Welcome to the Arizona Water Science Center
The Continuous Slope-Area Method
Providing 5-minute water-level data during floods in remote areas
Providing 5-minute water-level data during floods in remote areas
Arizona Water Science Center
Welcome to the U.S. Geological Survey Arizona Water Science Center. Our mission is to collect and interpret high quality, impartial scientific information to provide resource managers and the public with the knowledge required to understand and manage the critical water resources of Arizona and the Southwest.
National Water Dashboard
National Water Dashboard
National Water Dashboard - Arizona
Explore real-time streamflow, groundwater, and water-quality conditions in Arizona and across the nation.
Featured Science
Featured Science
The USGS has collected groundwater chemistry samples since 1981 in the Grand Canyon region to better understand changes in groundwater quality that may be the result of mining activities and to identify "hot spots" with elevated metal concentrations. This manuscript presents results for the assessment of uranium in groundwater in the Grand Canyon region.
News
September 22nd: Art and Science Converge at USGS for a Flagstaff Festival of Science Exhibition
September 22nd: Art and Science Converge at USGS for a Flagstaff Festival of Science Exhibition
USGS Science Campus Open House: Hours of sciences, sunshine, and ice cream
USGS Science Campus Open House: Hours of sciences, sunshine, and ice cream
Join us on Sept 29 for the USGS Open House in Flagstaff!
Join us on Sept 29 for the USGS Open House in Flagstaff!
Publications
Bathymetric Survey and Storage Capacity of Upper Lake Mary near Flagstaff, Arizona in 2024 Bathymetric Survey and Storage Capacity of Upper Lake Mary near Flagstaff, Arizona in 2024
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the city of Flagstaff, collected bathymetric, light detection and ranging (lidar), and land- survey data of Upper Lake Mary in Arizona during the months of April and October 2024. The city of Flagstaff uses a combination of groundwater from well fields throughout the Flagstaff area and surface water, mainly from Upper Lake Mary, for...
Effects of climate change on the Fort Apache Reservation Effects of climate change on the Fort Apache Reservation
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the White Mountain Apache Tribe of the Fort Apache Reservation, Arizona, conducted a study to assess the effects of climate change on the Fort Apache Reservation in east-central Arizona. Although weather refers to short-term conditions of the atmosphere, such as air temperature, humidity, presence or absence of precipitation, wind...
Science
Copper mining, critical minerals, and long-term drought in the Southwest United States
Long-term drought in the Southwest U.S. affects water use across many sectors as well as the natural environment. The Southwest U.S. is an important area for mining porphyry copper deposits, which consist of copper minerals disseminated in breccia, a type of rock composed of coarse rock fragments held together by cement or a fine-grained matrix, that are the World's largest source of copper...
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...
Estimation of Dissolved-Solids Concentrations Using Continuous Water-Quality Monitoring and Regression Models at Four Sites in the Yuma Area, Arizona and California
The Colorado River is controlled by an extensive system of dams and canals diverting much of the water in the United States for agricultural and municipal uses. The Water Treaty of 1944 guarantees that 1.5 million acre-feet of Colorado River water is delivered to Mexico from the United States annually. Additionally, the water delivered must meet water-quality criteria as defined in Minute 242. The...