"The Flow Photo Explorer started in 2021 and, as of April 2025, USGS reports more than 8 million photos at more than 400 sites and has trained over 60 ranking models, documenting relative flow through staff-led annotation of images taken by cameras stationed in waterways across the country. 

There are eight stations currently deployed throughout the Penobscot watershed that have environmental field cameras positioned toward the water, facing either upstream or downstream, and snapping a photo of the relative flow and water level every 15 or 30 minutes."

Click here to read the full story on the Environmental Monitor website.