Water is vital to our Nation and the U.S. Geological Survey plays an important role in the tracking and mapping our water resources. The National Hydrography Dataset component of The National Map supports this mission and is widely used in the study of hydrology, natural resources, and pollution control.
Mapping the Water Around Us
Mapping Water
Water is vital to our Nation and the U.S. Geological Survey plays an important role in tracking and mapping our water resources. The resources presented below discuss different aspects of mapping our nation's water.
The Benefits of 3D Hydrography
Surveying for flood insurance rate maps
Landsat Water Atlas
From Data to Maps
What was your favorite childhood activity? Perhaps playing with or in water?
Though we often take water for granted, it is in fact a precious resource. Water is at the very heart of our existence.
USGS scientists are developing and improving mapping tools to understand water flow and be able to predict future change by monitoring water in different locations and times. They are also interested in areas where there is water shortages, floods, and other water-related hazards. They try to understand what the future may bring by examining the past.
To achieve the goal of predicting water volume, quality, and movement, scientists use tools to measure, analyze, and map water. They use different map types and mapping techniques. An example of this is scientists convert Landsat images to maps to use as tools to measure water use and plan for future needs. The USGS has many other mapping products to help understand water data.
Landsat Science Products
Mobile Water Data
Download Data & Maps from The National Map
What is the National Hydrography Program (3DHP)?
Surface Water Maps
Here are some tools to access USGS Surface Water maps and related data.
3D Hydrography Program
Federal Priority Streamgages (FPS) Mapper
StreamStats Application
Flood Inundation Mapper
USGS Flood Event Viewer
Mapping Coastal Change
Groundwater Maps
Here are some tools to access USGS Groundwater maps and related data.
Principal Aquifers Maps
National Groundwater Monitoring Network
U.S. Groundwater Conditions
Water Quality Maps
Here are some tools to access USGS Water Quality maps and related data.
National Real-Time Water Quality
Continuous Real-Time Water Quality of Surface Water
SPARROW Watershed Tool
Water-Quality Changes in the Nation's Streams and Rivers
Groundwater Quality: Decadal Change
Oil and Gas Water Mapping
Water Use Maps
Here are some tools to access USGS Water Use maps and related data.
U.S. Water Use from 1950-2015
Water use in the U.S., 2015
Mapping Water Use with Landsat
Examples of Mapping Water
Here are examples of projects mapping water around us.
Mapping Florida's Coastal Waters
Sea Floor Mapping Group
Delineating the U.S. Extended Continental Shelf
Water On-The-Go
Saltwater-Interface Mapping - Long Island
Mapping Sturgeon Spawning Habitat
Delineation of Water Bodies In Emergent Wetlands
Hydraulic Modeling Tool for Stream Crossing Projects in Massachusetts
Bridge Scour Countermeasures
Predicting Groundwater Quality in Unmonitored Areas
Drought Forecasting for Groundwater in Northeastern US
Publications
NHDPlus High Resolution (NHDPlus HR)---A hydrography framework for the Nation
Assessment of bridge scour countermeasures at selected bridges in the United States, 2014–18
User's guide for the national hydrography dataset plus (NHDPlus) high resolution
StreamStats, version 4
Use of the U.S. Geological Survey StreamStats Web Application for dam safety analysis
Science
New Technologies for Mapping Surface Soil Moisture Over Wildfire-Prone Landscapes
StreamStats: Streamflow Statistics and Spatial Analysis Tools for Water-Resources Applications
National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA)
Pesticides and Water Quality
USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science
Multimedia
Water is vital to our Nation and the U.S. Geological Survey plays an important role in the tracking and mapping our water resources. The National Hydrography Dataset component of The National Map supports this mission and is widely used in the study of hydrology, natural resources, and pollution control.
