Ventura River near Ventura water level

Name: Ventura River near Ventura 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, Ventura River, California, United States

Directions

Below flood stage

Water level

4.37ft Steady over the last 24 hours

Measured Oct 21, 2026, 12:15 AM PDT (59 min ago)

Flow: 7.4 cfs

History

7 days

Water level Forecast Minor flood stage

The forecast expects the river to rise to 4.80 ft by Thursday, October 22 at 12:00 AM. Issued Tuesday, October 20 at 07:29 AM by NOAA National Weather Service.

What this means

The gauge at Ventura River near Ventura reads 4.37 ft, a normal level.

It is 14.72 ft below the flood stage of 19.09 ft.

It has barely moved over the past 24 hours. The forecast expects the river to rise to 4.80 ft by Thursday, October 22 at 12:00 AM. Over the past 30 days it has moved between 4.36 ft and 4.41 ft.

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

Key numbers

Highest on record: 25.42 ftJanuary 10, 2023
Forecast peak: 4.80 ftThursday, October 22 at 12:00 AM

What the stage means on the water

A normal level is usually prime time for floating and wade fishing, as long as the weather holds upstream.

The National Weather Service puts flood stage for this gauge at 19.09 ft, still 14.72 ft away.

What happens at each level

29.32 ft: Ventura river begins to flood highway 101 and Main Street bridge in ventura.
25.90 ft: Ventura river begins to flood the Ventura Beach RV Resort.
19.09 ft: Ventura river begins to flood the ferro ranch area upstream of the Main Street bridge in ventura.
4.37 ft: Right now

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

Highest crests on record

Chance of at least minor flooding in October to December: < 5 %.

Rank	Level	Date
1	25.42 ft	January 10, 2023
2	24.30 ft	January 25, 1969
3	20.78 ft	December 26, 2025
4	20.66 ft	February 12, 1992
5	19.39 ft	February 25, 2023
6	19.20 ft	March 2, 1938
7	19.14 ft	February 10, 1978
8	18.23 ft	January 5, 2023
9	15.50 ft	January 15, 1952
10	15.40 ft	January 9, 2005

Weather at the gauge

The forecast is not available right now.

Sunrise 07:08 AM Sunset 06:17 PM Daylight 11 hr, 9 min Waxing gibbous 75%

Map

Nearby gauges

Gauge	Level	Compared with normal	24 hours	Distance
Carpinteria Creek near CarpinteriaRiver gauge, Carpinteria Creek	9.93 ft	Below flood stage	+0.74 ft	11 mi
Santa Paula Creek near Santa PaulaRiver gauge, Santa Paula Creek	66.83 ft	Below flood stage	−0.01 ft	14 mi
Sespe Creek near Wheeler SpringsRiver gauge, Sespe Creek	1.44 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	16 mi
Mission Creek below W Gutierrez St Branch A Santa BarbaraRiver gauge, Mission Creek	10.25 ft	Below flood stage	−0.02 ft	23 mi
Sespe Creek near FillmoreRiver gauge, Sespe Creek	4.43 ft	Below flood stage	+0.01 ft	23 mi
Cuyama River near VentucopaRiver gauge, Cuyama River	3.0 cfs	High	±0	23 mi
Mission Creek near Mission St near Santa BarbaraRiver gauge, Mission Creek	3.45 ft	Below flood stage	±0	24 mi
Gibraltar Dam Diversion Weir A Gibraltar DamRiver gauge	0.2 cfs	Low	±0	25 mi

Questions and answers

What is flood stage for the Ventura River near Ventura?

The official flood stage is 19.09 ft. The level is currently 14.72 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 Ventura River near Ventura today?

On Oct 21, 2026, 12:15 AM PDT, the water level was 4.37 ft. Steady over the last 24 hours.

Is Ventura River near Ventura rising or falling?

Steady over the last 24 hours. Steady over the last 7 days.

Is the level of Ventura River near Ventura normal?

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

What is the highest water level ever recorded at Ventura River near Ventura?

The highest level on record is 25.42 ft on January 10, 2023.

Is Ventura River near Ventura expected to rise?

The forecast expects the river to rise to 4.80 ft by Thursday, October 22 at 12:00 AM.

For specialists

Station codes, datum, parameters, data quality and downloads

Operator: U.S. Geological Survey
Station code: usgs:11118500 (Agency page)
Coordinates: 34.35221, -119.30842 (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	4.37 ft	2026-10-21 07:15	Provisional
Flow	7.4 cfs	2026-10-21 07:15	Provisional

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How to cite

U.S. Geological Survey: Ventura River near Ventura (usgs:11118500). Accessed October 21, 2026 via Nivelmap, https://nivelmap.com/en/united-states/california/ventura-river-near-ventura

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