USGS Streamgage 11156500
San Benito River near Willow Creek School, CA
San Benito River near Willow Creek School, CA is USGS streamgage 11156500 in California, monitoring river discharge in hydrologic subbasin 18060002. It sits on the San Benito River, alongside 1 other gauge Rivermatics tracks on the same river. It drains a watershed of about 250 square miles. Discharge records at this site go back to 1938. Typical flow runs near 1.6 cfs in July and 11 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
- 250 sq mi
- Gauge elevation
- 905 ft
- Subbasin (HUC-8)
- 18060002
- Coordinates
- 36.61413, -121.21136
- USGS site number
- 11156500
- Records begin
- 1938-02-01 (88 years)
- Rivermatics forecast
- 14-day flow outlook
14-day flow forecast
Based on observations through for San Benito River near Willow Creek School, 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.
| Date | Low p10 | Expected p50 | High p90 | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | ||
| 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | ||
| 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | ||
| 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.3 | ||
| 0 | 0.2 | 0.3 | ||
| 0 | 0.2 | 0.3 | ||
| 0 | 0.2 | 0.3 | ||
| 0 | 0.2 | 0.3 | ||
| 0 | 0.2 | 0.3 | ||
| 0 | 0.2 | 0.3 | ||
| 0 | 0.2 | 0.3 | ||
| 0 | 0.2 | 0.3 | ||
| 0 | 0.2 | 0.3 | ||
| 0 | 0.2 | 0.3 |
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 87 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 | 1 | 7.7 | 63.3 | |
| February | 1.3 | 10.1 | 162.7 | |
| March | 1.3 | 12.4 | 188.2 | |
| April | 0.7 | 11 | 95 | |
| May | 0.5 | 8.7 | 54.2 | |
| June | 0.1 | 5 | 51.7 | |
| July | 0.1 | 1.6 | 46.9 | |
| August | 0.1 | 0.8 | 50.9 | |
| September | 0.1 | 0.7 | 40.5 | |
| October | 0.1 | 0.9 | 22.2 | |
| November | 0.1 | 2.1 | 15.9 | |
| December | 0.2 | 4 | 25.3 |
All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).
Common questions
- When does San Benito River near Willow Creek School, CA normally run highest?
- March, on the long-term record. The median daily flow that month is about 12.4 cfs, against 0.7 cfs in September, the lowest month. These are historical normals for the date, not a forecast and not today's reading.
- What is a normal flow for San Benito River near Willow Creek School, CA?
- It depends on the month. In January, half of days historically fall near 7.7 cfs, with the middle 80% of days between 1 and 63.3 cfs. The month-by-month table on this page gives the full range.
- How long has San Benito River near Willow Creek School, CA been measured?
- Discharge records at USGS site 11156500 begin in 1938, about 88 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 San Benito River near Willow Creek School, 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 San Benito River near Willow Creek School, CA?
- The gauge sits at 36.61413, -121.21136, in California, in hydrologic subbasin 18060002, at an elevation of about 905 feet, draining roughly 250 square miles.
- Can I use San Benito River near Willow Creek School, 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 San Benito River
Every gauge Rivermatics tracks on this river, ordered by drainage area — upstream first. See the San Benito River in full.
- San Benito River near Willow Creek School, CA this page
- San Benito River below Hospital Rd Bridge near Hollister, CA 596 sq mi