Tapping Into Water: Online Water Resource Tools In Your State

Is the river near you flooding? Is the water temperature of your favorite fishing stream right for a good catch? Are groundwater levels in your county going up or down?

A new U.S. Geological Survey fact sheet provides one-stop information on USGS sources of stream, groundwater and water-quality data for locations across the United States. Managers and the public rely upon such tools for information related to stream health, recreation and the protection of life and property, including during floods and drought. This new publication can help citizens quickly navigate the extensive sources of USGS water data that are available online.

“The USGS offers much more than topographic maps, earthquake and volcano information,” said Kimberly Shaffer, Outreach Coordinator for the USGS Ohio Water Science Center. “Our local and national water data are available in a variety of formats and are free to the public—even during natural hazards.”

In cooperation with local, state and federal partners, the USGS operates about 7,400 stream gages nationwide, and provides online access to water-resources data collected at over 1.5 million sites in the U.S. and other selected areas.

Critical USGS online water-resources tools include

• WaterQualityWatch provides near-real-time water-quality data, such as temperature and pH, and dissolved oxygen readings from over 1,700 surface-water sites in the U.S.
• WaterNow sends on-demand water data such as gage height and stream flow directly to your mobile phone or email.
• WaterWatch provides flood and drought information.
• Groundwater Watch gives updates on groundwater levels and statistical characteristics of groundwater levels at wells in the network.

For more information, visit http://www.usgs.gov/water/.