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Dr. Althea A. Archer is a Science Communicator in the Web Communications Branch of the USGS Water Resources Mission Area, Integrated Information Dissemination Division.
Althea combines her passion for communication, data visualization, and writing to tell stories of USGS water science to the public. Her goal is to make science understandable and actionable for all.
USGS Vizlab's new interactive website "Surface water and groundwater conditions" provides a deeper dive into water data over the past year.
USGS Vizlab's new interactive website "Surface water and groundwater conditions" provides a deeper dive into water data over the past year.
This map represents the average amount of water withdrawn in 2023 for aquaculture use for all states in the conterminous United States (CONUS), Alaska, and Hawaii.
This map represents the average amount of water withdrawn in 2023 for aquaculture use for all states in the conterminous United States (CONUS), Alaska, and Hawaii.
This map represents the average amount of water withdrawn each month for industrial use for all subwatersheds (12-digit Hydrologic Unit Codes or HUC12s) in the conterminous United States (CONUS).
This map represents the average amount of water withdrawn each month for industrial use for all subwatersheds (12-digit Hydrologic Unit Codes or HUC12s) in the conterminous United States (CONUS).
This map represents the average amount of water withdrawn each month for domestic self-supply use for all subwatersheds (12-digit Hydrologic Unit Codes or HUC12s) in the conterminous United States (CONUS).
This map represents the average amount of water withdrawn each month for domestic self-supply use for all subwatersheds (12-digit Hydrologic Unit Codes or HUC12s) in the conterminous United States (CONUS).
This map represents the average amount of water withdrawn each month in 2022 for livestock use for all subwatersheds (12-digit Hydrologic Unit Codes or HUC12s) in the conterminous United States (CONUS), Alaska, and Hawaii.
This map represents the average amount of water withdrawn each month in 2022 for livestock use for all subwatersheds (12-digit Hydrologic Unit Codes or HUC12s) in the conterminous United States (CONUS), Alaska, and Hawaii.
Vintage-style poster of the Delaware River near the Delaware Water Gap with a USGS gage on the bridge in the foreground. Poster created for WMA Great American Waterways Campaign.
Illustration by Althea A. Archer, USGS
Vintage-style poster of the Delaware River near the Delaware Water Gap with a USGS gage on the bridge in the foreground. Poster created for WMA Great American Waterways Campaign.
Illustration by Althea A. Archer, USGS
Vintage-style poster of Chesapeake Bay with a USGS gage and blue crab on the shoreline in the foreground and estuaries feeding the bay the background. Illustration by Althea A. Archer, USGS Poster created for WMA Great American Waterways Campaign.
Illustration by Althea A. Archer, USGS
Vintage-style poster of Chesapeake Bay with a USGS gage and blue crab on the shoreline in the foreground and estuaries feeding the bay the background. Illustration by Althea A. Archer, USGS Poster created for WMA Great American Waterways Campaign.
Illustration by Althea A. Archer, USGS
Vintage-style poster of St. Anthony Falls on the Mississippi River showing a streamgage in the foreground. Illustration by Althea A. Archer, USGS. Poster created for WMA Great American Waterways Campaign.
Illustration by Althea A. Archer, USGS
Vintage-style poster of St. Anthony Falls on the Mississippi River showing a streamgage in the foreground. Illustration by Althea A. Archer, USGS. Poster created for WMA Great American Waterways Campaign.
Illustration by Althea A. Archer, USGS
Vintage-style poster of a Great Lake during sunset with a USGS streamgage in the foreground on the shore. Poster created for WMA Great American Waterways Campaign.
Illustration by Althea A. Archer, USGS
Vintage-style poster of a Great Lake during sunset with a USGS streamgage in the foreground on the shore. Poster created for WMA Great American Waterways Campaign.
Illustration by Althea A. Archer, USGS
Vintage-style poster of the Colorado River with a USGS water quality monitor portrayed on pulleys across the canyon. Poster created for WMA Great American Waterways Campaign.
