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Recovery, repairs, and retrievals

USGS assesses our facilities, equipment, and science after Hurricane Ian

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August 2022 streamflow

New data visualization shows wet and dry conditions by state

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Great Salt Lake Hydro Mapper released

New website tracks historically low lake levels and ecosystem effects of prolonged drought

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USGS partners in 15 cities to improve urban waterways

Nearly $4 million is being invested to improve water systems and help transform degraded urban riverscapes

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Willamette River Basin selected as 4th Integrated Water Science Basin

Studies in this Pacific Northwest basin will advance the science used to manage water for the diverse needs of major cities, fertile agriculture, and ecologically important species

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Looking for current water conditions?

The National Water Dashboard is an interactive, mobile-friendly tool that provides real-time water, weather, and flood information all in one place

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We're One USGS Water

Together with Science Centers and Regions across the Nation

Our partners

Water Resources

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.

USGS Water Data for the Nation

Current streamflow conditions map

Surface-water, groundwater, water-quality, and water-use data collected at approximately 1.9 million sites across all 50 states.

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Message from the Associate Director for Water

Photo of Don Cline

Learn more about the WMA from Dr. Don Cline, the Associate Director for Water Resources.

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Popular Water Data and Tools

Explore our science by the topical areas that drive the research and projects conducted by our Programs.

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News

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Response and recovery, preparation and prediction

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USGS prepares for Hurricane Ian

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USGS Works with Partners in 15 Cities to Improve Urban Waterways

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Publications

Evaluation of the Bushy Park Reservoir three-dimensional hydrodynamic and water-quality model, South Carolina, 2012–15

The Bushy Park Reservoir is a relatively shallow impoundment in southeastern South Carolina. The reservoir, located under a semi-tropical climate, is the principal water supply for the city of Charleston, South Carolina, and the surrounding areas including the Bushy Park Industrial Complex. Although there was an adequate supply of freshwater in the reservoir in 2022, water-quality concerns are pre
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Water Resources, South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC), Upper Midwest Water Science Center

Assessing the impact of chloride deicer application in the Siskiyou Pass, southern Oregon

Chloride deicers have been applied by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) to Interstate Route 5 (I–5) from the Oregon-California border north to mile marker 10 for several years in the high-elevation area known as the Siskiyou Pass. Magnesium chloride (MgCl2) and sodium chloride (NaCl) are applied to keep the interstate highway safe for drivers and allow for efficient transport of goods
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Water Resources, New England Water Science Center, Oregon Water Science Center

Attribution of monotonic trends and change points in peak streamflow across the conterminous United States using a multiple working hypotheses framework, 1941–2015 and 1966–2015

The U.S. Geological Survey has a long history of leading flood-frequency analysis studies. These studies play a critical role in the assessment of risk, protection of lives, and planning and design of flood protection infrastructure. Standard flood-frequency analysis is based on the assumption of stationarity—that is, that the distribution of floods at a given site varies around a particular mean
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Water Resources, New England Water Science Center
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Science

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Image Collage of Landsat, pollinator, and volcanologist

Planetary Volatiles: Snow and Ice

The USGS Astrogeology Science Center conducts research on planetary volatiles. Volatiles include substances that have a high vapor pressure relative to the ambient atmosphere. We study the longevity, locations and other characteristics of volatiles. More specifically: H2O ice, snow and frost are volatiles on the Earth. We study the persistence of perennial snowfields in Colorado and Mongolia. Mars...
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Core Science Systems, Ecosystems, Natural Hazards, Water Resources, Astrogeology Science Center
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Planetary Volatiles: Snow and Ice

The USGS Astrogeology Science Center conducts research on planetary volatiles. Volatiles include substances that have a high vapor pressure relative to the ambient atmosphere. We study the longevity, locations and other characteristics of volatiles. More specifically: H2O ice, snow and frost are volatiles on the Earth. We study the persistence of perennial snowfields in Colorado and Mongolia. Mars...
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Tongue River between Tongue River Reservoir and Birney, MT

Future Streamflow Estimates for Tongue River to Enable Northern Cheyenne Data Driven Water Management and Planning

Atmospheric warming is driving: - a shift in precipitation from snow to rain - changing precipitation intensity and seasonality - increasing atmospheric demand for moisture in mountain river watersheds across the western United States (Seager and others, 2015). These changes will likely alter the timing and quantity of streamflow in rivers draining mountains. The Tongue River flows from the...
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Water Resources, Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center
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Future Streamflow Estimates for Tongue River to Enable Northern Cheyenne Data Driven Water Management and Planning

Atmospheric warming is driving: - a shift in precipitation from snow to rain - changing precipitation intensity and seasonality - increasing atmospheric demand for moisture in mountain river watersheds across the western United States (Seager and others, 2015). These changes will likely alter the timing and quantity of streamflow in rivers draining mountains. The Tongue River flows from the...
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photo of a dam in a dry stream bed

Rancho Ancón – Water Cycle Augmentation

The USGS is working with partners to understand the impacts of installing structures made from rock, sandbags and wood in channels at a dryland ranch in southern Baja California. Hydrogeological instrumentation, recording observations, modeling hydrogeological scenarios, and an interdisciplinary scientific study of the watershed interactions between water, ecological systems, and human activities...
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Core Science Systems, Water Resources, Land Change Science Program, Western Geographic Science Center
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Rancho Ancón – Water Cycle Augmentation

The USGS is working with partners to understand the impacts of installing structures made from rock, sandbags and wood in channels at a dryland ranch in southern Baja California. Hydrogeological instrumentation, recording observations, modeling hydrogeological scenarios, and an interdisciplinary scientific study of the watershed interactions between water, ecological systems, and human activities...
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