Rivermatics

USGS Streamgage 11152300

Salinas River near Chualar, CA

Salinas River near Chualar, CA is USGS streamgage 11152300 in California, monitoring river discharge in hydrologic subbasin 18060005. It sits on the Salinas River, alongside 2 other gauges Rivermatics tracks on the same river. It drains a watershed of about 4,042 square miles. Discharge records at this site go back to 1976. Typical flow runs near 56.7 cfs in July and 98.7 cfs in April, with the higher of the two arriving in April. Rivermatics issues a daily machine-learned flow outlook for this gauge, reaching 14 days ahead.

View live conditions & forecast →

Gauge details

State
California
Drainage area
4,042 sq mi
Gauge elevation
71 ft
Subbasin (HUC-8)
18060005
Coordinates
36.55357, -121.54939
USGS site number
11152300
Records begin
1976-10-01 (50 years)
Rivermatics forecast
14-day flow outlook

14-day flow forecast

Based on observations through for Salinas River near Chualar, CA. Each day carries a median estimate and the band the model expects the flow to fall within — not a single number to plan against. Forecasts are re-issued daily; see the live screen for the current outlook.

Forecast daily mean discharge in cubic feet per second, by date
Date Low p10 Expected p50 High p90 Range
73.9 80.1 86.8
69.3 82.3 97.8
67.2 82.8 102
63.8 81.1 102
58.3 78.1 99.8
51.9 76 99.6
34 70 96.1
25.2 66 94.7
21.1 63.2 94.1
9 53.7 96.2
6.9 50.1 99.6
6.8 50.8 103
3.9 40.1 98.4
0.6 18 93.6

All values in cubic feet per second (cfs). Estimates only — do not use them for navigation or for any safety, rescue, or emergency decision.

Typical flow by month

Long-term daily discharge percentiles from the USGS record (up to 50 years of data), averaged within each month. These describe the historical normal range — they are not a forecast and not today's reading.

Historical monthly discharge percentiles in cubic feet per second
Month Low p10 Typical p50 High p90 Range
January 0 56 2,709.7
February 0 179.3 4,196.9
March 0 187.2 3,500
April 0 98.7 1,576.2
May 0 57 379
June 0 47.8 150.4
July 0 56.7 119.9
August 0 54.9 117.7
September 0 44.6 125.4
October 0 1.2 94.7
November 0 6.3 130.3
December 0 20.5 359.7

All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).

Common questions

When does Salinas River near Chualar, CA normally run highest?
March, on the long-term record. The median daily flow that month is about 187.2 cfs, against 1.2 cfs in October, the lowest month. These are historical normals for the date, not a forecast and not today's reading.
What is a normal flow for Salinas River near Chualar, CA?
It depends on the month. In January, half of days historically fall near 56 cfs, with the middle 80% of days between 0 and 2,709.7 cfs. The month-by-month table on this page gives the full range.
How long has Salinas River near Chualar, CA been measured?
Discharge records at USGS site 11152300 begin in 1976, about 50 years, covering roughly 9,130 days of published daily values. The long record is what makes the monthly percentiles on this page meaningful.
Is there a flow forecast for Salinas River near Chualar, CA?
Yes. Rivermatics trains a machine-learned model — a temporal-fusion transformer — on this basin's observed flows, weather, and snowpack, and issues a daily flow outlook reaching 14 days ahead: a median estimate inside a confidence band, not a single number to bet on. Every forecast is scored against days the model never trained on, and that track record is published on the live gauge screen. Open live conditions to see the current outlook.
Where is Salinas River near Chualar, CA?
The gauge sits at 36.55357, -121.54939, in California, in hydrologic subbasin 18060005, at an elevation of about 71 feet, draining roughly 4,042 square miles.
Can I use Salinas River near Chualar, CA 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.

Upstream and downstream on the Salinas River

Every gauge Rivermatics tracks on this river, ordered by drainage area — upstream first. See the Salinas River in full.

Other gauges in this subbasin