Most of the water-related activities on the southern Salinas depend on dam release from Lake Nacimiento. Without the dam, the Salinas would only flow at all during the wet season between December and May. While you can get real-time flow information from the USGS, if you are planning a trip in the future you should consider the dam release sechedule.
| Month | Combined release (cfs) |
|---|---|
| January | 74 |
| February | 70 |
| March | 70 |
| April | 536 |
| May | 521 |
| June | 594 |
| July | 540 |
| August | 70 |
| September | 70 |
| October | 70 |
| November | 70 |
| December | 70 |
From the Monterey County Water Resources Agency.
The water flows down Nacimiento River and joins up with the Salinas just south of the town of Bradley. When the river guage at Bradley is over 400 cfs (it is currently 79.1), the water can sometimes reach beyond King City.
Where the Nacimiento joins up with the Salinas.