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Explore water-related photography, imagery, and illustrations.

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Bear tracks in an orange-stained river.
Bear tracks in an orange tributary of the Kugururok River, Noatak National Preserve, Alaska
Bear tracks in an orange tributary of the Kugururok River, Noatak National Preserve, Alaska
Bear tracks in an orange tributary of the Kugururok River, Noatak National Preserve, Alaska

Orange streams are increasingly common in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska. The orange stream color reflects oxidized iron, but also often indicates elevated heavy metal concentrations. Our ongoing study aims to document these occurrences and the timing of their onset.

Orange streams are increasingly common in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska. The orange stream color reflects oxidized iron, but also often indicates elevated heavy metal concentrations. Our ongoing study aims to document these occurrences and the timing of their onset.

pale orange river flowing into a clear blue river.
An orange tributary of the Kugururok River in Noatak National Preserve, Alaska
An orange tributary of the Kugururok River in Noatak National Preserve, Alaska
An orange tributary of the Kugururok River in Noatak National Preserve, Alaska

Orange streams are increasingly common in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska. The orange stream color reflects oxidized iron, but also often indicates elevated heavy metal concentrations. Our ongoing study aims to document these occurrences and the timing of their onset.

Orange streams are increasingly common in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska. The orange stream color reflects oxidized iron, but also often indicates elevated heavy metal concentrations. Our ongoing study aims to document these occurrences and the timing of their onset.

Black vegetation surrounding a creek.
An acid seep on the Nakolikurok Creek
An acid seep on the Nakolikurok Creek
An acid seep on the Nakolikurok Creek

Orange streams are increasingly common in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska. The orange stream color reflects oxidized iron, but also often indicates elevated heavy metal concentrations. Our ongoing study aims to document these occurrences and the timing of their onset.

Orange streams are increasingly common in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska. The orange stream color reflects oxidized iron, but also often indicates elevated heavy metal concentrations. Our ongoing study aims to document these occurrences and the timing of their onset.

A white net in an orange creek.
Drift net collecting samples in orange tributary of Anatok Creek, Kobuk Valley National Park, Alaska
Drift net collecting samples in orange tributary of Anatok Creek, Kobuk Valley National Park, Alaska
Drift net collecting samples in orange tributary of Anatok Creek, Kobuk Valley National Park, Alaska

Orange streams are increasingly common in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska. The orange stream color reflects oxidized iron, but also often indicates elevated heavy metal concentrations. Our ongoing study aims to document these occurrences and the timing of their onset.

Faint orange creek running through green brush.
Anatok Creek, Kobuk Valley National Park, Alaska
Anatok Creek, Kobuk Valley National Park, Alaska
Anatok Creek, Kobuk Valley National Park, Alaska

Orange streams are increasingly common in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska. The orange stream color reflects oxidized iron, but also often indicates elevated heavy metal concentrations. Our ongoing study aims to document these occurrences and the timing of their onset.

Orange streams are increasingly common in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska. The orange stream color reflects oxidized iron, but also often indicates elevated heavy metal concentrations. Our ongoing study aims to document these occurrences and the timing of their onset.

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Klamath Basin
Klamath Basin
Klamath Basin

Klamath River Basin straddles northern California and southern Oregon. The Klamath River empties into the Pacific Ocean just below the Oregon/California border.

Klamath River Basin straddles northern California and southern Oregon. The Klamath River empties into the Pacific Ocean just below the Oregon/California border.

A heatmap of lake temperature by depth over a two year period.
Machine learning of lake temperatures - observed
Machine learning of lake temperatures - observed
Machine learning of lake temperatures - observed

A lake temperature profile showing two years of temperature data by lake depth. PAtterns of summer warming and winter cooling are visible.

A lake temperature profile showing two years of temperature data by lake depth. PAtterns of summer warming and winter cooling are visible.

U.S. River Conditions thumbnail image, April to June 2025
U.S. River Conditions, April to June 2025
U.S. River Conditions, April to June 2025
U.S. River Conditions, April to June 2025

U.S. River Conditions, April to June 2025 thumbnail image. The river conditions shown range from the driest condition seen at a gage (red open circles) to the wettest (blue closed circles). A purple outer ring around a gage indicates it is flooding.

U.S. River Conditions, April to June 2025 thumbnail image. The river conditions shown range from the driest condition seen at a gage (red open circles) to the wettest (blue closed circles). A purple outer ring around a gage indicates it is flooding.

Orange, gray, and white, three-panel pamphlet describing rusting arctic rivers.
Rusting Arctic Rivers Pamphlet
Rusting Arctic Rivers Pamphlet
Rusting Arctic Rivers Pamphlet

Rivers across northern Alaska have recently turned orange in color. Because of their appearance, they are often called “rusting rivers.”

Rivers across northern Alaska have recently turned orange in color. Because of their appearance, they are often called “rusting rivers.”

RT-FI Map flood impact location pop-up showing the hydrograph and webcam of a flooded road along the Mississippi River
Real-Time Flood Impact Map: flooded road impact location in St. Paul, MN
Real-Time Flood Impact Map: flooded road impact location in St. Paul, MN
Real-Time Flood Impact Map: flooded road impact location in St. Paul, MN

Clicking on a flood feature icon in the USGS Real-Time Flood Impact Map will display information about that Flood Impact Location, the current conditions at the nearby USGS streamgage, and the USGS HIVIS webcam image (if available). For example, this Flood Impact Location in St.

