USGS Water-Year Summary 2024

11066460 Santa Ana River at Metropolitan Water District Crossing, near Arlington, CA

LOCATION - Lat 33°58'06.50", long 117°26'53.60" referenced to North American Datum of 1983, in NE 1/4 SW 1/4 sec.30, T.2 S., R.5 W., Riverside County, CA, Hydrologic Unit 18070203, near center of Metropolitan Water District pipeline crossing, 0.7 mi downstream from Union Pacific Railroad Bridge, 1.1 mi upstream from bridge on Van Buren Boulevard, and 3.3 mi north of Arlington.

DRAINAGE AREA - 852 mi².

REVISIONS HISTORY - WDR CA-83-1: Drainage area.

SURFACE-WATER RECORDS

PERIOD OF RECORD - March 1970 to current year.

GAGE - Water-stage recorder and crest-stage gage. Datum of gage is 685.64 ft above NAVD of 1988. Prior to Apr. 15, 1985, water-stage recorder at site 300 ft upstream on left bank at different datum. From Apr. 15 to Sept. 30, 1985, water-stage recorder near right bank (atop pier 9 of Metropolitan Water District pipeline crossing), at same site and datum. From Oct. 1, 1985, to June 16, 1993, water-stage recorder and crest-stage gage on right bank at same site and datum. From June 17, 1993, to Sept. 30, 2003, water-stage recorder and crest-stage gage on left bank at same site and datum. From Oct. 1, 2003 to Oct. 17, 2005, water-stage recorder in reach-in shelter on pipeline catwalk, near pier #13 at same site and datum. Since Oct. 18, 2005, water-stage recorder is situated in reach-in shelter on upper deck platform, near pier #13 at same site and datum.  On March 29, 2018 the water-stage recorder was moved back to the reach-in shelter on pipeline catwalk, near pier #13 at same site and datum. 

REMARKS - Flow partly regulated by Big Bear Lake (station 11049000) and, since November 1999, by Seven Oaks Flood-Control Reservoir, capacity, 145,600 acre-ft. Natural streamflow affected by ground-water withdrawals, diversions for irrigation, return flows from irrigated areas, and discharges of treated effluent. The records at this station are equivalent to those collected at "Santa Ana River at Riverside Narrows, near Arlington" minus the flow at "Riverside Water-Quality Control Plant at Riverside Narrows, near Arlington". See schematic diagram of Santa Ana River Basin available from the California Water Science Center.

EXTREMES OUTSIDE PERIOD OF RECORD - Maximum discharge since at least 1927, 100,000 ft³/s, Mar. 2, 1938, on basis of slope-area measurement, at site 1.1 mi downstream. Flood of Jan. 22, 1862, 320,000 ft³/s, on basis of slope-conveyance study, at site 8.2 mi upstream. Stage at that site was 5 ft higher than that of Mar. 2, 1938.

EXTREMES FOR PERIOD OF RECORD - Maximum discharge, 49,100 ft³/s, Dec. 21, 2010, gage height, 16.83 ft, from rating curve extended above 21,900 ft³/s on basis of area-velocity studies; maximum gage height, 20.23 ft, site and datum then in use, Mar. 4, 1978; minimum daily, 15 ft³/s, Sept. 7, 8, 1980.

WATER-QUALITY RECORDS

PERIOD OF RECORD -

DISCRETE WATER-QUALITY DATA:
CHEMICAL DATA: Water years 1970 to current year. 
SEDIMENT DATA: Water years 1999-2000.

CONTINUOUS WATER-QUALITY DATA:
SPECIFIC CONDUCTANCE: Water years 1970-78, November 1998-2000.
WATER TEMPERATURE: Water years November 1998-2000.