Santa Maria River Flow Today
As of October 22, 2026 at 12:15 AM, the Santa Maria River is flowing at 75 cfs near Bagdad, AZ — 57% of normal for the date. ❤ Favorite
Santa Maria River map
See the Santa Maria River on a live map
Every gauge, dam and paddle run on the river, one tap each:
- Gauges now — which reaches are high or low
- Dams & paddle runs — storage and what’s in range
- Rain — past 24 hrs and the 72-hr forecast, press play
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Santa Maria River conditions today
Where the river is running versus normal, what’s rising or dropping, and what it means for a trip — built from the live USGS readings below.
At Bagdad, the Santa Maria River is running 75 cfs — 57% of normal. Along the river, 1 of 1 reporting gauges are below normal (the typical gauge is at 57% of normal).
Paddlers: 1 of 1 runs on the Santa Maria River with a live range are in range.
How the Santa Maria River compares to normal
Every reporting gauge from the top of the river to the bottom: bar length is today’s flow, colour is percent of normal for the date.
Flow along the river, upstream to downstream
- Bagdad1,375 ft 75 cfs57%
Bar length uses a square-root scale so small headwater flows stay visible next to big downstream ones. Colour: <50% 50–90 90–110 110–150 150%+ of normal.
Where every gauge sits
One dot per Santa Maria River streamgauge, placed by its own percent of normal. The line is the typical gauge (57%).
Santa Maria River flow report
| Streamgage | Streamflow | % of normal | 24h | Gage height | To flood stage | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Santa Maria River Near Bagdad AZ
Oct 22, 12:15 AM · USGS 09424900 |
75 cfs | 57% | 0% | 0.56 ft | 10.4 ft below | 1,375 ft |
USGS provisional data. Readings are in each gauge’s local time; gauges silent for more than 3 days are marked “Last reported”. Tap any gauge for its hydrograph, forecast and history.
Paddle runs on the Santa Maria River
1 of 1 run is in range right now. Each run is checked against its runnable range using the gauge it is keyed to (or the nearest gauge on this river).
| Run | Status | Flow now | Runnable range | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria River Gauge: Bagdad |
In range | 75 cfs | 7–123 cfs typical | · |
Santa Maria River streamflow over time
Daily total flow across every monitored gauge on the river (this total last updated earlier; the live gauge readings above are current).
Santa Maria River
The Santa Maria River is a river in central California that flows for approximately 60 miles before emptying into the Pacific Ocean. Historically, the river was an important resource for the indigenous Chumash people. Today, the river is primarily used for agricultural irrigation and recreation. The Cachuma and Twitchell reservoirs serve as major storage facilities along the river, with Twitchell Dam being the oldest dam in the county. The river is also known for its trout fishing, and there are several recreational areas along its banks, including the Lake Cachuma Recreation Area and the Rancho Guadalupe Dunes Preserve. However, due to overuse and drought, the river has faced challenges in sustaining its resources and ecosystem.
About the Santa Maria River
How is the Santa Maria River flowing right now?
As of October 22, 2026, the Santa Maria River is flowing at 75 cfs near Bagdad, AZ, about 57% of normal for the date. Every gauge’s live reading is in the table above.
Is the Santa Maria River running high or low?
The typical gauge on the Santa Maria River is at 57% of normal for the date. Above 100% means higher than the historical average for this calendar day; below 100% means lower. The profile above shows which reaches are high or low.
What is flood stage on the Santa Maria River?
The National Weather Service sets flood stages for Bagdad (11.0 ft). The table shows how far each gauge is below its flood stage right now.
Is the Santa Maria River runnable for paddling today?
1 of 1 paddle run is in range right now. Each run in the paddle table is checked against its runnable range using its gauge's live flow.
Where does the data come from?
Discharge and gage height are from the USGS National Water Information System; flood stages from the National Weather Service. The history chart sums every monitored gauge on the river.
Can I get alerts for a gauge?
Yes — open any gauge from the table, favorite it in the Snoflo app and set a flow threshold.