USGS Water-Year Summary 2024

11532500 Smith River near Crescent City, CA

LOCATION - Lat 41°47'30", long 124°04'30" referenced to North American Datum of 1927, in SW 1/4 SW 1/4 sec.09, T.16 N., R.1 E., Del Norte County, CA, Hydrologic Unit 18010101, in Humboldt meridian, in Redwood National Park, on right bank, opposite mouth of Cedar Creek, 1.6 mi downstream from South Fork, and 7 mi east of Crescent City.

DRAINAGE AREA - 614 mi².

REVISIONS HISTORY - WSP 1929: Drainage area.

SURFACE-WATER RECORDS

PERIOD OF RECORD - October 1931 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 79.26 ft above NGVD of 1929 and 82.75 ft above NAVD of 1988. Prior to Oct. 9, 1991, at site 1.1 mi upstream at datum 10.35 ft higher.

REMARKS - No regulation or diversion upstream from station.

EXTREMES OUTSIDE PERIOD OF RECORD - Flood of Nov. 30, 1926, reached a stage of 41.40 ft, at datum 10.35 ft higher, from floodmarks, discharge, 166,000 ft³/s, from rating extension above 39.51 ft.

EXTREMES FOR PERIOD OF RECORD - Maximum discharge, 228,000 ft³/s, Dec. 22, 1964, gage height, 48.5 ft, from floodmarks, from rating curve extended above 110,000 ft³/s, on basis of slope-area measurement at gage height 39.51 ft, former site and datum; minimum daily, 158 ft³/s, Sept. 17, 2021.

WATER-QUALITY RECORDS

PERIOD OF RECORD -

DISCRETE WATER-QUALITY DATA:
CHEMICAL DATA: Water years 1952-93.
BIOLOGICAL DATA: Water years 1978-81.
SEDIMENT DATA: Water years 1955-56, November 1977 to September 1993.

CONTINUOUS WATER-QUALITY DATA:
SPECIFIC CONDUCTANCE: Water years 1979-81. 
WATER TEMPERATURE: Water years 1966-81. 
SEDIMENT DATA: Water years November 1977 to September 1979, October 1980 to September 1981.