USGS Water-Year Summary 2024

11062000 Lytle Creek near Fontana, CA

LOCATION - Lat 34°12'44", long 117°27'26" referenced to North American Datum of 1927, in NW 1/4 SE 1/4 sec.36, T.2 N., R.6 W., San Bernardino County, CA, Hydrologic Unit 18070203, on right bank, 13 ft west of Lytle Creek Road, 2.3 mi downstream from Lytle Creek Conduit, and 8.4 mi north of Fontana.

DRAINAGE AREA - 46.6 mi².

REVISIONS HISTORY - WSP 1011: 1943. WDR CA-83-1: Drainage area. WDR CA-98-1: 1969 (instantaneous maximum discharge).

SURFACE-WATER RECORDS

PERIOD OF RECORD - October 1918 to current year. Combined records of Lytle Creek and diversions, October 1898 to December 1899, October 1904 to current year (published as "at mouth of canyon near Rialto" 1898-99, as "near San Bernardino" 1904-18, and as "Lytle Creek and Fontana pipeline near Fontana" 1919-31). Monthly discharge only for some periods published in WSP 1315-B.

GAGE - Water-stage recorder and crest-stage gage on creek. Datum of gage is 2,369.54 ft above NAVD of 1988. October 1918 to Mar. 21, 1938, at site 1 mi downstream at different datum. Mar. 22, 1938, to Nov. 20, 1963, at site 75 ft downstream at datum 4.58 ft lower. Water-stage recorder and sharp-crested weir on conduit since June 3, 1949. Water-stage recorder and sharp-crested weir on infiltration line from Oct. 1, 1971, to Sept. 30, 1992; nonrecording flow meter on diversion pipe since Oct. 1, 1992.

COOPERATION - Records for Lytle Creek Conduit were provided by Southern California Edison Co., under general supervision of the U.S. Geological Survey, in connection with Federal Energy Regulatory Commission project no. 1932. Records for Fontana Water Co.'s infiltration line were provided by Fontana Water Co.

REMARKS - No regulation upstream from station. Southern California Edison Co.'s Lytle Creek Conduit (station 11060900) diverts 2.3 mi upstream for power development and Fontana Water Co. collects water from an infiltration line (station 11061000) upstream for irrigation and domestic use. Abrupt changes in the combined discharge of Lytle Creek and diversions occurs at times, due to changes in diversion, the distances between diversion and gage locations, time of travel, and changes in surface and subsurface storage. Spill can occur from Southern California Edison Co.'s Lytle Creek forebay during unusually high flows. Water can be pumped from channel by two pumps at Miller Narrows at a point approximately 2 mi upstream. No water has been pumped out of channel since 1971. For records of combined discharge of Lytle Creek and diversions, see station 11062001. See schematic diagram of Santa Ana River Basin available from the California Water Science Center.

EXTREMES FOR PERIOD OF RECORD - Creek only: Maximum discharge, 25,200 ft³/s, Mar. 2, 1938, gage height unknown, on basis of slope-area measurement of peak flow; maximum gage height, 15.0 ft, Jan. 25, 1969; no flow at times most years. Combined creek and diversions: Maximum discharge, 25,200 ft³/s, Mar. 2, 1938; minimum daily, 2.4 ft³/s, Feb. 2, 7, 2003.