Clicking on a flood feature icon in the USGS Real-Time Flood Impact Map will display information about that Flood Impact Location, the current conditions at the nearby USGS streamgage, and the USGS HIVIS webcam image (if available). For example, this Flood Impact Location in St.

Person in a red jacket standing near a basin covered in ice.
Suicide Basin above Juneau Alaska
Suicide Basin above Juneau Alaska
Suicide Basin above Juneau Alaska

USGS staff inspecting monitoring equipment in Suicide Basin. Suicide Basin is a side basin of the Mendenhall Glacier above Juneau, Alaska.

USGS staff inspecting monitoring equipment in Suicide Basin. Suicide Basin is a side basin of the Mendenhall Glacier above Juneau, Alaska.

USGS Public Webinar screenshot - USGS Water Data for the Nation API Modernization
USGS Public Webinar - Changes coming to USGS Water Data APIs Summer 2025
USGS Public Webinar - Changes coming to USGS Water Data APIs Summer 2025
USGS Public Webinar - Changes coming to USGS Water Data APIs Summer 2025

For over 15 years, the USGS has provided machine-readable and automated access to water data via the WaterServices family of APIs.

 Infographic for USGS WaterAlert with illustrations showing a US Map with amount of water alerts in a location.
USGS WaterAlert Water Safety at Your Fingertips
USGS WaterAlert Water Safety at Your Fingertips
USGS WaterAlert Water Safety at Your Fingertips

USGS WaterAlert is a free service that notifies subscribers of changing water conditions. Alerts can identify potentially dangerous situations like flows that are too high or too low to safely fish or kayak.

USGS WaterAlert is a free service that notifies subscribers of changing water conditions. Alerts can identify potentially dangerous situations like flows that are too high or too low to safely fish or kayak.

Infographic with illustrations highlighting how USGS collects and delivers water data for our nations needs.
Water Data Keep Us Strong
Water Data Keep Us Strong
Water Data Keep Us Strong

Water is one of America's greatest assets, providing energy, irrigation for crops, and water for homes and businesses. But water isn't always safe or reliable, and damages are costly. To protect lives and keep our country prosperous, we need information on the state of our water resources. USGS collects and delivers the water data our nation needs.

Water is one of America's greatest assets, providing energy, irrigation for crops, and water for homes and businesses. But water isn't always safe or reliable, and damages are costly. To protect lives and keep our country prosperous, we need information on the state of our water resources. USGS collects and delivers the water data our nation needs.

Thumbnail image for U.S. River Conditions January to March 2025
U.S. River Conditions, January to March 2025
U.S. River Conditions, January to March 2025
U.S. River Conditions, January to March 2025

U.S. River Conditions, January to March 2025 thumbnail image. The river conditions shown range from the driest condition seen at a gage (red open circles) to the wettest (blue closed circles). A purple outer ring around a gage indicates it is flooding.

U.S. River Conditions, January to March 2025 thumbnail image. The river conditions shown range from the driest condition seen at a gage (red open circles) to the wettest (blue closed circles). A purple outer ring around a gage indicates it is flooding.

Map with selected IWS basins highlighted
Integrated Water Science Basins
Integrated Water Science Basins
Integrated Water Science Basins

Selected reference basins (darker shaded basins)—referred to as Integrated Water Science (IWS) basins—are intensively monitored study basins representing a wide range of environmental, hydrologic, and landscape settings and human stressors of water resources to improve our understanding of water availability across the Nation.

Selected reference basins (darker shaded basins)—referred to as Integrated Water Science (IWS) basins—are intensively monitored study basins representing a wide range of environmental, hydrologic, and landscape settings and human stressors of water resources to improve our understanding of water availability across the Nation.

USGS research hydrologist Tyler King examines a water-quality sample through a microscope
Water-quality reconnaissance of Owyhee Reservoir, eastern Oregon
Water-quality reconnaissance of Owyhee Reservoir, eastern Oregon
Water-quality reconnaissance of Owyhee Reservoir, eastern Oregon

Research hydrologist Tyler King of the U.S. Geological Survey's Hydrologic Remote Sensing Branch examines a water sample collected from Owyhee Reservoir in eastern Oregon, April 10, 2025. King and scientists from the U.S.

Research hydrologist Tyler King of the U.S. Geological Survey's Hydrologic Remote Sensing Branch examines a water sample collected from Owyhee Reservoir in eastern Oregon, April 10, 2025. King and scientists from the U.S.

Screenshot of RT-FI Mapper showing numerous active flood impact locations including buildings, roads, and bridges
Real-Time Flood Impact Map: active flood impact locations during April 2025 flooding near Indianapolis, IN
Real-Time Flood Impact Map: active flood impact locations during April 2025 flooding near Indianapolis, IN
Real-Time Flood Impact Map: active flood impact locations during April 2025 flooding near Indianapolis, IN

Screenshot of the USGS Real-Time Flood Impact Map on April 9, 2025, near Indianapolis, IN. Multiple streams and rivers experienced spring flooding, overtopping their embankments and affecting nearby roads, buildings, bridges, and more.

Plot showing depth-to-water-level measurements. There is a gap in data in the 1940s, and noticeably fewer points after 1992
Long-term groundwater hydrograph from a Climate Response Network site in Oneida County, New York
Long-term groundwater hydrograph from a Climate Response Network site in Oneida County, New York
Long-term groundwater hydrograph from a Climate Response Network site in Oneida County, New York

Groundwater hydrograph showing field measurements of depth to water level from a Climate Response Network monitoring well (USGS site 433112075091501) located in Oneida County, New York.

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