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The new Water Cycle Diagram is now available!

Featuring improved scientific accuracy, design aesthetics, and usability in educational settings

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Recovery, repairs, and retrievals

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

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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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For the first time, national-scale maps of carbon stored in wetland soil across all interior and coastal settings were created from harmonized public datasets

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Bipartisan Infrastructure Law investments combine science and technology to track biological threats in US waters

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A Decade of Evolution

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Publications

Modeling the dynamic penetration depth of post-1950s water in unconfined aquifers using environmental tracers: Central Valley, California

The penetration depth of post-1950s recharge (D-1950) in aquifers is a marker that is frequently used to identify groundwater that is susceptible to anthropogenic contamination. Here, we compute D-1950 values at wells, interpolate them in space, and project them across time to map the moving front of modern recharge in four dimensions in the Central Valley aquifer system, California, USA. Tracers
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Water Resources, California Water Science Center

Summary of extreme water-quality conditions in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2005–19

This study used the complete set of continuous water-quality (WQ) data and discrete measurements of total ammonia collected by the U.S. Geological Survey from 2005 to 2019 at the four core sites in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, to examine relations between variables and extreme conditions that may be harmful for endemic Lost River suckers (Deltistes luxatus) and shortnose suckers (Chasmistes breviro
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Water Resources, Oregon Water Science Center

U.S. Geological Survey Colorado River Basin Actionable and Strategic Integrated Science and Technology (ASIST)—Information Management Technology Plan

IntroductionMore than 840 publications, 575 data releases, and 330 project web pages from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) pertain to the Colorado River Basin. Limited interconnections between Colorado River Basin publications, data, and web pages restrict the ability to synthesize and interpret scientific resources. Currently, these pieces are spread across multiple isolated locations, internal
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Ecosystems, Water Resources, Oregon Water Science Center, Fort Collins Science Center
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Science

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Cienega Ranch 1

Cienega Ranch - Semi-desert Native Grassland Restoration

At the Cienega Ranch, near Willcox, Arizona, in the foothills of the Dos Cabeza Mountains, a rancher is working to restore and conserve high- quality native grasslands and critical wildlife habitat, while keeping the land as a working cattle ranch. Our objectives were to estimate the hydrological effect of water harvesting on grassland restoration and quantify how grassland conservation efforts...
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Water Resources, Western Geographic Science Center
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Cienega Ranch - Semi-desert Native Grassland Restoration

At the Cienega Ranch, near Willcox, Arizona, in the foothills of the Dos Cabeza Mountains, a rancher is working to restore and conserve high- quality native grasslands and critical wildlife habitat, while keeping the land as a working cattle ranch. Our objectives were to estimate the hydrological effect of water harvesting on grassland restoration and quantify how grassland conservation efforts...
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snow and a small stream

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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