Web Tools

Annual Water Data Reports were published annually for many decades as static archival products that supplemented direct access to current and historical water data provided by the USGS. These formal publications have been discontinued, but historical reports and modern replacements are available.

The U.S. Geological Survey uses a depiction and classification scheme for hydrologic units known as hydrologic unit codes (HUCs). HUCs generally represent catchments, and river basins are represented by a unique series of numbers with successively smaller hydrologic units nested inside of larger ones.

Water Data for the Nation (WDFN) is the home for USGS’s modernization of public delivery of water data.

This site is the home for modernized access to USGS water data in machine-readable formats via REST APIs, a common type of web service programs use to search and download data. These services provide USGS water data, ranging from continuous measurements of streamflow to information about individual USGS sites and more.

Water information is fundamental to national and local economic well-being, protection of life and property, and effective management of the Nation’s water resources. The Water Data Blog posts highlight water data developments, data, and applications.

An Overview of the Food Resources Lifecycle Integrated Science Team (Food IST)

The USGS Ecosystems Mission Area provides science to understand wildlife diseases, including avian influenza (AI). Avian influenza viruses occur naturally in wild birds such as ducks, geese, swans, and gulls. These viruses generally do not cause illness in wild birds but they can be highly pathogenic and cause illness and death in poultry and wildlife. Learn more with this geonarrative.

The U.S. Geological Survey WaterAlert service provides notifications to your email or phone for changes in water conditions based on thresholds you choose.

The Great Lakes Coastal Wetland Restoration Assessment (GLCWRA) uses principles of geodesign to identify, assess, and restore areas along the U.S. coast of the Great Lakes that have the most potential to restore coastal wetland habitat. This Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) funded work supports land managers and restoration practitioners from site-specific to landscape scales.

The National Water Dashboard (NWD) is a mobile, interactive tool that provides real-time information on water levels, weather, and flood forecasts - all in one place on a computer, smartphone, or other mobile device. The NWD presents real-time stream, lake and reservoir, precipitation, and groundwater data from more than 13,500 USGS observation stations across the country.

During major storms or other short-term events, the USGS collects streamflow and additional data (including storm tide, wave height, high-water marks, and additional sensor deployments) to aid in documenting flood events. The USGS Flood Event Viewer provides convenient, map-based access to downloadable event-based data.

This mapper identifies USGS Federal Priority Streamgages (FPS). FPS are monitoring stations that track the amount of water in streams and rivers across the Nation to meet long-term federal information needs. They are strategically positioned to serve as a backbone for the larger National Streamflow Network that is operated in cooperation with over 1,200 federal, state, tribal, and local agencies.