USGS Water-Year Summary 2024
12094000 CARBON RIVER NEAR FAIRFAX, WA
LOCATION - Lat 47°01'41", long 122°01'53" referenced to North American Datum of 1927, in SW 1/4 SW 1/4 sec.22, T.18 N., R.6 E., Pierce County, WA, Hydrologic Unit 17110014, on left bank, 1.1 mi upstream from State Highway 165 (Fairfax) bridge, 1.2 mi northwest of Fairfax, 2.3 mi downstream from Evans Creek, 4 mi south of Carbonado, and at mile 16.1.
DRAINAGE AREA - 78.9 mi².
SURFACE-WATER RECORDS
PERIOD OF RECORD - December 1910 to June 1912, April 1929 to May 1978, October 1991 to current year. Published as "at Fairfax" (station 12093900) 1910-12, 1966-78.
GAGE - Water-stage recorder and crest-stage gage. Datum of gage is 1,201.7 ft above NGVD of 1929 (USGS National Mapping Division) and is 1,213.66 ft above NAVD of 1988 (GNSS survey by USGS on Aug. 24, 2022). Prior to July 12, 1912, nonrecording gage at railroad crossing 1.7 mi upstream at different datum. March 1929 to September 1965, recording gage 350 ft upstream at datum 1,212.6 ft above NGVD of 1929. October 1965 to May 1978, recording gage 1.7 mi upstream at datum then in use.
EXTREMES OUTSIDE PERIOD OF RECORD - Flood of November 24, 1990, reached a stage of 8.68 ft, from floodmark at former site and datum 350 ft upstream, discharge, 13,000 ft³/s, from rating extended above 6,200 ft³/s.
EXTREMES FOR PERIOD OF RECORD - Maximum discharge, 14,500 ft³/s, November 6, 2006, gage height, 16.93 ft; minimum discharge, 32 ft³/s, November 24, 1993.