Web Tools

To understand the contamination caused by historic mining in California, researchers sampled sediment, water, and biota (animals) during the years 1999–2004 and 2011–2012. From the data collected, a set of interactive maps were produced. The maps, along with the data release and introductory video, explain the results of the research.

Hawaiian coastal wetlands provide important habitat for endangered waterbirds and socio-cultural resources for Native Hawaiians. Currently, they are degraded by development, sedimentation, and invasive species and, thus, require restoration. Site prioritization represents both an actionable plan for coastal wetland restoration and an alternative protocol for restoration decision-making.

To help resource managers plan and mitigate long-term drought impacts in the Colorado River Basin, the USGS has launched a platform that brings together science, data, and mapping and analytical tools from across the basin in a central location.

Nitrate is a major concern to water-resource managers in the eastern San Joaquin Valley, and there are extensive regulatory programs in place that seek to reduce nonpoint-source loading and eventually reduce concentrations in groundwater. 

This focuses on how we use groundwater age to predict changes in nitrate concentrations over time. Typically, deep public supply wells draw from deeper parts of the aquifer where water is decades, centuries, or even millenia old.

The USGS first identified uranium as a potential issue in California's groundwater during studies conducted in the Modesto area funded by the USGS National Water Quality Assessment Program. Subsequently, the GAMA program undertook a broader analysis of uranium concentrations across the State.

Arsenic is known to be a problem in groundwater used for drinking water supplies in the San Joaquin Valley. About 10% of the are of groundwater resources used for public supply contain more than the USEPA MCL of 10 µg/L. Most public-supply and domestic wells currently yield groundwater with arsenic levels below 3 µg/L and do not exhibit trends in concentration.

This interactive webmap shows USGS dam removal monitoring locations in the Klamath River basin. Monitoring activities include: suspended-sediment, macroinvertebrates, suspended sediment sampling, topographic surveying, bathymetric surveying, geomorphologic mapping, and riparian vegetation mapping.

Data viewer that allows users to see the streamflow and water quality monitoring sites at Clear Lake and its tributaries.  Data is from the USGS National Water Information System and California Department of Water Resources and Lake County databases. 

The Hydro Mapper is an interactive map viewer which allows users to see real-time information on stream flow discharge, stage, nutrient, turbidity, sediment loads, and storage data. 

Wildfires pose significant threat in an increasingly arid California landscape, threatening life, property, and air quality, and having long-term impacts on the state's water. Knowing the location and extent of wildfire events that effect California may help scientists and resource managers predict and manage potential impacts burns may have upon water quality, availability and movement.

Take a 3D tour along the Mojave River and learn about its contribution to groundwater and surface water supply and the geologic characteristics that control it.