Around here
Around Pajaro River
- Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research ReserveRecreation area7.8 mi (opens in a new tab)
- San Justo ReservoirRecreation area11.9 mi (opens in a new tab)
- Salinas River National Wildlife RefugeRecreation area14.4 mi (opens in a new tab)
- Monterey Bay National Marine SanctuaryRecreation area25 mi (opens in a new tab)
Data Source: Recreation.gov · Source: USGS GNIS · Public land: USGS PAD-US
About this river
Pajaro River is a 27.1 mile river near Monterey Bay Kayaks in California. Streamflow is measured at the USGS gauge Pajaro R at Chittenden CA (site 11159000). The National Hydrography Dataset places it at stream order 8. Reach geometry comes from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset.
Typical flow by month
1940 to 2026
Pajaro River typically runs highest in March, at a median 101 cfs, and lowest in September, at 4.3 cfs. The highest flow on record for any single day is 21,700 cfs, in 1956.
Show the numbers
| Month | Typical (cfs) | Usual range (cfs) |
|---|---|---|
| January | 46 | 17 to 246 |
| February | 92 | 36 to 422 |
| March | 101 | 35 to 377 |
| April | 53 | 23 to 175 |
| May | 24 | 9.8 to 50 |
| June | 13 | 5.3 to 21 |
| July | 8.0 | 3.3 to 13 |
| August | 5.9 | 2.5 to 9.8 |
| September | 4.3 | 1.9 to 7.8 |
| October | 4.3 | 1.6 to 7.9 |
| November | 9.4 | 2.5 to 17 |
| December | 19 | 6.1 to 39 |
Typical is the median of each month’s daily median values, and the usual range runs from the median 25th to the median 75th percentile, across about 87 years of record. Statistics published by the US Geological Survey for Pajaro R at Chittenden CA (site 11159000). Conditions on any given day can fall well outside the usual range. Check the current reading before you go.
Boat access nearby
One mapped launch sits in the mapped area of Pajaro River. Ramp data comes from the USGS national boat-ramp inventory.
Made to print
Put Pajaro River on your wall
This river section as an art print, drawn over the real terrain with its miles, plus the trails, roads and peaks around it. Pick the colors and the size, and see the finished print before you buy. From $39, shipping included.
Embed this gauge on your site
Paste this snippet anywhere, an outfitter page, a club site, a trip report, to show Pajaro River's live streamflow, water level and 7-day trend. It reads the USGS gauge directly, updates itself, and links back here.
See every free widget you can put on your site, including live conditions and a 7 day forecast.
