Nebraska Water Science Center

Hydrologic Technician, James Albrecht, from the North Platte Field Office making a measurement of discharge under ice using a Flowtracker acoustic velocity meter on a top-setting wading rod.  The string going across the picture is a tagline, used for measuring distance across the channel so that he can note the location of the ice hole he is working in.  Typically, the

Agricultural tile drain emptying into waterway.

Tile drain in eastern Nebraska equipped with monitoring instruments.

This view is looking south to the Dismal River from the U.S. Highway 83 scenic overlook south of Thedford, Nebraska.

During the summer of 2013, the Nebraska Sandhills exhibited a unusually significant sunflower emergence probably triggered by environmental conditions from the preceeding 2012 drought. Also, the Eastern Red Cedar is a particularly agressive invasive species which has become well established in Nebraska.

The Dismal River valley is far from "dismal." Set in the Nebraska Sandhills, this idyllic river is relatively unaffected by humans and a popular recreational river in the state. The invasive species Eastern Red Cedar has become well established in Nebraska.

Severe weather season is upon us. Director of the USGS Nebraska Water Science Center, Robert Swanson, and National Weather Service Hydrologist David Pearson discuss tools to stay connected and the importance of having a safety plan in the event of severe weather.

Director of the USGS Nebraska Water Science Center, Robert Swanson, discusses how the drought of 2012 unfolded in Nebraska, the fallout, and what put this drought in a class with other major droughts during the past 100 years.

Platte River from the observation tower near South Bend, Nebraska.

USGS Scientists Steve Peterson describes the groundwater availability study and its ability to help water-resources managers make the most informed decisions possible for the sustainability of the resource.

USGS Nebraska Water Science Center Associate Director Richard "Rick" Wilson describes the reasons for and extent of the flooding on the Missouri River in 2011, the risks associated with the flooding, and the work the USGS is doing on the river to characterize the amount of scour and other potential damage resulting from the flood waters.