Illustration by Althea A. Archer, USGS
Vintage-style poster of the Colorado River with a USGS water quality monitor portrayed on pulleys across the canyon. Poster created for WMA Great American Waterways Campaign.
Illustration by Althea A. Archer, USGS
Vintage-style poster of the Columbia River flowing alongside Mount Hood with a USGS streamgage featured in the foreground. Poster created for WMA Great American Waterways Campaign. Illustration by Althea A. Archer, USGS
Vintage-style poster of the Columbia River flowing alongside Mount Hood with a USGS streamgage featured in the foreground. Poster created for WMA Great American Waterways Campaign. Illustration by Althea A. Archer, USGS
Diagram of a typical streamgage installation with equipment used to measure stream stage
Diagram of a typical streamgage installation with equipment used to measure stream stage
Diagram of how USGS water data are transferred from streamgage to the internet
Diagram of how USGS water data are transferred from streamgage to the internet
Illustration of Drippy, USGS Water's unofficial mascot, splashing out of a drain pipe into a sewer with a lollipop in his hand. This illustration was used to represent the USGS study of artificial sweeteners as they enter the water cycle.
Illustration of Drippy, USGS Water's unofficial mascot, splashing out of a drain pipe into a sewer with a lollipop in his hand. This illustration was used to represent the USGS study of artificial sweeteners as they enter the water cycle.
Infographic that describes the scientific process by following a social scientist and a physical scientist.
Infographic that describes the scientific process by following a social scientist and a physical scientist.
Map of the Upper Colorado River Basin —referred to as an 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.
Map of the Upper Colorado River Basin —referred to as an 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.
The U.S. Geological Survey uses a depiction and classification scheme for hydrologic units known as hydrologic unit codes (HUCs). HUCs generally represent catchments, and river basins are represented by a unique series of numbers with successively smaller hydrologic units nested inside of larger ones.
The U.S. Geological Survey uses a depiction and classification scheme for hydrologic units known as hydrologic unit codes (HUCs). HUCs generally represent catchments, and river basins are represented by a unique series of numbers with successively smaller hydrologic units nested inside of larger ones.
Around 90% of daily water use in the lower 48 United States goes toward crop irrigation, thermoelectric power plants, where freshwater is used in the process of creating energy, and public supply, where water is withdrawn or purchased by a water supplier and delivered to many users. These three uses add up to 224,000 million gallons of freshwater per day.
Around 90% of daily water use in the lower 48 United States goes toward crop irrigation, thermoelectric power plants, where freshwater is used in the process of creating energy, and public supply, where water is withdrawn or purchased by a water supplier and delivered to many users. These three uses add up to 224,000 million gallons of freshwater per day.
Water limitation across the lower 48. Water limitation is measured as the Supply and Use Index (SUI) which represents the imbalance between water supply and demand. A higher SUI indicates a greater proportion of supply being used.
Water limitation across the lower 48. Water limitation is measured as the Supply and Use Index (SUI) which represents the imbalance between water supply and demand. A higher SUI indicates a greater proportion of supply being used.
Diagram of the process of water use from source (surface water, groundwater, reuse water) through transmission, utility reservoir, water treatment, distribution, and withdrawal for industry, residential, and commercial.
Diagram of the process of water use from source (surface water, groundwater, reuse water) through transmission, utility reservoir, water treatment, distribution, and withdrawal for industry, residential, and commercial.
A cross-sectional view of a hypothetical coastline showing one possible arrangement of the three Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS) floodplain elevations (Climate-Informed Science Approach, the Freeboard Value Approach, and the 0.2% Annual-Chance Flood Approach) above the current Base Flood Elevation, i.e., the 1% annual-chance flood elevation.
A cross-sectional view of a hypothetical coastline showing one possible arrangement of the three Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS) floodplain elevations (Climate-Informed Science Approach, the Freeboard Value Approach, and the 0.2% Annual-Chance Flood Approach) above the current Base Flood Elevation, i.e., the 1% annual-chance flood elevation.
