New Jersey Water Science Center

Did you know? Earthquakes can affect groundwater levels?

We often see a response to large (and sometimes not so large) earthquakes in groundwater levels in wells. The USGS maintains a network of wells for monitoring various things like natural variability in water levels and response to pumping and climate change across the U.S.

How do we know or measure if a flood that could happen tomorrow is worse than one that happened 2, 10 or 50 years ago? If heavy rain is being forecasted does that mean that rivers are going to rise and spill over their banks and flood your neighborhood? These are some of the questions that many of us think about when flooding or heavy rain is forecast by the National Weather Service (NWS) or...

Before, during, and after Hurricanes affect the United States, the USGS is involved in measuring the height and intensity of coastal storm surge and water levels of inland rivers and streams.

Earthquakes felt in New Jersey are generally few and small. However, some earthquakes have produced damage in New Jersey. New Jersey’s seismic hazard is lower than many earthquake-prone parts of the United States.  Across the state, seismic hazards are highest in northeastern New Jersey.  

The USGS reports document New Jersey floods from 1896 to the present. Early spring and winter flooding in New Jersey tends to occur as a result of widespread, steady rain of moderate intensity that falls on frozen ground. Snow and ice melt may increase the chance of winter flooding. Summer flooding resulting from thunderstorms typically occurs in small streams and is of local extent. Late...