Warning: Javascript must be enabled to use all the features on this page!


Page Loading - Please Wait...

* We've detected you're using a mobile device. Find our Next Generation Station Page here.
Click to hideNews Bulletins

Water-Year Summary for Site 11078000

Click to hide Water-Year Summary instructions and information
  • Water-Year Summary reports summarize a year of hydrologic data in a printer-friendly format.
  • For water years 2014 onward, choose a water year and parameter and an on-demand Water-Year Summary report will be generated.
  • For water years 2006 through 2013, choose a water year and an Annual Water Data Report will be provided.
  • For water years 2005 and earlier, Annual Water Data Reports may be available in digital format.
  • Not all sites have reports available for every water year.
Available Parameters
00060 Discharge(Mean)  

Water year 2023: 2022-10-01 to 2023-09-30
 

Print this page
USGS Water-Year Summary 2023
11078000 Santa Ana River at Santa Ana, CA
LOCATION - Lat 33°45'04", long 117°54'27" referenced to North American Datum of 1927, in NW 1/4 SE 1/4 sec.10, T.5 S., R.10 W., Orange County, CA, Hydrologic Unit 18070203, on right bank, 850 ft upstream from Fifth Street Bridge in Santa Ana, and 1.6 mi downstream from Santiago Creek.
DRAINAGE AREA - 1,700 mi². excludes 768 mi² above Lake Elsinore.
REVISIONS HISTORY - WSP 1635: 1940 (instantaneous maximum discharge), 1944. WDR CA-74-1: Drainage area. WDR CA-79-1: 1978 (instantaneous maximum discharge).
SURFACE-WATER RECORDS
PERIOD OF RECORD - January 1923 to September 1989, October 1990 to current year. Discharge measurements only, October 1989 to September 1990. 
GAGE - Water-stage recorder and concrete-lined flood-control channel. Datum of gage is 66.18 ft above NAVD of 1988. October 1990 to Feb. 12, 1991, at site 900 ft downstream at different datum. Feb. 13, 1991, to Apr. 4, 1994, at datum 3 ft lower. See WDR CA-90-1 for complete history of location and datum changes.
REMARKS - Natural flow affected by ground-water withdrawals, diversions, importation by Metropolitan Water District, municipal use, and return flow from irrigation. Since 1940, flow partially regulated by Prado Flood-Control Reservoir, capacity, 196,200 acre-ft. Natural flow affected by three small flood-control reservoirs, combined capacity, 31,900 acre-ft; Big Bear Lake (station 11049000); Seven Oaks Flood-Control Reservoir, capacity, 145,600 acre-ft; and Santiago Reservoir, capacity, 25,000 acre-ft. Discharge up to 100 ft³/s can be diverted from Carbon Creek to Coyote Creek 1.5 mi upstream from mouth of Carbon Creek. Gage out of operation from Apr. 5, to Nov. 14, 1994, due to channel work (lining). See schematic diagram of Santa Ana River Basin available from the California Water Science Center.
EXTREMES FOR PERIOD OF RECORD - Maximum discharge, 46,300 ft³/s, Mar. 3, 1938, gage height, 10.20 ft, site and datum then in use, on basis of slope-area measurement of peak flow; no flow for many days each year.
WATER-QUALITY RECORDS
PERIOD OF RECORD -

DISCRETE WATER-QUALITY DATA:
CHEMICAL DATA: Water year 1998.
SEDIMENT DATA: Water years 1968-2003.

CONTINUOUS WATER-QUALITY DATA:
WATER TEMPERATURE: Water years 1969, 1971, 1973-1979, 1982-1987.
SEDIMENT DATA: Water years 1968-1971, 1973-1980, 1982-1987, 1989.