Rivermatics

USGS Streamgage 11145500

Salinas River near Santa Margarita, CA

Salinas River near Santa Margarita, CA is USGS streamgage 11145500 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 149 square miles. Discharge records at this site go back to 1922. Typical flow runs near 0.5 cfs in July and 10.8 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
149 sq mi
Gauge elevation
957 ft
Subbasin (HUC-8)
18060005
Coordinates
35.40875, -120.56701
USGS site number
11145500
Records begin
1922-04-01 (104 years)
Rivermatics forecast
14-day flow outlook

14-day flow forecast

Based on observations through for Salinas River near Santa Margarita, 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
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0

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 28 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 5.1 251.3
February 0.7 17.8 866.1
March 1.6 16.7 664.6
April 1 10.8 172.7
May 0.1 3.6 18
June 0 1.3 6.5
July 0 0.5 19.2
August 0 0 17.4
September 0 0 33.6
October 0 0.1 40.5
November 0 0.8 9.4
December 0 1.6 54.9

All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).

Common questions

When does Salinas River near Santa Margarita, CA normally run highest?
February, on the long-term record. The median daily flow that month is about 17.8 cfs, against 0 cfs in August, 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 Santa Margarita, CA?
It depends on the month. In January, half of days historically fall near 5.1 cfs, with the middle 80% of days between 0 and 251.3 cfs. The month-by-month table on this page gives the full range.
How long has Salinas River near Santa Margarita, CA been measured?
Discharge records at USGS site 11145500 begin in 1922, about 104 years, covering roughly 187 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 Santa Margarita, 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 Santa Margarita, CA?
The gauge sits at 35.40875, -120.56701, in California, in hydrologic subbasin 18060005, at an elevation of about 957 feet, draining roughly 149 square miles.
Can I use Salinas River near Santa Margarita, 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