USGS Water-Year Summary 2024

11481000 Mad River near Arcata, CA

LOCATION - Lat 40°54'36", long 124°03'34" referenced to North American Datum of 1927, in NW 1/4 NW 1/4 sec.15, T.6 N., R.1 E., Humboldt County, CA, Hydrologic Unit 18010102, Humboldt meridian, on right bank, 100 ft upstream from bridge on U.S. Highway 299, 1.0 mi downstream from Warren Creek, and 2.8 mi northeast of Arcata.

DRAINAGE AREA - 485 mi².

REVISIONS HISTORY - WSP 2129: 1965 (instantaneous maximum discharge).

SURFACE-WATER RECORDS

PERIOD OF RECORD - October 1910 to September 1913, August 1950 to current year. Monthly discharge only for some periods, published in WSP 1315-B.

GAGE - Water-stage recorder and crest-stage gage. Datum of gage is 10.79 ft above NGVD of 1929 and 14.25 ft above NAVD of 1988. December 1910 to September 1913, nonrecording gage at site 0.1 mi upstream at different datum. Aug. 15, 1950, to July 23, 1956, water-stage recorder at site 0.6 mi upstream at datum 11.00 ft higher. July 24, 1956, to Aug. 10, 1992, water-stage recorder at different datums, at present site.

REMARKS - Flow regulated by Ruth Reservoir (station 11480400), 68 mi upstream, beginning in July 1961. Water is diverted 0.5 mi upstream from station for municipal supply and industrial use in Humboldt Bay area.

EXTREMES FOR PERIOD OF RECORD - Maximum discharge, 81,000 ft³/s, Dec. 22, 1964, gage height, 30.7 ft, prior datum, from high-water profile and flood-routing study; minimum daily, 0.10 ft³/s, Aug. 29, 1977.

WATER-QUALITY RECORDS

PERIOD OF RECORD -

DISCRETE WATER-QUALITY DATA:
CHEMICAL ANALYSES: Water years 1959-81.
TURBIDITY: Water years 1971-74 (partial-record station).
SEDIMENT DATA: Water years 1955-57 (partial-record station), December 1957 to 1974.

CONTINUOUS WATER-QUALITY DATA:
WATER TEMPERATURE: Water years 1958-79.
SEDIMENT DATA: Water years 1960-74.