StreamStats: Streamflow Statistics and Spatial Analysis Tools for Water-Resources Applications
Science Center Objects
StreamStats provides access to spatial analytical tools that are useful for water-resources planning and management, and for engineering and design purposes. The map-based user interface can be used to delineate drainage areas, get basin characteristics and estimates of flow statistics, and more. Available information varies from state to state.
StreamStats Application
StreamStats is a Web application that provides access to an assortment of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analytical tools that are useful for water-resources planning and management, and for engineering and design purposes. The map-based user interface can be used to delineate drainage areas for user-selected sites on streams, and then get basin characteristics and estimates of flow statistics for the selected sites anywhere this functionality is available. StreamStats users also can select the locations of U.S. Geological Survey data-collection stations, shown as triangles on the StreamStats map, and get flow statistics and other information for the stations. The types of flow statistics that are available vary from state to state. A variety of additional tools are available for discovering information about streams and the activities along them.
StreamStats works within Web browser software on personal computers and mobile devices, and is best viewed using the latest versions of Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, Chrome, or Firefox. The browser must allow HTML5 asynchronous script execution. The application is being continually improved and expanded. The ActiveNews/Status link will provide notices of any new enhancements.
StreamStats Documentation
Users should familiarize themselves with StreamStats documentation before trying to use the application. StreamStats documentation, and links to it, consists of:
- A general description of how StreamStats works
- Definitions of basin characteristics and streamflow statistics that appear in StreamStats outputs
- Descriptions of how to use the StreamStats Web Services and the Batch Processor tool
- Links to public presentations and articles on StreamStats
- A USGS Fact Sheet that briefly describes the application
- A StreamStats version 4 users' manual
Additional documentation can be accessed through use of the About and Help buttons in the black banner above the map in StreamStats. The page that appears after clicking on the About button includes three tabs. The About the Project tab provides a brief description of StreamStats. The State/Regional Info tab provides (1) a description of the streamflow statistics that can be estimated by use of regression equations for the state that the user has selected, (2) citations for the reports that include the equations, (3) notes and cautions that are specific to using StreamStats for that state, (4) a link to information about the geospatial data used to implement the state, and (5) information about the agencies that cooperated with the USGS to implement the application. The News tab provides access to a list of notes that describe recent and older changes to StreamStats. The Help button on the user interface provides access to the users’ manual, a list of frequently-asked questions and answers, and a form that users can fill out to request support or submit comments to the StreamStats development team.
Active News/Status
Past News
FAQ
Social Media (Twitter)
DISCLAIMERS:
USGS Data Disclaimer:
Unless otherwise stated, all data, metadata and related materials are considered to satisfy the quality standards relative to the purpose for which the data were collected. Although these data and associated metadata have been reviewed for accuracy and completeness and approved for release by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), no warranty expressed or implied is made regarding the display or utility of the data for other purposes, nor on all computer systems, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty.
USGS Software Disclaimer:
This software has been approved for release by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Although the software has been subjected to rigorous review, the USGS reserves the right to update the software as needed pursuant to further analysis and review. No warranty, expressed or implied, is made by the USGS or the U.S. Government as to the functionality of the software and related material nor shall the fact of release constitute any such warranty. Furthermore, the software is released on condition that neither the USGS nor the U.S. Government shall be held liable for any damages resulting from its authorized or unauthorized use.
USGS Product Names Disclaimer:
Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
Presentations and Other Information
Below is a list of reports and presentations on StreamStats. If you have any further question, please contact us.
Katharine Kolb, 2016, USGS StreamStats: Hydrologic and Geospatial Data Integrated to Support Water Science and Management, presented at the Community for Data Integration Workshop, May 17, 2017, Denver Colorado
The American Water Resources Association 2016 Summer Specialty Conference on GIS and Water Resources IX, held in Sacramento, California, on July 11-13, 2016, included a session on StreamStats. Links to presentations included in the session are below:
- StreamStats: History, Status and Plans - Kernell Ries, U.S. Geological Survey, Catonsville, MD
- StreamStats: Inside-Out and From the Ground Up - Katharine Kolb, U.S. Geological Survey, Charlotte, NC
- National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) Analysis in StreamStats - Peter Steeves, U.S. Geological Survey, Northborough, MA
- StreamStats for Colorado, the Past, Present and the Future - Amanullah Mommandi, Applied Research and Innovation Branch, Colorado Dept. of Transportation (CDOT), Denver, CO
Ries, K.G., III, Guthrie, J.D., Rea, A.H., Steeves, P.A., and Stewart, D.W., 2010, Use of the StreamStats Web Application for TMDL Analysis, in Proceedings of TMDL 2010: Watershed Management to Improve Water Quality, November 14-17, 2010, Baltimore, Maryland, Association of State Agricultural and Biological Engineers, 7 p., online at http://elibrary.asabe.org/conference.asp?confid=tmdl2010.
