Where surface water runs low, groundwater supplements water supply
1,000 Cameras and Counting
Growing network of webcams supports water science and safety
Growing network of webcams supports water science and safety
New Nationwide Tool Helps Answer: Do We Have Enough Water?
Resource can help water managers make informed decisions about supply, demand, and future growth.
Resource can help water managers make informed decisions about supply, demand, and future growth.
Water Resources Mission Area
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.
Message from the Associate Director
Message from the Associate Director
Learn more about the Mission Area from the Associate Director for Water Resources.
Water Data for the Nation
Water Data for the Nation
Water data collected at approximately 1.9 million sites across all 50 states.
News
USGS Scientist and National Weather Service and University of Alaska Southeast colleagues receive Alaska State Legislature Recognition for Response to Juneau’s annual Suicide Basin Outburst Floods
USGS Scientist and National Weather Service and University of Alaska Southeast colleagues receive Alaska State Legislature Recognition for Response to Juneau’s annual Suicide Basin Outburst Floods
Media Alert: USGS Hydrologic Study to Use Non-Toxic Dye in Lake Fork Creek
Media Alert: USGS Hydrologic Study to Use Non-Toxic Dye in Lake Fork Creek
USGS Predicts PFAS in Shallow Soils Throughout Northern New England and Identifies Possible Groundwater Risks
USGS Predicts PFAS in Shallow Soils Throughout Northern New England and Identifies Possible Groundwater Risks
Publications
U.S. Geological Survey Monitoring Milestones—Oe-151 at Woodgate, NY (433112075091501) U.S. Geological Survey Monitoring Milestones—Oe-151 at Woodgate, NY (433112075091501)
On July 9, 1926, monitoring well Oe-151 at Woodgate, New York (USGS ID 433112075091501) recorded its first groundwater data. Since then, the well has provided water data nearly continuously and has now reached a 100-year milestone for data collection. The well is part of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Climate Response Network (CRN), which is a national network of wells selected to...
Three new calcium formate reference materials for δ13C measurements and a redetermination of the R(13C/12C) ratio for VPDB based on proton nuclear magnetic resonance measurements Three new calcium formate reference materials for δ13C measurements and a redetermination of the R(13C/12C) ratio for VPDB based on proton nuclear magnetic resonance measurements
Rationale Isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy are independent techniques for determining the isotope ratio R(13C/12C) in organic compounds. However, the lack of suitable reference materials has limited intercalibration of results from these methods.Methods Three high-purity calcium formate isotopic reference materials were...
Loss and transformation of coastal wetlands due to global change in the conterminous United States: Past, present, and future Loss and transformation of coastal wetlands due to global change in the conterminous United States: Past, present, and future
Coastal wetlands are being transformed by global change, impacting the ecological and societal benefits provided by these ecosystems. Synthesizing knowledge of historical and expected future transformations in coastal wetlands can help inform forward-looking planning and stewardship efforts. Here, we review anticipated future ecological transformations in coastal wetlands of the...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, California Water Science Center, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Great Lakes Science Center, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC), Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center
Science
Accessing Water Use Data
The USGS provides historic and recent water use data for the United States including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This page provides an up-to-date guide to accessing, downloading, and using USGS water use data.
Water Use in the United States
Since 1950, the USGS has regularly produced nationwide water‑use data, creating one of the most comprehensive pictures of how water is used across the United States. Building on this rich historical record, these data give water managers a critical foundation to evaluate long‑term trends, plan strategically, and identify and quantify water availability so they can design more adaptive, resilient...
Water Quality
The USGS, in partnership with multiple other groups, is learning about water-quality conditions across time and space in terminal lakes across the Great Basin. This effort is part of the Saline Lake Ecosystems Integrated Water Availability Assessment.