Rivermatics

3 USGS Streamgages · Colorado River system

Salt River flows and levels

Salt River is gauged at 3 USGS streamgages in Arizona, each tracked by Rivermatics. The mainstem runs about 334 miles (537 km) from headwaters to outlet. It drains into the Colorado River system. Drainage area at the gauges ranges from 2,849 square miles at Salt River near Chrysotile, AZ up to 6,232 at Salt River below Stewart Mountain Dam, AZ. The gauged reach falls about 1,980 feet, from 3,355 feet down to 1,375. Rivermatics issues a daily machine-learned 14-day flow outlook for every one of them.

Gauges on this river, upstream to downstream

Ordered by drainage area, which is how far down the river each gauge sits. April and July figures are long-term median daily flows for that month from the USGS record — historical normals, not a forecast and not today's reading.

USGS streamgages on this river, ordered upstream to downstream
Gauge State Drainage sq mi Elevation ft April p50 cfs July p50 cfs Forecast
Salt River near Chrysotile, AZ AZ 2,849 3,355 987.9 166.1 14-day
Salt River near Roosevelt, AZ AZ 4,306 2,179 1,208.1 209.3 14-day
Salt River below Stewart Mountain Dam, AZ AZ 6,232 1,375 789.3 1,313.5 14-day

Typical flow by month at Salt River below Stewart Mountain Dam, AZ

The furthest-downstream gauge on this river, so the fullest flow it carries here. Long-term daily discharge percentiles from the USGS record (up to 86 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 0.1 10.4 611.6
February 0.8 26.2 1,129.4
March 5.4 428.6 1,914.5
April 7.3 789.3 2,206.3
May 352.9 998.3 1,881.6
June 615.6 1,268 1,921.3
July 741.6 1,313.5 1,881
August 577.5 1,218.1 1,861.6
September 403.7 1,106.8 1,670
October 19.4 390.7 1,036.2
November 1.4 9.7 525.1
December 0.8 10.8 761.6

All values in cubic feet per second (cfs).

Common questions

When does the Salt River run highest?
July, on the long-term record at Salt River below Stewart Mountain Dam, AZ — the furthest-downstream gauge Rivermatics tracks on this river. Median daily flow there is about 1,313.5 cfs that month, against 9.7 cfs in November, the lowest. Upstream gauges peak on their own schedule; the table on this page gives April and July for each.
How many gauges are on the Salt River?
Rivermatics tracks 3 USGS streamgages on the Salt River, across Arizona. Each has its own page with the site's full flow record and monthly normals. The river may carry other gauges that publish neither daily values nor discharge statistics; those are not tracked here.
Is there a flow forecast for the Salt River?
Yes, at 3 of the 3 gauges. Rivermatics trains a machine-learned model — a temporal-fusion transformer — on each basin's observed flows, weather and snowpack, and issues a daily 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 each gauge's live screen.
What river system is the Salt River part of?
The Salt River drains into the Colorado River system — it is a tributary somewhere in that chain, following the flowpath down to its terminal river. Rivermatics builds this from the USGS/geoconnex reference-mainstem network rather than from names.
Can I use Salt River 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.

Other rivers in the Colorado River system

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