Water Resources

USGS gage number 09328990 Colorado River above Dirty Devil River near Hite, UT

Photographer: Chris Wilkowske

Photograph of USGS employee conducting a measurement in a stream using a mechanical current meter.

USGS employee on a cable way above a river using an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler.

USGS hydrographers collect tens of thousands of streamflow measurements every year. In-water work by personnel is one of the most dangerous aspects of USGS hydrologic studies, especially during high-flow conditions. In May 2019, USGS continued testing of a light-weight, self-contained ground-penetrating radar (GPR) system that can be mounted on a small drone. We are

USGS hydrographers collect tens of thousands of streamflow measurements every year. In-water work by personnel is one of the most dangerous aspects of USGS hydrologic studies, especially during high-flow conditions. In May 2019, USGS continued testing of a light-weight, self-contained ground-penetrating radar (GPR) system that can be mounted on a small drone. We are

2019 Aquatic Airshow participants at the Androscoggin River in Auburn Maine, May 1, 2019, photograph by Mario Martin-Alciati USGS.  Bottom row L-R: Andy Massey, John Fulton, Sandy Brosnahan, John Young, Russ Lotspeich; Top row L-R: Frank Engel, Tom Orcutt, Per Westholm, Curtis Yaeger, Qassim Abdullah, Mark Harvey, Eric White, Sean Andrews, John Lane, Jeff Kinsey, Jack

The sensor mounted on the drone is called the Qcam and is a Doppler radar sensor providing velocity from a hovering position above the river. USGS hydrologic technician (left) aboard a USGS John Boat mounted with Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler observes the Qcam conducting a measurement. (Right) The 3DR solo quadcopter mounted with Qcam is prepared to take off.  

(Left) Frank Engel of the hydrologic remote sensing branch prepares the DJI Mavic Pro quadcopter , while Sean Andrews and Jeff Kinsey of the New England WSC observe. The Mavic was used for Large Scale Particle Image Velocimetry (LSPIV). High quality video was collected to determine the velocity and quantity of the water with

(Above) New England Water Science Center and Virginia - West Virginia Water Science Center personnel collected measurements use GPS surveying equipment and ADCP to collect ground-truth data and quality assure non-contact data (above left Tom and Andy Massey; above right Andy Massey and Jeff Kinsey; lower left Russ Lotspeich on shore and Jeff Kinsey and Sean Andrews on the

Aerial photo taken by drone of the Androscoggin river, Maine

The USGS, in cooperative research and development with GuidelineGEO, tested an 80 GHz self contained ground penetrating radar unit on a DJI Matrice 600 hexcopter (left). This platform was tested for flight performance and for measurement of river channel cross-sectional area as well as river water depth and river width. (Right)