SNOFLO



SANTA CLARA RIVER

RIVER LEVELS
April 18, 2025


Winter Weather Advisory
2025-04-19T12:00:00-06:00

* WHAT...Snow expected. Total snow accumulations between 3 and 7 inches. * WHERE...Castle Rock. * WHEN...From 3 PM this afternoon to noon MDT Saturday. * IMPACTS...Snow covered roads could make travel hazardous. The hazardous conditions will impact the Friday evening commute.


Total streamflow across the Santa Clara River was last observed at 36 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 72 acre-ft of water today; about 65% of normal. River levels are low and may signify a drought. Average streamflow for this time of year is 56 cfs, with recent peaks last observed on 2023-03-16 when daily discharge volume was observed at 6,163 cfs.

Maximum discharge along the river is currently at the Santa Clara River Abv Baker Res Nr Central reporting a streamflow rate of 13.7 cfs. This is also the highest stage along the Santa Clara River, with a gauge stage of 11.13 ft at this location. This river is monitored from 3 different streamgauging stations along the Santa Clara River, the highest being situated at an altitude of 6,630 ft, the Santa Clara River Near Pine Valley.

Last Updated 2025-04-18
Discharge Volume 72 ACRE-FT
Streamflow 36.4 cfs
+10.5 cfs (+40.54%)
Percent of Normal 65.23%
Maximum 6,163.3 cfs
2023-03-16
Seasonal Avg 56 cfs
       
River Streamflow Levels
Created with Highcharts 8.0.0Total River Discharge (cfs)9. Apr10. Apr11. Apr12. Apr13. Apr14. Apr15. Apr16. Apr17. Apr18. Apr02040
Seasonal Discharge Comparison
Created with Highcharts 8.0.0Total River Discharge (cfs)1. Jan1. Feb1. Mar1. Apr1. May1. Jun1. Jul1. Aug1. Sep1. Oct1. Nov1. Dec1. Jan02.5k5k7.5k
Maximum Streamflow Discharge
Created with Highcharts 8.0.0YearAnnual Peak Discharge(cfs)20102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026101001k10k

Weather Forecast

Streamflow Elevation Profile
Created with Highcharts 8.0.0

The Santa Clara River (Spanish: Río Santa Clara) is 83 miles (134 km) long, and is one of the most dynamic river systems in Southern California. The river drains parts of four ranges in the Transverse Ranges System north and northwest of Los Angeles, then flows west onto the Oxnard Plain and into the Santa Barbara Channel of the Pacific Ocean.
The watershed has provided habitat for a wide array of native plants and animals and has historically supplied humans with water, fish, and fertile farmland. The northern portion of the watershed was home to the Tataviam people while the southern portion was occupied by the Chumash people. Much of the Santa Clara River Valley is used for agriculture which has limited the use of structural levees to separate the natural floodplain from the river. Although it is one of the least altered rivers in Southern California, some levees exist where the river flows through areas of significant urban development.