Streamflow monitoring
Announcing the National Water Dashboard!
Our new interactive, mobile-friendly tool provides real-time water, weather, and flood information all in one place
The USGS works in partnership with more than 1,885 Federal, regional, State, Tribal, and local agencies or organizations to maintain and manage a multipurpose network of streamgages that monitor streamflow and (or) water level.
The USGS works in partnership with more than 1,885 Federal, regional, State, Tribal, and local agencies or organizations to maintain and manage a multipurpose network of streamgages that monitor streamflow and (or) water level. Approximately 8,500 of the more than 11,300 USGS streamgages in the network continuously monitor streamflow year-round and are collectively referred to as the National ‘Streamflow’ Network (NSN). Approximately 40% of the NSN are part of the Federal Priority Streamgages network (FPS), which was designed at Congress request to support national needs and serve as a backbone network that is not vulnerable to changing local priorities and resources and that is ‘hardened’ against extreme events. USGS streamgage data are made available online and are used by governmental organizations, private industries, and the general public. The data form the scientific basis for decision making related to protection of life and property from water-related hazards, such as floods; cost-effective management of freshwater that is safe and available for drinking, irrigation, energy, industry, recreation, and ecosystem health; and national, State, Tribal, and local economic well-being. In addition to maintaining and managing a national network of streamgages, the GWSIP ensures the integrity and quality of the data and information produced by its streamflow monitoring program by investing in quality assurance, and research and development.
Stakeholder Quotes
“The independent, science-based streamflow information that we obtain from USGS gages is paramount to assuring compliance under our various interstate compacts with our neighboring states.”
Julie Cunningham, Oklahoma Water Resources Board
“I wanted to thank your team for their stellar work yesterday moving/installing new instruments at both dams [Barker and Addicks reservoirs]. It allows us to continue to use our assets and monitoring systems of the dams in the way we intended, allowing us to do more intensive monitoring elsewhere. The professionalism and skill your team displayed should make all taxpayers proud. Truly above and beyond.”
Coraggio Maglio, P.E., U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Galveston District
Related Content
USGS Streamgaging Network
Next Generation Water Observing System: Delaware River Basin
Rapid Deployment Gages (RDGs)
StreamStats: Streamflow Statistics and Spatial Analysis Tools for Water-Resources Applications
USGS Flood Information
Federal Priority Streamgages (FPS)
Surge, Wave, and Tide Hydrodynamics (SWaTH) Network
National Water Information System web interface (NWISweb)
The National Water Information System (NWIS) web application provides access to real-time and historical surface-water, groundwater, water-quality, and water-use data collected at approximately 1.5 million sites across all 50 states.
Variability of hydrological droughts in the conterminous United States, 1951 through 2014
Guidelines for determining flood flow frequency — Bulletin 17C
WaterAlert
The U.S. Geological Survey WaterAlert service provides notifications to your email or phone for changes in water conditions based on thresholds you choose.
USGS Mobile Water Data
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.
WaterWatch (surface water)
WaterWatch displays maps, graphs, and tables describing real-time, recent, and past streamflow conditions for the United States, including flood and droughts. Real-time information generally is updated on an hourly basis.
Federal Priority Streamgages (FPS) Mapper
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.
Endangered, Discontinued, and Rescued Streamgages Mapper
This mapper identifies USGS streamgages that are in danger of being discontinued or converted to a reduced level of service due to lack of funding, gages that already have been discontinued, and gages that have been ‘rescued’ by a new funding source.
