Santa Maria

Watershed Hydrology

The Santa Maria watershed is located in central California and covers an area of approximately 2,400 square miles. It is a critical source of water for the region and is home to several reservoirs, including Lake Cachuma and Twitchell Reservoir. The hydrology of the watershed is heavily influenced by snowmelt from the surrounding mountains, which provides much of the surface water for the area. In recent years, there has been a trend of decreasing snowpack in the watershed, which has led to concerns about future water availability. The reservoirs in the watershed contain a variety of constituents, including sediment, nutrients, and algae, which can have impacts on water quality. The climate of the area is characterized by hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. However, in recent years, there has been a trend of increasing temperatures and decreasing precipitation, which could have significant impacts on the hydrology of the watershed in the future.


Surface Flows

Santa Maria Watershed

Snowpack Depths

Santa Maria Watershed

Dams & Reservoirs

Santa Maria Watershed

Groundwater Levels

Santa Maria Watershed

Santa Maria Rivers

Rivers of the Watershed