Ries, K.G., III, Horn, M.A., Nardi, M.R., and Tessler, Steven, 2010, Incorporation of water-use summaries into the StreamStats web application for Maryland: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2009-5111, 18 p.
Papers published in Dragicevic, S., Roman, D., and Tanasescu, V., Proceedings of the 2009 International Conference on Advanced Geographic Information Systems & Web Services, February 1-7, 2009, Cancun, Mexico, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. Computer Society Press:
- Ries, K.G., III, Steeves, P.A., Guthrie, J.D., Rea, A.H., and Stewart, D.W., 2009, Stream-Network Navigation in the U.S. Geological Survey StreamStats Web Application, pp. 80-84.
- Guthrie, J.D. Dartiguenave, Christine, and Ries, K.G., III, 2009, Web Services in the U.S. Geological Survey StreamStats Web Application, pp. 60-63.
Use of the USGS StreamStats Web Application for Stream Analysis, presented at the USGS Tools Workshop at the Association of State Floodplain Managers annual conference, May 19, 2008, Reno, Nevada
Ries, K.G., III, Guthrie, J.D., Rea, A.H., Steeves, P.A., and Stewart, D.W., 2008, StreamStats: A Water Resources Web Application: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2008-3067, 6 p.
Presentation at USGS headquarters September 9, 2003
Hydroinformatics 2002 Conference in Cardiff, Wales, July 1-5, 2002
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Date published: July 16, 2018Status: ActiveFlood Inundation Mapping (FIM) Program
Floods are the leading cause of natural-disaster losses in the U.S. More than 75 percent of declared Federal disasters are related to floods, and annual flood losses average almost $8 billion with over 90 fatalities per year. Although the amount of fatalities has declined due to improved early warning systems, economic losses continue to rise with increased urbanization in flood-hazard areas...
Contacts: Marie C Peppler, Moon KimAttribution: Water Resources -
Date published: December 15, 2017Status: CompletedPeak Discharge, Flood Frequency, and Peak Stage of Floods
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Colorado Department of Transportation, determined the peak discharge, annual exceedance probability (flood frequency), and peak stage of two floods that took place on Big Cottonwood Creek at U.S. Highway 50 near Coaldale, Colorado (hereafter referred to as “Big Cottonwood Creek site”), on August 23, 2016, and on Fountain Creek below U....
Contacts: Michael S Kohn, P.E.Attribution: Colorado Water Science Center -
Date published: March 27, 2018Status: ArchivedStreamflow Statistics for Unregulated and Regulated Conditions for Selected Locations on the Yellowstone, Tongue, Powder, and Bighorn Rivers, Montana
Major floods in 1996-1997 on the Yellowstone River intensified public debate over the effects of human activities on the Yellowstone River. The Yellowstone River Conservation District Council partnered with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to conduct a cumulative-effects study on the Yellowstone. For that study, the USGS calculated streamflow statistics for unregulated (no development) and...
Attribution: Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center -
Date published: September 22, 2015Status: ActiveA New Tool for Estimating Daily Mean Streamflow Statistics at Rural Streams in New York State, excluding Long Island
The lakes, rivers, and streams of New York State provide an essential water resource for the State. The information provided by time series hydrologic data is essential to understanding ways to promote healthy instream ecology and to strengthen the scientific basis for sound water management decision making in New York. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with The Nature Conservancy and...
Contacts: Christopher GazoorianAttribution: New York Water Science Center -
Date published: May 30, 2017Status: ActiveAlaska Streamflow Statistics
The USGS conducts various studies of streamflow statistics for data collected at streamflow-gaging stations. Streamflow statistics for gaged streams and methods for estimating those statistics for ungaged streams are used by water resource planners and managers for designing infrastructure, managing floodplains, and protecting life, property, and aquatic resources. The most recent USGS studies...
Contacts: Janet H Curran, Jeff ConawayAttribution: Alaska Science Center -
Date published: September 1, 2012Implementation of the U.S. Geological Survey's StreamStats Program in Arkansas -- A Web Application for Streamflow Statistics and Basin Characteristics
Short Title: Arkansas StreamStats Implementation
Project Chief: Aaron Pugh
Cooperator: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Little Rock District, Arkansas Natural Resources Commission, ...
Contacts: Aaron L PughAttribution: Southeast, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center -
Date published: June 20, 2016Status: ActiveImplementing a Web-based Streamflow Statistics Tool for New Mexico (StreamStats)
Estimates of streamflow are needed for a wide variety of applications, including water-resources planning and management, flood-plain mapping, and instream flow determinations. Surface water is the primary source of water for irrigators along major stream corridors in New Mexico and is increasingly being utilized by large municipalities. While streamflow statistics for gaged sites are readily...
