Common Water Issues
Common Water Issues
Water Properties
Emerging Contaminants
Water Quality Topics
Droughts: Things to Know
Find water science information and activities related to popular water topics and problems.
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Centennial Streamgages
Centennial Streamgages are USGS streamgages that have been in operation for more than 100 years.
National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP)
The National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP) is a collaboration of atmospheric monitoring networks. The purpose of the networks is to collect data to evaluate air quality. Network data also inform science-based actions to protect human health and preserve ecosystems for current and future generations. The NADP National Trends Network (NTN) quantifies the concentration of eight major ions and...
Integrated Water Science Basins: Willamette River
The Willamette River Basin reflects the conflicting water demands between humans and ecosystems—particularly salmon— and the challenge resource managers face throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Water-Quality Benchmarks for Contaminants
How does the water quality measure up? It all depends on what the water will be used for and what contaminants are of interest. Water-quality benchmarks are designed to protect drinking water, recreation, aquatic life, and wildlife. Here you’ll find links to some of the most widely used sets of water, sediment, and fish tissue benchmarks and general guidance about their interpretation.
National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) Water Node
Get access to spatial datasets related to water through the NSDI node on ScienceBase.
National Water Availability Assessment Data Companion
The National Water Availability Assessment Data Companion (NWDC) will deliver routinely updated water availability information in the United States.
Water Use
Through the Water Availability and Use Science Program, USGS will provide national information on withdrawal, conveyance, consumptive use, and return flow by water-use category at spatial and temporal resolutions important for risk-informed water management decisions. Water-use data provide a foundation for water managers to analyze trends over time, plan more strategically, identify, and...
Water Use in the United States
Water use estimates for 2000 through 2020 are now available for the three largest categories of use in the United States: self-supplied thermoelectric power generation, self-supplied irrigation, and public supply. Five additional categories of use (self-supplied industrial, domestic, mining, livestock, and aquaculture) will be available in 2025.
Regional Water Availability Assessment: Upper Colorado River Basin
Regional Water Availability Assessments are scientific assessments of water availability in different hydrologic regions across the Nation. In the Upper Colorado River Basin, the USGS will conduct a focused assessment of how snowpack and snowmelt influence hydrology and water quality, and an integrated and comprehensive assessment of multiple water quantity, quality and use factors.
Regional Water Availability Assessment: Delaware River Basin
Regional Water Availability Assessments are scientific assessments of water availability in different hydrologic regions across the Nation. In the Delaware River Basin, the USGS will conduct a focused assessment of increasing freshwater salinity and an integrated and comprehensive assessment of multiple water quantity, quality and use factors.
Proxies Project
The Proxies Project is a series of studies to improve our understanding of water contaminants and water quality hazards. These studies develop models and technical approaches for estimating concentrations and assessing risk associated with: - harmful algal blooms (HABs) - per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) - 12 elements of concern (EoC)
Understanding Water Availability
The United States faces growing challenges to its water supply, and we need to know where there is not enough water, where we have more than we need, and the quality of the water. The USGS is charged with understanding and reporting on water availability including influences on water supply (how much water and of what quality) and water demand (how much water do humans and ecosystems need).