Related Content
- Science
USGS Streamgaging Network
The USGS Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program supports the collection and (or) delivery of both streamflow and water-level information at approximately 8,500 sites and water-level information alone for more than 1,700 additional sites. The data are served online—most in near realtime—to meet many diverse needs.Next Generation Water Observing System: Delaware River Basin
The USGS Next Generation Water Observing System (NGWOS) provides high-fidelity, real-time data on water quantity and quality necessary to support modern water prediction and decision support systems for water emergencies and daily water operations. The Delaware River Basin was the first NGWOS basin, providing an opportunity to implement the program in a nationally important, complex interstate...Rapid Deployment Gages (RDGs)
Rapid Deployment Gages (RDGs) are fully-functional streamgages designed to be deployed quickly and temporarily to measure and transmit stream stage data in emergency situations.StreamStats: Streamflow Statistics and Spatial Analysis Tools for Water-Resources Applications
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.USGS Flood Information
The USGS collects flood data and conducts targeted flood science to help Federal, State, and local agencies, decision makers, and the public before, during, and after a flood. Our efforts provide situational awareness, drive predictive models, inform infrastructure design and operation, undergird floodplain mapping, assist flood constituent/load quantification, and facilitate flood impact...Federal Priority Streamgages (FPS)
Federal Priority Streamgages (FPS) are monitoring stations that track the amount of water in streams and rivers across the Nation and that meet one or more strategic, long-term Federal information needs. FPS are strategically positioned across the Nation to serve, in part, as a “backbone” of 4,756 eligible sites for the larger USGS streamgaging network of 11,885 sites (2023) that is operated by...Surge, Wave, and Tide Hydrodynamics (SWaTH) Network
During large coastal storms, the storm surge and waves are the main cause of destruction and landscape change, transporting saline water, sediment, and debris inland. The USGS, in collaboration with stakeholders, has constructed a national Surge, Wave, and Tide Hydrodynamics (SWaTH) Network for the Atlantic, Eastern Pacific, and Central Pacific. SWaTH monitors and documents the height, extent, and... - Data
National Water Information System web interface (NWISweb)
The National Water Information System (NWIS) web application provides access to real-time and historical surface-water, groundwater, water-quality, and water-use data collected at approximately 1.5 million sites across all 50 states.
ByWater Resources Mission Area, Drought, Hurricane Florence, Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Isaias, Hurricane Jose, Hurricane Maria, Hurricane Matthew, Hurricane Michael, Hurricane Nate, Hurricane Sandy, San Francisco Bay and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary, Hurricane Marco, Hurricane Laura - Publications
Variability of hydrological droughts in the conterminous United States, 1951 through 2014
Spatial and temporal variability in the frequency, duration, and severity of hydrological droughts across the conterminous United States (CONUS) was examined using monthly mean streamflow measured at 872 sites from 1951 through 2014. Hydrological drought is identified as starting when streamflow falls below the 20th percentile streamflow value for 3 consecutive months and ending when streamflow reAuthorsSamuel H. Austin, David M. Wolock, David L. NelmsGuidelines 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 effort involving multiple actors including most levelAuthorsJohn F. England, Timothy A. Cohn, Beth A. Faber, Jery R. Stedinger, Wilbert O. Thomas, Andrea G. Veilleux, Julie E. Kiang, Robert R. Mason, - Web Tools
WaterAlert
The U.S. Geological Survey WaterAlert service provides notifications to your email or phone for changes in water conditions based on thresholds you choose.
ByWater Resources Mission Area, Idaho Water Science Center, Kansas Water Science Center, New Jersey Water Science Center, New York Water Science Center, Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Water Science Center, Oregon Water Science Center, Upper Midwest Water Science Center, Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center, Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility (HIF), National Water Quality Laboratory, Water Science SchoolUSGS Mobile Water Data
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.
WaterWatch (surface water)
WaterWatch displays maps, graphs, and tables describing real-time, recent, and past streamflow conditions for the United States, including flood and droughts. Real-time information generally is updated on an hourly basis.
Federal Priority Streamgages (FPS) Mapper
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.
Endangered, Discontinued, and Rescued Streamgages Mapper
This mapper identifies USGS streamgages that are in danger of being discontinued or converted to a reduced level of service due to lack of funding, gages that already have been discontinued, and gages that have been ‘rescued’ by a new funding source.