Welcome to the Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center
Your source for impartial water science and data in Montana and Wyoming
Your source for impartial water science and data in Montana and Wyoming
Current Water Conditions for Wyoming
Current Water Conditions for Montana
Wyoming and Montana Water Data
Quality data to inform research and decision-making
Quality data to inform research and decision-making
Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center
The U.S. Geological Survey Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center conducts research and monitoring on a wide variety of hydrological issues affecting streams, lakes, reservoirs, and groundwater in Wyoming and Montana, across the Nation, and internationally. Use these pages to explore our hydrologic data, research, and publications.
Current Wyoming-Montana water conditions
Current Wyoming-Montana water conditions
Explore real-time streamflow, groundwater, and water-quality conditions in Wyoming and Montana and access data through an interactive map.
Wyoming-Montana Drought Viewer
Wyoming-Montana Drought Viewer
This viewer helps analyze the effects of drought on streams and rivers by showing real-time USGS water data to help define water supply conditions in Wyoming and Montana, with additional weather-related data from other public sources.
Current water data for Montana and Wyoming
Current water data for Montana and Wyoming
News
New data products now available in StreamStats
New data products now available in StreamStats
USGS provides easy access to Colorado River science with new online portal
USGS provides easy access to Colorado River science with new online portal
Tailored sediment sampling can lead to more effective management
Tailored sediment sampling can lead to more effective management
Publications
Streamflow, water quality, and energy development characteristics and water-quality trends for selected sites in the Green River and Muddy Creek drainage basins, southwestern Wyoming, water years 2006–16 Streamflow, water quality, and energy development characteristics and water-quality trends for selected sites in the Green River and Muddy Creek drainage basins, southwestern Wyoming, water years 2006–16
Energy resource development in southwestern Wyoming has been rapidly expanding since the early 2000s to include innovative technologies for extracting oil and gas and enhancing renewable energy. In response to concerns about the potential negative effects of energy development on natural resources, the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative was created to implement a long-term...
Emergent headwater types for watershed monitoring, research, and planning Emergent headwater types for watershed monitoring, research, and planning
Headwaters—that is headwater streams and the watersheds they drain—strongly influence water quality, ecosystem services, and hydrologic connectivity, yet remain poorly mapped, monitored, and understood at large spatial scales. Using available spatial data to classify headwater “types” could therefore enhance the utility of sparse monitoring data to advance research and watershed planning...
A hybrid approach for revealing headwater hydrology A hybrid approach for revealing headwater hydrology
Coordinated work to compile existing data and apply models pairing physical understanding with machine learning could substantially improve streamflow predictions for little-known headwater basins.
Science
Site Assessment and Monitoring of Constructed Wetlands in Montana
The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) occasionally causes disturbance to wetlands during construction. To comply with Federal, State, and Tribal regulations, MDT creates replacement wetlands to compensate for wetland loss. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collaborates with MDT to assess potential wetland replacement sites and monitor water conditions at established replacement sites...
Assessing the effects of mining on the Transboundary Koocanusa Reservoir
The Kootenai River Watershed is an international resource cooperatively managed by the U.S., Canada, and Tribal governments. In recent years, coal mining in the Canadian portion of the watershed has resulted in elevated concentrations of several constituents, including selenium, nitrate, and sulfate downstream (Storb et al., 2023). At increased levels, these mining byproducts can affect water...
Monitoring Changes in Groundwater Quality at Jackson Hole Airport
USGS studies revealed that aircraft deicing fluids from Jackson Hole Airport negatively affected the water quality of the Snake River aquifer in northwestern Wyoming (Wright, 2013). In response, the airport implemented improved deicing management and infrastructure. A recent USGS study determined that the airport’s changes likely contributed to improvements in aquifer groundwater quality (Wright...