Mapping and Characterizing the Arsenic Hazard in Private Well Water Across the Nation
The National Hydrography Dataset (NHD)
Development of a Graphical User Interface (GUI) to Predict Streamflow Statistics using USGS Streamstats and Precipitation from Downscaled Global Climate Change Models
USGS StreamStats
Mapping Water
Water is vital to our Nation and the U.S. Geological Survey plays an important role in tracking and mapping our water resources. The resources presented below discuss different aspects of mapping our nation's water.
The Benefits of 3D Hydrography
Surveying for flood insurance rate maps
Landsat Water Atlas
From Data to Maps
What was your favorite childhood activity? Perhaps playing with or in water?
Though we often take water for granted, it is in fact a precious resource. Water is at the very heart of our existence.
USGS scientists are developing and improving mapping tools to understand water flow and be able to predict future change by monitoring water in different locations and times. They are also interested in areas where there is water shortages, floods, and other water-related hazards. They try to understand what the future may bring by examining the past.
To achieve the goal of predicting water volume, quality, and movement, scientists use tools to measure, analyze, and map water. They use different map types and mapping techniques. An example of this is scientists convert Landsat images to maps to use as tools to measure water use and plan for future needs. The USGS has many other mapping products to help understand water data.
Landsat Science Products
Mobile Water Data
Download Data & Maps from The National Map
What is the National Hydrography Program (3DHP)?
Surface Water Maps
Here are some tools to access USGS Surface Water maps and related data.
3D Hydrography Program
Federal Priority Streamgages (FPS) Mapper
StreamStats Application
Flood Inundation Mapper
USGS Flood Event Viewer
Mapping Coastal Change
Groundwater Maps
Here are some tools to access USGS Groundwater maps and related data.
Principal Aquifers Maps
National Groundwater Monitoring Network
U.S. Groundwater Conditions
Water Quality Maps
Here are some tools to access USGS Water Quality maps and related data.
National Real-Time Water Quality
Continuous Real-Time Water Quality of Surface Water
SPARROW Watershed Tool
Water-Quality Changes in the Nation's Streams and Rivers
Groundwater Quality: Decadal Change
Oil and Gas Water Mapping
Water Use Maps
Here are some tools to access USGS Water Use maps and related data.
U.S. Water Use from 1950-2015
Water use in the U.S., 2015
Mapping Water Use with Landsat
Examples of Mapping Water
Here are examples of projects mapping water around us.
Mapping Florida's Coastal Waters
Sea Floor Mapping Group
Delineating the U.S. Extended Continental Shelf
Water On-The-Go
Saltwater-Interface Mapping - Long Island
Mapping Sturgeon Spawning Habitat
Delineation of Water Bodies In Emergent Wetlands
Hydraulic Modeling Tool for Stream Crossing Projects in Massachusetts
Bridge Scour Countermeasures
Predicting Groundwater Quality in Unmonitored Areas
Drought Forecasting for Groundwater in Northeastern US
Publications
NHDPlus High Resolution (NHDPlus HR)---A hydrography framework for the Nation
Assessment of bridge scour countermeasures at selected bridges in the United States, 2014–18
User's guide for the national hydrography dataset plus (NHDPlus) high resolution
StreamStats, version 4
Use of the U.S. Geological Survey StreamStats Web Application for dam safety analysis
Science
New Technologies for Mapping Surface Soil Moisture Over Wildfire-Prone Landscapes
StreamStats: Streamflow Statistics and Spatial Analysis Tools for Water-Resources Applications
National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA)
Pesticides and Water Quality
USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Science
Multimedia
Water is vital to our Nation and the U.S. Geological Survey plays an important role in the tracking and mapping our water resources. The National Hydrography Dataset component of The National Map supports this mission and is widely used in the study of hydrology, natural resources, and pollution control.
Water is vital to our Nation and the U.S. Geological Survey plays an important role in the tracking and mapping our water resources. The National Hydrography Dataset component of The National Map supports this mission and is widely used in the study of hydrology, natural resources, and pollution control.