USGS releases a comprehensive look at water resources in the United States
New National Water Availability Assessment offers critical insights into water supply, demand, and quality across the Nation.
New National Water Availability Assessment offers critical insights into water supply, demand, and quality across the Nation.
Water Resources Mission Area
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 USGS works with partners to monitor, assess, conduct targeted research, and deliver information on a wide range of water resources and conditions including streamflow, groundwater, water quality, and water use and availability.
Message from the Associate Director
Message from the Associate Director
Learn more about the Mission Area from the Associate Director for Water Resources.
Water Data for the Nation
Water Data for the Nation
Water data collected at approximately 1.9 million sites across all 50 states.
News
USGS Measures Flooding Across Texas
USGS Measures Flooding Across Texas
USGS Stands Ready for a Potentially Active Atlantic Hurricane Season
USGS Stands Ready for a Potentially Active Atlantic Hurricane Season
USGS Hydrology Technicians measure peak flows after a recent storm in West Virginia
USGS Hydrology Technicians measure peak flows after a recent storm in West Virginia
Publications
U.S. Geological Survey Groundwater Climate Response Network, 2024 U.S. Geological Survey Groundwater Climate Response Network, 2024
As of October 2024, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) operated 588 sites across the United States and its territories as part of the Groundwater Climate Response Network (CRN). The CRN is comprised of wells selected to monitor the effects of climate variability, such as droughts, on groundwater levels nationwide. The CRN includes nearly 500 locations with real-time data and more than 100...
The U.S. Geological Survey National Streamgage Network, 2024 The U.S. Geological Survey National Streamgage Network, 2024
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) operated 12,165 continuous surface-water monitoring locations (streamgages) across the United States in 2024. The streamgages provide information on river height and streamflow, typically at 15-minute intervals. This information is then made available to everyone, most of it delivered nearly in realtime on the USGS National Water Dashboard.
Permafrost–wildfire interactions: active layer thickness estimates for paired burned and unburned sites in northern high latitudes Permafrost–wildfire interactions: active layer thickness estimates for paired burned and unburned sites in northern high latitudes
As the northern high-latitude permafrost zone experiences accelerated warming, permafrost has become vulnerable to widespread thaw. Simultaneously, wildfire activity across northern boreal forest and Arctic/subarctic tundra regions impacts permafrost stability through the combustion of insulating organic matter, vegetation, and post-fire changes in albedo. Efforts to synthesis the...
Science
Applying Multiple Tools to Inform Management of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in the Potomac River Watershed
The reuse of municipal wastewater provides multiple benefits, including maintaining stream flow, recharging aquifers, and providing public water supply. However, along with the benefits are concerns related to the presence of ‘forever’ chemicals, like per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in wastewater discharge. Managing PFAS in waterways is challenging because there are many potential PFAS...
Interactive Products to Assist with Geothermal Drilling
Geothermal energy is a clean and renewable source of heat derived from the Earth's natural thermal resources. Geothermal borefields are utilized to extract this thermal energy, providing heating for buildings in the winter and cooling in the summer. In New York, the adoption of geothermal energy at both residential and community scales is on the rise and is expected to see significant growth in...
Navigating PFAS Contamination: Insights from the USGS Potomac River Watershed Study
The Potomac River is a major watershed in the eastern United States that serves as a crucial water supply for millions of people. USGS researchers conducted a comprehensive investigation to identify the contributions of municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plant effluent to the levels of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the Potomac River. This study included measuring PFAS...