Contacts: Anne C TilleryAttribution: New Mexico Water Science Center -
Date published: August 29, 2017Status: CompletedImplementing a Web-Based Streamflow Statistics Tool for South Dakota (StreamStats)
The objective of this study is to provide a Web-based interactive tool (StreamStats) for determining streamflow statistics for any stream location within South Dakota for which applicable streamflow regression equations have been published.
Contacts: Ryan F ThompsonAttribution: Midcontinent, Dakota Water Science Center -
Date published: November 1, 2015Status: ActiveStreamStats for Colorado
StreamStats is a map based Web application that provides information that can be used by engineers, managers, and planners to make informed decisions on water-related activities. The map-based user interface can be used to delineate drainage areas, get basin characteristics and estimates of flow statistics. StreamStats allows for the analysis of upstream and downstream relations along...
Contacts: Tara A GrossAttribution: Colorado Water Science Center -
Date published: April 13, 2017Status: ActiveOklahoma StreamStats
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) periodically publishes streamflow statistics, such as flood-frequency, flow-duration, and mean annual streamflow statistics, for gaged sites with long-term record. Regionalized regression methods recently have been developed for estimating many of these streamflow statistics at ungaged sites as a function of measured physical and climatic drainage basin...
Contacts: S. Jerrod SmithAttribution: Oklahoma Water Science Center
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Year Published: 2017StreamStats, version 4
IntroductionStreamStats version 4, available at https://streamstats.usgs.gov, is a map-based web application that provides an assortment of analytical tools that are useful for water-resources planning and management, and engineering purposes. Developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the primary purpose of StreamStats is to provide...
Ries, Kernell G.; Newson, Jeremy K.; Smith, Martyn J.; Guthrie, John D.; Steeves, Peter A.; Haluska, Tana L.; Kolb, Katharine R.; Thompson, Ryan F.; Santoro, Richard D.; Vraga, Hans W.Attribution: Water Resources, Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program, United States of AmericaView CitationRies, K.G., III, Newson J.K., Smith, M.J., Guthrie, J.D., Steeves, P.A., Haluska, T.L., Kolb, K.R., Thompson, R.F., Santoro, R.D., and Vraga, H.W., 2017, StreamStats, version 4: U.S. Geological Survey Fact 2017–3046, 4 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/fs20173046. [Supersedes USGS Fact Sheet 2008–3067.]
Guidelines for determining flood flow frequency—Bulletin 17C
Accurate estimates of flood frequency and magnitude are a key component of any effective nationwide flood risk management and flood damage abatement program. In addition to accuracy, methods for estimating flood risk must be uniformly and consistently applied because management of the Nation’s water and related land resources is a collaborative...
England, John F.; Cohn, Timothy A.; Faber, Beth A.; Stedinger, Jery R.; Thomas, Wilbert O.; Veilleux, Andrea G.; Kiang, Julie E.; Mason, Robert R.
Comparison of regression relations of bankfull discharge and channel geometry for the glaciated and nonglaciated settings of Pennsylvania and southern New York
Streambank erosion in areas of past glacial deposition has been shown to be a dominant source of sediment to streams. Water resource managers are faced with the challenge of developing long and short term (emergency) stream restoration efforts that rely on the most suitable channel geometry for project design. A geomorphic dataset of new (2016, n=...
Clune, John W.; Chaplin, Jeffrey J.; White, Kirk E.
Compilation of streamflow statistics calculated from daily mean streamflow data collected during water years 1901–2015 for selected U.S. Geological Survey streamgages
Streamflow statistics are needed by decision makers for many planning, management, and design activities. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) StreamStats Web application provides convenient access to streamflow statistics for many streamgages by accessing the underlying StreamStatsDB database. In 2016, non-interpretive streamflow statistics were...
Granato, Gregory E.; Ries, Kernell G.; Steeves, Peter A.
Methods for estimating annual exceedance-probability streamflows for streams in Kansas based on data through water year 2015
A study was done by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Kansas Department of Transportation and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to develop regression models to estimate peak streamflows of annual exceedance probabilities of 50, 20, 10, 4, 2, 1, 0.5, and 0.2 percent at ungaged locations in Kansas. Peak streamflow frequency...
Painter, Colin C.; Heimann, David C.; Lanning-Rush, Jennifer L.
Characterization of peak streamflows and flood inundation of selected areas in Louisiana from the August 2016 flood
Heavy rainfall occurred across Louisiana and southwestern Mississippi in August 2016 as a result of a slow-moving area of low pressure and a high amount of atmospheric moisture. The storm caused major flooding in the southern portions of Louisiana including areas surrounding Baton Rouge and Lafayette. Flooding occurred along the rivers such as the...
