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Water

The USGS monitors and studies a wide range of water resources and water conditions, including streamflow, groundwater, water quality, and water use and availability.

Filter Total Items: 73

Can the USGS analyze my rock/water/soil sample?

The USGS has  over 500 laboratories , but most of them only conduct research in support of the USGS mission. A small number offer laboratory services to other government agencies, partners, and collaborators. An even smaller number will process samples (for a fee) for the general public. Contact individual laboratories directly to ask what services they provide. Labs that accept samples from the...

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Can the USGS analyze my rock/water/soil sample?

The USGS has  over 500 laboratories , but most of them only conduct research in support of the USGS mission. A small number offer laboratory services to other government agencies, partners, and collaborators. An even smaller number will process samples (for a fee) for the general public. Contact individual laboratories directly to ask what services they provide. Labs that accept samples from the...

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Does the USGS have data on PFAS in drinking water?

Use the USGS PFAS in US Tapwater interactive Dashboard to find PFA data for drinking water. Instructions are on the website or watch a short video about the dashboard. The dashboard incorporates data from several USGS reports that cover PFAS in water sources, including community water supplies. Some notable studies and datasets that were used for the dashboard include: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl...

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Does the USGS have data on PFAS in drinking water?

Use the USGS PFAS in US Tapwater interactive Dashboard to find PFA data for drinking water. Instructions are on the website or watch a short video about the dashboard. The dashboard incorporates data from several USGS reports that cover PFAS in water sources, including community water supplies. Some notable studies and datasets that were used for the dashboard include: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl...

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Why doesn’t USGS measure gage height from the bottom of the stream?

Streams are like living things and are constantly changing. Sometimes streams erode, becoming deeper, while other times streams deposit sediment, becoming shallower. To understand how those changes can affect streamflow, we need to measure from a reference point that does not change over time, which is why gage datums are chosen to be below the base of a streambed. This means that the gage datum...

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Why doesn’t USGS measure gage height from the bottom of the stream?

Streams are like living things and are constantly changing. Sometimes streams erode, becoming deeper, while other times streams deposit sediment, becoming shallower. To understand how those changes can affect streamflow, we need to measure from a reference point that does not change over time, which is why gage datums are chosen to be below the base of a streambed. This means that the gage datum...

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What are PFAS?

Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances, or PFAS, are a group of synthetic chemicals used in a wide variety of common applications, from the linings of fast-food boxes and non-stick cookware to fire-fighting foams and other purposes. Their persistence in the environment and occurrence across the country make them a unique water quality concern. Drinking water quality and potential exposures...

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What are PFAS?

Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances, or PFAS, are a group of synthetic chemicals used in a wide variety of common applications, from the linings of fast-food boxes and non-stick cookware to fire-fighting foams and other purposes. Their persistence in the environment and occurrence across the country make them a unique water quality concern. Drinking water quality and potential exposures...

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How do I find the best place to drill for water on my property?

Many factors must be considered before deciding where to drill a water well. The most important is to decide how the well will be used. If the well is for drinking water, then local geology, hydrology, and state regulations are important to know. Contact the department in your state government that regulates and tracks water and natural resources. They should have information on licensed drillers...

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How do I find the best place to drill for water on my property?

Many factors must be considered before deciding where to drill a water well. The most important is to decide how the well will be used. If the well is for drinking water, then local geology, hydrology, and state regulations are important to know. Contact the department in your state government that regulates and tracks water and natural resources. They should have information on licensed drillers...

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Can a drought be relieved by bringing in water from other regions of the country that have excess water?

Any large-scale projects for mitigating drought in the U.S. would fall under the direction of the Bureau of Reclamation , which is the federal agency tasked with water management. While technically feasible, transporting surface water from flood areas (or the ocean) to drought areas faces many challenges including water rights, property rights, environmental impacts, and more. Then there's the...

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Can a drought be relieved by bringing in water from other regions of the country that have excess water?

Any large-scale projects for mitigating drought in the U.S. would fall under the direction of the Bureau of Reclamation , which is the federal agency tasked with water management. While technically feasible, transporting surface water from flood areas (or the ocean) to drought areas faces many challenges including water rights, property rights, environmental impacts, and more. Then there's the...

