Water resources data for the 1996 water year for Maryland and Delaware consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage and contents of lakes and reservoirs. This volume (Volume1. Surface-Water Data) contains records for water discharge at 90 gaging stations; stage and contents 1 reservoir; and water quality at 22 gaging stations. Also included are data for 4 crest-stages and 6 tidal crest-stage partial-record stations. Additional water data were collected at various sites not involved in the systematic data-collection program and are published as miscellaneous measurements. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State, local, and Federal agencies in Maryland and Delaware