USGS Vizlab's new interactive website "Surface water and groundwater conditions" provides a deeper dive into water data over the past year.
USGS Vizlab's new interactive website "Surface water and groundwater conditions" provides a deeper dive into water data over the past year.
This map represents the average amount of water withdrawn in 2023 for aquaculture use for all states in the conterminous United States (CONUS), Alaska, and Hawaii.
This map represents the average amount of water withdrawn in 2023 for aquaculture use for all states in the conterminous United States (CONUS), Alaska, and Hawaii.
This map represents the average amount of water withdrawn each month for industrial use for all subwatersheds (12-digit Hydrologic Unit Codes or HUC12s) in the conterminous United States (CONUS).
This map represents the average amount of water withdrawn each month for industrial use for all subwatersheds (12-digit Hydrologic Unit Codes or HUC12s) in the conterminous United States (CONUS).
This map represents the average amount of water withdrawn each month for domestic self-supply use for all subwatersheds (12-digit Hydrologic Unit Codes or HUC12s) in the conterminous United States (CONUS).
This map represents the average amount of water withdrawn each month for domestic self-supply use for all subwatersheds (12-digit Hydrologic Unit Codes or HUC12s) in the conterminous United States (CONUS).
This map represents the average amount of water withdrawn each month in 2022 for livestock use for all subwatersheds (12-digit Hydrologic Unit Codes or HUC12s) in the conterminous United States (CONUS), Alaska, and Hawaii.
This map represents the average amount of water withdrawn each month in 2022 for livestock use for all subwatersheds (12-digit Hydrologic Unit Codes or HUC12s) in the conterminous United States (CONUS), Alaska, and Hawaii.
Vintage-style poster of the Delaware River near the Delaware Water Gap with a USGS gage on the bridge in the foreground. Poster created for WMA Great American Waterways Campaign.
Illustration by Althea A. Archer, USGS
Vintage-style poster of the Delaware River near the Delaware Water Gap with a USGS gage on the bridge in the foreground. Poster created for WMA Great American Waterways Campaign.
Illustration by Althea A. Archer, USGS
Vintage-style poster of Chesapeake Bay with a USGS gage and blue crab on the shoreline in the foreground and estuaries feeding the bay the background. Illustration by Althea A. Archer, USGS Poster created for WMA Great American Waterways Campaign.
Illustration by Althea A. Archer, USGS
Vintage-style poster of Chesapeake Bay with a USGS gage and blue crab on the shoreline in the foreground and estuaries feeding the bay the background. Illustration by Althea A. Archer, USGS Poster created for WMA Great American Waterways Campaign.
Illustration by Althea A. Archer, USGS
Vintage-style poster of St. Anthony Falls on the Mississippi River showing a streamgage in the foreground. Illustration by Althea A. Archer, USGS. Poster created for WMA Great American Waterways Campaign.
Illustration by Althea A. Archer, USGS
Vintage-style poster of St. Anthony Falls on the Mississippi River showing a streamgage in the foreground. Illustration by Althea A. Archer, USGS. Poster created for WMA Great American Waterways Campaign.
Illustration by Althea A. Archer, USGS
Vintage-style poster of a Great Lake during sunset with a USGS streamgage in the foreground on the shore. Poster created for WMA Great American Waterways Campaign.
Illustration by Althea A. Archer, USGS
Vintage-style poster of a Great Lake during sunset with a USGS streamgage in the foreground on the shore. Poster created for WMA Great American Waterways Campaign.
Illustration by Althea A. Archer, USGS
Vintage-style poster of the Colorado River with a USGS water quality monitor portrayed on pulleys across the canyon. Poster created for WMA Great American Waterways Campaign.
