Welcome to the MD-DE-DC Water Science Center
Consider this site your source for water-related information, collected and interpreted by the USGS in MD, DE, and Washington, DC
Consider this site your source for water-related information, collected and interpreted by the USGS in MD, DE, and Washington, DC
Explore our Scientific Expertise
We work with our partners to study important water issues facing the nation.
We work with our partners to study important water issues facing the nation.
Access data from our streamgages and wells
Explore real-time streamflow, water-quality, and groundwater conditions for Maryland, Delaware, and Washington, D.C.
Explore real-time streamflow, water-quality, and groundwater conditions for Maryland, Delaware, and Washington, D.C.
USGS WaterAlert
Get notifications for changes in water conditions based on thresholds you choose.
Get notifications for changes in water conditions based on thresholds you choose.
Soaking Up Stormwater In Clarksburg
A 20-year study by the U.S. Geological Survey and Montgomery County, Maryland assesses ecosystem response to different types of stormwater management.
A 20-year study by the U.S. Geological Survey and Montgomery County, Maryland assesses ecosystem response to different types of stormwater management.
Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Water Science Center
We are your go to source for water monitoring and research in the nation’s Capital region. Operating streamgages, observation wells, and monitoring stations, we collect scientific data that supports both real-time monitoring and long-term research, delivering reliable information essential for understanding and managing our natural water resources.
Explore our Expertise
Explore our Expertise
Our highly skilled staff work with our partners to study important water issues facing the Nation.
Local Water Conditions
Local Water Conditions
Explore real-time streamflow, groundwater, and water-quality conditions and access data for MD, DE, and DC.
News
Winter 2026 Newsletter - In The Flow
Winter 2026 Newsletter - In The Flow
Fall 2025 Newsletter - In The Flow
Fall 2025 Newsletter - In The Flow
Summer 2025 Newsletter - In The Flow
Summer 2025 Newsletter - In The Flow
Publications
Continental-scale prediction of hydrologic signatures and processes Continental-scale prediction of hydrologic signatures and processes
Understanding how dominant hydrologic processes and their drivers vary across diverse continental-scale landscapes is critical for hydrologic modeling and water management applications. Our research addresses this question by synthesizing large-sample watershed datasets, Caravan and GAGES-II, and developing random forest models to identify patterns in hydrologic function. We assessed...
PFAS remediation in a bioelectrochemical system inoculated with the west branch consortium (WBC-2) PFAS remediation in a bioelectrochemical system inoculated with the west branch consortium (WBC-2)
Groundwater contamination by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) poses a persistent environmental and public health concern. This study evaluates a two-chambered bioelectrochemical system (BES) inoculated with the West Branch Consortium (WBC-2) for PFAS remediation. Under an applied cathodic potential of −450 mV (versus Ag/AgCl), the BES with active WBC-2 achieved >99.0%
Assessing the prevalence, timing, and rapidity of transitions between hydrological extremes and their relation to meteorological extremes in the conterminous United States Assessing the prevalence, timing, and rapidity of transitions between hydrological extremes and their relation to meteorological extremes in the conterminous United States
Rapid shifts between droughts and floods, termed hydrological whiplash, challenge water management, yet their timing and drivers remain poorly understood at continental scales. While drought-to-flood (DtF) transitions have received growing attention, flood-to-drought (FtD) transitions — though rarer — pose distinct operational challenges that are less well characterized. These wet-to-dry...
Science
Remotely mapping stormwater facility footprints and storage volumes
Stormwater management practices are being used throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed to reduce flood risks and pollutant loads, but consistent and comprehensive maps of these practices are often lacking. Stormwater managers often have incomplete information about the location and storage volume of stormwater facilities within their jurisdiction. Therefore, the USGS is working to develop...
Evaluating the Risks of Tire-Derived Compounds to Fish in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Tires contain a chemical known as 6PPD which prevents them from quickly breaking down. Microscopic tire particles, generated mainly from the friction of tires on roads, release 6PPD-quinone (6PPDQ) when they come into contact with oxygen. During precipitation events, 6PPDQ can be washed off roads, harming fish in nearby waterways. In response to requests from fishery managers, the USGS is studying...
Leading the Way: Specialized Laboratory Contributions to Environmental Health
The Environmental Health Program features a Unified Core Technology Team comprised of multiple laboratories with specialized expertise that support the overall program research assessing actual and perceived risks from environmental contaminants and pathogens. Individual Core Technology Teams work closely with the Integrated Science Teams to ensure current and emerging techniques are being used to...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology, California Water Science Center, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Water Science Center, New England Water Science Center, New Jersey Water Science Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center, Utah Water Science Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center