Watson, Kara M.; Storm, John B.; Breaker, Brian K.; Rose, Claire E.
Methods for estimating selected low-flow frequency statistics and mean annual flow for ungaged locations on streams in North Georgia
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Protection Division, developed regional regression equations for estimating selected low-flow frequency and mean annual flow statistics for ungaged streams in north Georgia that are not substantially affected by regulation, diversions, or...
Gotvald, Anthony J.
Methods for estimating selected low-flow frequency statistics and harmonic mean flows for streams in Iowa
A statewide study was conducted to develop regression equations for estimating six selected low-flow frequency statistics and harmonic mean flows for ungaged stream sites in Iowa. The estimation equations developed for the six low-flow frequency statistics include: the annual 1-, 7-, and 30-day mean low flows for a recurrence interval of 10 years...
Eash, David A.; Barnes, Kimberlee K.
Estimating selected low-flow frequency statistics and harmonic-mean flows for ungaged, unregulated streams in Indiana
Information on low-flow characteristics of streams is essential for the management of water resources. This report provides equations for estimating the 1-, 7-, and 30-day mean low flows for a recurrence interval of 10 years and the harmonic-mean flow at ungaged, unregulated stream sites in Indiana. These equations were developed using the low-...
Martin, Gary R.; Fowler, Kathleen K.; Arihood, Leslie D.
Magnitude, frequency, and trends of floods at gaged and ungaged sites in Washington, based on data through water year 2014
An investigation into the magnitude and frequency of floods in Washington State computed the annual exceedance probability (AEP) statistics for 648 U.S. Geological Survey unregulated streamgages in and near the borders of Washington using the recorded annual peak flows through water year 2014. This is an updated report from a previous report...
Mastin, Mark C.; Konrad, Christopher P.; Veilleux, Andrea G.; Tecca, Alison E.
Methods for estimating selected spring and fall low-flow frequency statistics for ungaged stream sites in Iowa, based on data through June 2014
A statewide study was led to develop regression equations for estimating three selected spring and three selected fall low-flow frequency statistics for ungaged stream sites in Iowa. The estimation equations developed for the six low-flow frequency statistics include spring (April through June) 1-, 7-, and 30-day mean low flows for a recurrence...
Eash, David A.; Barnes, Kimberlee K.; O'Shea, Padraic S.
Paleoflood investigations to improve peak-streamflow regional-regression equations for natural streamflow in eastern Colorado, 2015
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Colorado Department of Transportation, developed regional-regression equations for estimating the 50-, 20-, 10-, 4-, 2-, 1-, 0.5-, 0.2-percent annual exceedance-probability discharge (AEPD) for natural streamflow in eastern Colorado. A total of 188 streamgages, consisting of 6,536 years of...
Kohn, Michael S.; Stevens, Michael R.; Harden, Tessa M.; Godaire, Jeanne E.; Klinger, Ralph E.; Mommandi, Amanullah
Low-flow frequency and flow duration of selected South Carolina streams in the Savannah and Salkehatchie River Basins through March 2014
An ongoing understanding of streamflow characteristics of the rivers and streams in South Carolina is important for the protection and preservation of the State’s water resources. Information concerning the low-flow characteristics of streams is especially important during critical flow periods, such as during the historic droughts that South...
Feaster, Toby D.; Guimaraes, Wladmir B.-
Date published: June 29, 2018StreamStats Web Services
The StreamStats application uses data web services that were created for it. When in use, the application manages interactions between the user and the services. However, the web services can be directly accessed using the StreamStats Service API documented here or consumed by a custom client application using HTTP protocols.
Attribution: Water Resources -
Date published: July 2, 2018
StreamStats Batch Processor Tool
This tool produces shapefiles that contain the delineated basins, basin characteristics, and flow statistics for multiple sites requested at once by users. Before this tool can be used, the the points of interest will likely need to be edited in GIS so that they are coincident with the stream grid used by StreamStats for delineations and saved to a shapefile.
Attribution: Water Resources -
Date published: March 4, 2019
StreamStats Application
StreamStats provides access to spatial analytical tools that are useful for water-resources planning and management, and for engineering and design purposes. The map-based user interface can be used to delineate drainage areas, get basin characteristics and estimates of flow statistics, and more. Available information varies from state to state.
Attribution: Water Resources, Upper Midwest Water Science Center
USGS StreamStats: Hydrologic and Geospatial Data
USGS StreamStats: Hydrologic and Geospatial Data Integrated to Support Water Science and Management
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Date published: January 12, 2017StreamStats Provides New Information for Montana
Helpful new information for anyone designing structures over or near water, managing water distribution, or interested in the flow of local streams.