Illustration by Althea A. Archer, USGS
Vintage-style poster of the Colorado River with a USGS water quality monitor portrayed on pulleys across the canyon. Poster created for WMA Great American Waterways Campaign.
Illustration by Althea A. Archer, USGS
Vintage-style poster of the Columbia River flowing alongside Mount Hood with a USGS streamgage featured in the foreground. Poster created for WMA Great American Waterways Campaign. Illustration by Althea A. Archer, USGS
Vintage-style poster of the Columbia River flowing alongside Mount Hood with a USGS streamgage featured in the foreground. Poster created for WMA Great American Waterways Campaign. Illustration by Althea A. Archer, USGS
Diagram of a typical streamgage installation with equipment used to measure stream stage
Diagram of a typical streamgage installation with equipment used to measure stream stage
Diagram of how USGS water data are transferred from streamgage to the internet
Diagram of how USGS water data are transferred from streamgage to the internet
Illustration of Drippy, USGS Water's unofficial mascot, splashing out of a drain pipe into a sewer with a lollipop in his hand. This illustration was used to represent the USGS study of artificial sweeteners as they enter the water cycle.
Illustration of Drippy, USGS Water's unofficial mascot, splashing out of a drain pipe into a sewer with a lollipop in his hand. This illustration was used to represent the USGS study of artificial sweeteners as they enter the water cycle.
Infographic that describes the scientific process by following a social scientist and a physical scientist.
Infographic that describes the scientific process by following a social scientist and a physical scientist.
Map of the Upper Colorado River Basin —referred to as an 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.
Map of the Upper Colorado River Basin —referred to as an 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.
The U.S. Geological Survey uses a depiction and classification scheme for hydrologic units known as hydrologic unit codes (HUCs). HUCs generally represent catchments, and river basins are represented by a unique series of numbers with successively smaller hydrologic units nested inside of larger ones.
The U.S. Geological Survey uses a depiction and classification scheme for hydrologic units known as hydrologic unit codes (HUCs). HUCs generally represent catchments, and river basins are represented by a unique series of numbers with successively smaller hydrologic units nested inside of larger ones.
Around 90% of daily water use in the lower 48 United States goes toward crop irrigation, thermoelectric power plants, where freshwater is used in the process of creating energy, and public supply, where water is withdrawn or purchased by a water supplier and delivered to many users. These three uses add up to 224,000 million gallons of freshwater per day.
Around 90% of daily water use in the lower 48 United States goes toward crop irrigation, thermoelectric power plants, where freshwater is used in the process of creating energy, and public supply, where water is withdrawn or purchased by a water supplier and delivered to many users. These three uses add up to 224,000 million gallons of freshwater per day.
Water limitation across the lower 48. Water limitation is measured as the Supply and Use Index (SUI) which represents the imbalance between water supply and demand. A higher SUI indicates a greater proportion of supply being used.
Water limitation across the lower 48. Water limitation is measured as the Supply and Use Index (SUI) which represents the imbalance between water supply and demand. A higher SUI indicates a greater proportion of supply being used.
Diagram of the process of water use from source (surface water, groundwater, reuse water) through transmission, utility reservoir, water treatment, distribution, and withdrawal for industry, residential, and commercial.
Diagram of the process of water use from source (surface water, groundwater, reuse water) through transmission, utility reservoir, water treatment, distribution, and withdrawal for industry, residential, and commercial.
A cross-sectional view of a hypothetical coastline showing one possible arrangement of the three Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS) floodplain elevations (Climate-Informed Science Approach, the Freeboard Value Approach, and the 0.2% Annual-Chance Flood Approach) above the current Base Flood Elevation, i.e., the 1% annual-chance flood elevation.
A cross-sectional view of a hypothetical coastline showing one possible arrangement of the three Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS) floodplain elevations (Climate-Informed Science Approach, the Freeboard Value Approach, and the 0.2% Annual-Chance Flood Approach) above the current Base Flood Elevation, i.e., the 1% annual-chance flood elevation.