Gage Greatness
Celebrate our gaging network by voting for your favorite gage
At the USGS, we monitor our nation’s water. Our data informs many people, from kayakers to water managers. Gage Greatness allows any Instagram user to vote for their favorite gage (data collection station).
What is Gage Greatness?
Gage Greatness is a tournament that allows any member of the public who has an Instagram account to vote for their favorite USGS gages nominated by participating water science centers. Between mid-March and early April 2025, you can vote for your favorite gages in head-to-head matchups.
Which gage will be the Greatest Gage of 2025? Will it be your hometown hero, the gage that collects important water data for your area?
Wait, USGS studies more than just earthquakes?
Yes! Did you know that the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) studies the nation’s water resources and operates over 11,000 streamgages in all 50 states and some territories. These streamgages observe the current conditions of rivers and streams across our country. They’re often partially or fully funded by local partners. The data from our gages provides the public, scientists, companies, and water managers invaluable information about our waterways.
What is a gage?
A gage is a scientific instrument that frequently collects data about the conditions of a river or stream. Commonly collected data includes river height and flow. Some gages collect water temperature, pH levels, salinity, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, precipitation, and more.
And yes, we spell ‘gage’ without the ‘u’. Learn why.
Who is participating in Gage Greatness this year?
These ten Water Science Centers didn’t sign up to go quietly. They are in it to win it. Each Center is nominating one gage. Show them some love and follow their social media pages:
| Water Science Center Page | X (Twitter) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | @USGSAZ | ||
| Maryland-Delaware-D.C. | @usgs_md_de_dc | USGSScienceInMaryland | @USGS_MD_DE_DC |
| Nevada | @usgs_nevada | USGSScienceinNevada | @USGS_Nevada |
| New Jersey | @usgs_nj | USGSNJ | @USGS_NJ |
| New Mexico | @USGSNM | ||
| Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana | @USGS.OKI | ||
| Pennsylvania | @usgs_pa | ||
| South Atlantic | USGSSAWSC | @USGS_SAWSC | |
| Upper Midwest | @usgs_umid | USGSUMid | @USGS_UMid |
| Washington |
How will this competition play out?
Get ready for four rounds of gage matchups between mid-March and early April! Winners from each round will advance until we have crowned a champion.
Learn more about how gages benefit all of us. May the best gage win!
Gages provide practical data that helps everyone
Here are some of the ways gages are used to help you:
- The National Weather Service uses USGS data for flood warnings and flood modelling, which helps protect lives and property
- Dams use our data to manage water releases, ensuring water availability for humans and protecting sensitive fish species downstream
- The mapping of floodplains provides statistics on the chances of flooding for your home
- Designing resilient bridges and roads saves taxpayer money
- Understanding the water quality of our waterways ensures cleaner water for humans and wildlife
- Managing water rights and water agreements when disputes arise
- Scientific research helps us understand our world
- Recreational groups such as kayakers, canoers, and fishers use our data to ensure their activities are safe to do
Gages have houses too
Gages come in all shapes and sizes. The equipment used to transmit the data is stored in a metal box, but back in the day, gages were stored in small, narrow buildings known as gagehouses. The box or house is the most visible part of the gage but the instruments that collect the data are often hidden beneath the surface of the water and are connected to the gage box through piping and wires.
The USGS operates over 11,000 gages, making it one of the largest networks in the world. Streamgages can be found in all sorts of locations: forests, mountains, prairies, coasts, downtown cities, and more.
Behind every gage is a dedicated team
Every gage requires servicing to ensure it reports accurate data. Hydrologic technicians will service gages on a fixed schedule and as issues arise. On-site, technicians will take velocity measurements which are used in our calculations. They may also clean sensors to prevent them from fouling, as sediment buildup, leaves, and even beavers have been known to interfere with accurate reporting.
Learn more about the USGS streamgage network.
How can I access the data?
The best part is that all this data is available to the public for free on the USGS National Water Dashboard: USGS | National Water Dashboard
You can also use WaterAlert to receive notifications to your phone and email for changes in water conditions based on thresholds you choose. USGS WaterAlert
What else does the USGS do?
Studying the nation’s water resources is one of the USGS’s five missions. The other four are: Core Science Systems, Ecosystems, Energy and Minerals, and Natural Hazards.
Learn more: Mission Areas | U.S. Geological Survey (usgs.gov)