San Joaquin River near Newman water level

Name: San Joaquin River near Newman water level (U.S. Geological Survey)
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
License: https://www.usgs.gov/information-policies-and-instructions/copyrights-and-credits

River gauge, San Joaquin River, California, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

48.68ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 20, 2026, 10:45 AM PDT (50 min ago)

Flow: 358 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to fall to 48.66 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 11:00 AM. Issued Tuesday, October 20 at 07:20 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The San Joaquin River near Newman is at 48.68 ft, in the normal range.

It is 20.72 ft below the flood stage of 69.40 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to fall to 48.66 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 11:00 AM. In the last month it has stayed between 48.46 ft and 48.68 ft.

Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels

Key numbers

Highest on record: 69.00 ftJanuary 2, 1868
Forecast peak: 48.75 ftFriday, October 23 at 01:00 PM

Floating and fishing near San Joaquin River near Newman

Normal flows mean predictable rapids and good access at most put-ins.

Flood stage here is 69.40 ft, 20.72 ft above the current reading. Beyond it, the National Weather Service also defines moderate and major flood stages.

What happens at each level

71.70 ft: Top of levee rb
70.40 ft: Danger stage.
70.00 ft: Flood water reaches the top of the levee that surrounds the Newman waste water treatment plant.
69.40 ft: Project flood stage.
66.26 ft: Peak stage of record. 4/9/2006
66.14 ft: 1/28/1997
65.00 ft: The fisherman's bend trailer park north of hills ferry road begins to flood.
64.00 ft: The Wastewater Treatment Plant begins taking on river water and flood pumping begins.
63.60 ft: Sand slough will flow.
63.00 ft: Monitor stage. Levee patrols required.
62.00 ft: Water seepage begins outside the levee along the river, near the newman waste water treatment plant.
55.00 ft: The city of Newman Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) begins to flood at the lowest point. Newman Police Department shooting range a the WWTP is also affected.
48.68 ft: Right now

Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.

Highest crests on record

Rank	Level	Date
1	69.00 ft	January 2, 1868
2	67.10 ft	February 1, 1886
3	66.26 ft	April 9, 2006
4	66.14 ft	January 28, 1997
5	65.93 ft	March 17, 2023
6	65.90 ft	February 26, 1969
7	64.96 ft	April 17, 1982
8	64.78 ft	March 16, 1995
9	64.70 ft	March 18, 1986
10	64.56 ft	January 18, 2023

Weather at the gauge

No rain in the last 3 days.

20 Tue 76° 49° – Wind 8 mph

21 Wed 71° 54° 0.21 in, 32% Wind 10 mph

22 Thu 62° 56° 0.08 in, 51% Wind 7 mph

23 Fri 74° 52° – Wind 12 mph

24 Sat 78° 53° – Wind 5 mph

25 Sun 80° 55° – Wind 7 mph

26 Mon 81° 58° – Wind 7 mph

Forecast: Open-Meteo

Sunrise 07:17 AM Sunset 06:21 PM Daylight 11 hr, 4 min Waxing gibbous 70%

Map

Other gauges on the San Joaquin River

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
San Joaquin River below FriantRiver gauge, San Joaquin River	396 cfs	Normal	±0	73 mi
San Joaquin River above Merced River near NewmanRiver gauge, San Joaquin River	162 cfs	Normal	±0	0.2 mi
San Joaquin River near Crows LandingRiver gauge, San Joaquin River	290 cfs	Low	−41.0 cfs	6.0 mi
San Joaquin River near VernalisRiver gauge, San Joaquin River	9.69 ft	Below flood stage	−0.49 ft	28 mi

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
San Joaquin R A Fremont Ford BridgeRiver gauge	106 cfs	Normal	+5.0 cfs	3.8 mi
Mud Slough near GustineRiver gauge, Mud Slough	84.6 cfs	Normal	+15.4 cfs	7 mi
Salt Slough A Highway 165 near StevinsonRiver gauge, Salt Slough A Highway 165	92.9 cfs	Normal	+5.7 cfs	10 mi
Del Puerto Creek near PattersonRiver gauge, Del Puerto Creek	0.0 cfs	Normal	±0	16 mi
Tuolumne R A ModestoRiver gauge	39.07 ft	Below flood stage	−1.42 ft	19 mi
Stanislaus R A RiponRiver gauge	40.17 ft	Below flood stage	−0.70 ft	27 mi
Pacheco Creek near DunnevilleRiver gauge, Pacheco Creek	0.0 cfs	Normal	±0	34 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the San Joaquin River near Newman?

The official flood stage is 69.40 ft. The level is currently 20.72 ft below it.

Is gage height the same as water depth?

No. Gage height is measured from a fixed reference point chosen by the agency, so a reading of 10 ft does not mean the river is 10 ft deep.

What is the water level of San Joaquin River near Newman today?

On Oct 20, 2026, 10:45 AM PDT, the water level was 48.68 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is San Joaquin River near Newman rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is the level of San Joaquin River near Newman normal?

Below flood stage. Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge.

What is the highest water level ever recorded at San Joaquin River near Newman?

The highest level on record is 69.00 ft on January 2, 1868.

Is San Joaquin River near Newman expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to fall to 48.66 ft by Tuesday, October 20 at 11:00 AM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:11274000 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 37.35047, -120.97711 (WGS84)
Vertical datum: NAVD88
Update interval: every 15 minutes
Licence: Public domain. Data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), provisional data subject to revision

Published series

Parameter	Last value	Time (UTC)	Quality
Water level	48.68 ft	2026-10-20 17:45	Provisional
Flow	358 cfs	2026-10-20 17:45	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: San Joaquin River near Newman (usgs:11274000). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/california/san-joaquin-river-near-newman

How we check values

Each reading is stored as published. We hold back values that jump faster than physically plausible and show the measurement time with every value.

Readings are provisional, can be delayed or wrong and are not a flood warning. Read the disclaimer