave Creek below Cottonwood Creek near Cave Creek, AZ is USGS streamgage 09512280 in Arizona, monitoring river discharge in hydrologic subbasin 15070102. It drains a watershed of about 83 square miles. Discharge records at this site go back to 1980. Typical flow runs near 0 cfs in July and 0.5 cfs in April, with the higher of the two arriving in April.
Gauge details
- State
- Arizona
- Drainage area
- 83 sq mi
- Gauge elevation
- 2,260 ft
- Subbasin (HUC-8)
- 15070102
- Coordinates
- 33.88704, -111.95419
- USGS site number
- 09512280
- Records begin
- 1980-10-01 (46 years)
Typical flow by month
Long-term daily discharge percentiles from the USGS record (up to 46 years of data), averaged within each month. These describe the historical normal range — they are not a forecast and not today's reading.
| Month | Low p10 | Typical p50 | High p90 | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0 | 0.9 | 14.7 | |
| February | 0 | 1.3 | 25.9 | |
| March | 0.1 | 1.4 | 22.6 | |
| April | 0 | 0.5 | 4.4 | |
| May | 0 | 0 | 1.4 | |
| June | 0 | 0 | 0.2 | |
| July | 0 | 0 | 0.7 | |
| August | 0 | 0 | 1.2 | |
| September | 0 | 0 | 1.3 | |
| October | 0 | 0 | 2.1 | |
| November | 0 | 0 | 2.7 | |
| December | 0 | 0.3 | 6.6 |
All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).
Common questions
- When does Cave Creek below Cottonwood Creek near Cave Creek, AZ normally run highest?
- March, on the long-term record. The median daily flow that month is about 1.4 cfs, against 0 cfs in May, the lowest month. These are historical normals for the date, not a forecast and not today's reading.
- What is a normal flow for Cave Creek below Cottonwood Creek near Cave Creek, AZ?
- It depends on the month. In January, half of days historically fall near 0.9 cfs, with the middle 80% of days between 0 and 14.7 cfs. The month-by-month table on this page gives the full range.
- How long has Cave Creek below Cottonwood Creek near Cave Creek, AZ been measured?
- Discharge records at USGS site 09512280 begin in 1980, about 46 years, covering roughly 9,126 days of published daily values. The long record is what makes the monthly percentiles on this page meaningful.
- Where is Cave Creek below Cottonwood Creek near Cave Creek, AZ?
- The gauge sits at 33.88704, -111.95419, in Arizona, in hydrologic subbasin 15070102, at an elevation of about 2,260 feet, draining roughly 83 square miles.
- Can I use Cave Creek below Cottonwood Creek near Cave Creek, AZ data for flood or safety decisions?
- No. Rivermatics provides estimates, not guarantees, and the readings and forecasts here may be delayed, inaccurate, or wrong. Do not use them for navigation or for any safety, rescue, or emergency decision. Check the National Weather Service and USGS directly, and use your own judgment.