Data Analysis Tools

The USGS provides real-time or near-real-time conditions water data at sites across the Nation. Current data typically are recorded at 15- to 60-minute intervals, stored onsite, and then transmitted to USGS offices every 1 to 4 hours, depending on the data relay technique used. Recording and transmission times may be more frequent during critical events.

The USGS Mobile Water Data site highlights USGS current conditions water data in a mobile-friendly website, allowing users to monitor conditions at a favorite river or stream or locate nearby monitoring locations. All USGS current conditions water data is available.

Neural networks are powerful deep learning models that help us make accurate environmental predictions. This data visualization describes how to train an artificial neural network, and how the USGS uses them to make physically-realistic predictions with less data.

During large, short-term events, the USGS collects streamflow and additional data (including storm tide, wave height, high-water marks, and additional sensor deployments) to aid in documenting flood events. The USGS Flood Event Viewer provides convenient, map-based access to downloadable event-based data.

This mapper identifies USGS Federal Priority Streamgages (FPS). FPS are monitoring stations that track the amount of water in streams and rivers across the Nation to meet long-term federal information needs. They are strategically positioned to serve as a backbone for the larger National Streamflow Network that is operated in cooperation with over 1,200 federal, state, tribal, and local agencies.

A majority of the water in the western U.S. comes from snowmelt, but changes in the timing, magnitude, and duration of snowmelt can alter water availability downstream. This data visualization story explores what changing snowmelt means for water in the West, and how new USGS efforts can advance snow science by modeling snowpack and snowmelt dynamics and linking these results to streamflow.

Water quality is essential for understanding water availability by providing insights into the drivers of change and possible availability constraints. Using data from eight monitoring organizations including the USGS, the Multisource Water-Quality Trends in the Delaware River Basin mapper shows changing water-quality trends from 2008-2018 in rivers and streams across the Delaware River Basin.

The Map and Data Products page offers bulk download of the Fire Danger Forecast data suite.

Changes in streamflow conditions can affect infrastructure, water supply, and ecosystems. The IWAAs Surface Water Flow Trends mapper provides access to information about long-term changes in low flows, mean flows, and peak flows. View national trends for the last 100, 75, or 50 years, or calculate trend values for a custom time period at an individual site.

The USGS is conducting a comprehensive evaluation of groundwater resources of the Adelaida area. Use this map to explore the hydrogeology of the area, including land use, geology, and USGS hydrologic data by watershed or water management district. 

A simulation-based power analysis can be used to estimate the sample sizes needed for a successful monitoring program, but requires technical expertise and sometimes extensive computing resources. We developed a web-based lookup app, called TrendPowerTool.

The 2020 fire season provided stark evidence that wildfires are changing the landscape of America. But when a forest burns, the impacts on water supply and quality last long after the flames go out. Learn more about how wildfires threaten U.S. water supplies – and what we can do to adapt to the complex impacts of hotter and bigger fires.