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How can I find the HUC (Hydrologic Unit Code) for a stream? How can I find the name/location of a stream using the HUC?

Hydrologic Units (HUs) represent the area of the landscape that drains to a portion of the stream network. Each drainage has a unique Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC). The most current national HU dataset is the Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD) . HUCs from other sources might be out of date or differ from the WBD standards. The WBD includes six required levels of nested HU polygons (2- to 12-digit), two...

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How can I find the HUC (Hydrologic Unit Code) for a stream? How can I find the name/location of a stream using the HUC?

Hydrologic Units (HUs) represent the area of the landscape that drains to a portion of the stream network. Each drainage has a unique Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC). The most current national HU dataset is the Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD) . HUCs from other sources might be out of date or differ from the WBD standards. The WBD includes six required levels of nested HU polygons (2- to 12-digit), two...

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Can the USGS install a streamgage at my location?

The USGS can install a streamgage almost anywhere, but in most cases we do not choose when and where to do that. We typically install and operate streamgages where other entities ask and reimburse us to do so. We operate streamgages for entities such as cities, towns, counties, state agencies, and other federal agencies to assist with their missions and to provide data for general public use...

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Can the USGS install a streamgage at my location?

The USGS can install a streamgage almost anywhere, but in most cases we do not choose when and where to do that. We typically install and operate streamgages where other entities ask and reimburse us to do so. We operate streamgages for entities such as cities, towns, counties, state agencies, and other federal agencies to assist with their missions and to provide data for general public use...

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Where can I get watershed maps?

Use The National Map Viewer to display or create watershed maps with the National Watershed Boundary Dataset . Watersheds are shown as Hydrologic Units, each one with a unique Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC). Go to The National Map Viewer (it might take a minute to fully load). In the green bar above the map, click on the Layers icon, which looks like a stack of paper. Click on the box beside...

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Where can I get watershed maps?

Use The National Map Viewer to display or create watershed maps with the National Watershed Boundary Dataset . Watersheds are shown as Hydrologic Units, each one with a unique Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC). Go to The National Map Viewer (it might take a minute to fully load). In the green bar above the map, click on the Layers icon, which looks like a stack of paper. Click on the box beside...

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Does the USGS provide precipitation data?

NOAA is the federal agency tasked with collecting climate-grade precipitation data for the nation. Their rain gauges are usually located at manned sites where a local observer checks readings daily and performs regular maintenance. The USGS collects precipitation data at about 3,400 locations around the country, mostly where we already have streamgages (so at roughly a quarter of our streamgages)...

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Does the USGS provide precipitation data?

NOAA is the federal agency tasked with collecting climate-grade precipitation data for the nation. Their rain gauges are usually located at manned sites where a local observer checks readings daily and performs regular maintenance. The USGS collects precipitation data at about 3,400 locations around the country, mostly where we already have streamgages (so at roughly a quarter of our streamgages)...

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Where can I get USGS water quality (water chemistry) data for surface water and/or groundwater?

Water quality data is freely available through the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS)  and the Water Quality Portal (data from multiple agencies, including the USGS). Sometimes these data are hard to understand, so you can also contact the USGS Water Science Center for the state in question to request data and reports from studies that might have been conducted on water quality. The...

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Where can I get USGS water quality (water chemistry) data for surface water and/or groundwater?

Water quality data is freely available through the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS)  and the Water Quality Portal (data from multiple agencies, including the USGS). Sometimes these data are hard to understand, so you can also contact the USGS Water Science Center for the state in question to request data and reports from studies that might have been conducted on water quality. The...

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How does an earthquake affect groundwater levels and water quality in wells?

Groundwater levels in wells can oscillate up and down when seismic waves pass. The water level might remain higher or lower for a period of time after the seismic waves end, but sometimes a long-term offset of groundwater levels follows an earthquake. The largest recorded earthquake-induced offset in a well is a one meter rise. Water quality can also be affected by earthquakes, typically in...

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How does an earthquake affect groundwater levels and water quality in wells?

Groundwater levels in wells can oscillate up and down when seismic waves pass. The water level might remain higher or lower for a period of time after the seismic waves end, but sometimes a long-term offset of groundwater levels follows an earthquake. The largest recorded earthquake-induced offset in a well is a one meter rise. Water quality can also be affected by earthquakes, typically in...

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