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SwedenSan Joaquin River near Vernalis water level
River gauge, San Joaquin River, California, United States
Right now
Below flood stage
Water level
- Flow
- 2,120 cfs
- Water temperature
- 62 °F
History
The forecast expects the river to rise to 10.40 ft by Saturday, October 24 at 10:00 PM. Issued Tuesday, October 20 at 07:20 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.
What this means
Water levels are unremarkable at San Joaquin River near Vernalis, where the gauge shows 9.67 ft.
It is 19.33 ft below the flood stage of 29.00 ft.
It is still going down, by 0.50 ft over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to rise to 10.40 ft by Saturday, October 24 at 10:00 PM. The 30-day range is 7.95 ft – 10.21 ft.
The water temperature at the gauge is 62 °F.
Judged against the official flood stage for this gauge. How to read levels
Key numbers
- Highest on record
- 34.88 ftJanuary 5, 1997
- Forecast peak
- 10.40 ftSaturday, October 24 at 10:00 PM
Paddling and fishing conditions
Most paddlers and anglers will find the river in good shape at this stage.
For reference, flood stage is 29.00 ft.
What happens at each level
- 37.29 ft
- Stages above 37.3 feet results in flooding outside the levees. Top of levee.
- 29.60 ft
- Homes along east bank of river on Airport Court in Manteca experience flooding.
- 26.00 ft
- Severe seepage occurs outside the levees. The area covered by seepage will increase as the river stage rises.
- 24.50 ft
- Monitor Stage - water reaches the toe of levee.
- 21.00 ft
- Seepage begins into crop area outside of levees.
- 9.67 ft
- Right now
Impact statements from the U.S. National Weather Service.
Highest crests on record
| Rank | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 34.88 ft | January 5, 1997 |
| 2 | 32.81 ft | December 9, 1950 |
| 3 | 30.72 ft | February 23, 2017 |
| 4 | 29.83 ft | March 19, 2023 |
| 5 | 29.80 ft | March 18, 1986 |
| 6 | 29.25 ft | April 13, 2006 |
| 7 | 29.12 ft | April 18, 1982 |
| 8 | 29.00 ft | January 6, 1984 |
| 9 | 28.66 ft | February 13, 1998 |
| 10 | 27.17 ft | April 2, 2011 |
Weather at the gauge
The forecast is not available right now.
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 | 97 mi |
| San Joaquin River above Merced River near NewmanRiver gauge, San Joaquin River | 162 cfs | Normal | −1.0 cfs | 28 mi |
| San Joaquin River near NewmanRiver gauge, San Joaquin River | 48.68 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 28 mi |
| San Joaquin River near Crows LandingRiver gauge, San Joaquin River | 290 cfs | Low | −41.0 cfs | 22 mi |
Nearby gauges
| Gauge | Level | Compared with normal | 24 hours | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stanislaus R A RiponRiver gauge | 40.13 ft | Below flood stage | −0.73 ft | 9 mi |
| Del Puerto Creek near PattersonRiver gauge, Del Puerto Creek | 0.0 cfs | Normal | ±0 | 13 mi |
| Tuolumne R A ModestoRiver gauge | 39.02 ft | Below flood stage | −1.45 ft | 16 mi |
| Arroyo Valle near LivermoreRiver gauge, Arroyo Valle | 8.3 cfs | High | ±0 | 27 mi |
| Alameda Creek above Diversion Dam near SunolRiver gauge, Alameda Creek | 1.61 ft | Below flood stage | ±0 | 30 mi |
| Alameda Creek below Diversion Dam near SunolRiver gauge, Alameda Creek | 0.1 cfs | Normal | ±0 | 31 mi |
| San Joaquin R A Fremont Ford BridgeRiver gauge | 107 cfs | Normal | +5.0 cfs | 31 mi |
Questions and answers
What is flood stage for the San Joaquin River near Vernalis?
The official flood stage is 29.00 ft. The level is currently 19.33 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 Vernalis today?
On Oct 20, 2026, 11:45 AM PDT, the water level was 9.67 ft. Down 0.50 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is San Joaquin River near Vernalis rising or falling?
Down 0.50 ft over the last 24 hours.
Is the level of San Joaquin River near Vernalis 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 Vernalis?
The highest level on record is 34.88 ft on January 5, 1997.
Is San Joaquin River near Vernalis expected to rise?
The forecast expects the river to rise to 10.40 ft by Saturday, October 24 at 10:00 PM.
For specialists
Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads
- Operator
- U.S. Geological Survey
- Station code
usgs:11303500(Agency page)- Coordinates
37.67601, -121.26629(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 | 9.67 ft | 2026-10-20 18:45 | Provisional |
| Flow | 2,120 cfs | 2026-10-20 18:45 | Provisional |
| Water temperature | 62 °F | 2026-10-20 18:45 | Provisional |
Download
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How to cite
U.S. Geological Survey: San Joaquin River near Vernalis (usgs:11303500). Accessed October 20, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/california/san-joaquin-river-near-vernalis
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