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Centennial Streamgages

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By Water Resources Mission Area August 26, 2024

Centennial Streamgages are USGS streamgages that have been in operation for more than 100 years.

USGS streamgaging began in 1889 with the establishment of the streamgage on the Rio Grande in Embudo, New Mexico, where the first team of hydrographers were trained in new techniques to measure water flow systematically.

Now, there are more than 11,000 USGS streamgages nationwide, 900 of which are Centennial Streamgages. In August 2025, we will celebrate the 1,000th Centennial Streamgage—more information about this grand celebration will be released as we get closer to the date. 

A streamgage is like a bottle of wine—it gets better with age

Long-term streamgages provide valuable data for trend analysis, flood and drought prediction, and information for water supply, climate change, and land-use changes.

USGS streamgage data impacts the lives of everyone directly or indirectly—from the bridge you drive over, to the tap water that flows when you turn on your sink, to the production of food you eat each day. 

Where is your closest USGS streamgage?

Find the closest USGS streamgage to you using the National Water Dashboard.  Subscribe to WaterAlert and receive notifications to your email or phone for changes in water conditions based on thresholds you choose. 

Happy birthday to these Centennial Streamgages

These USGS streamgages are celebrating 100 years of monitoring streamflow this month, October 2024:

The National Streamgage Network is funded by Congress and through partnerships with over 1,400 state and local agencies.

Circular black and white logo reading "Monitoring Milestone Over 100 Years of Scientific Data U.S.G.S."
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
link
USGS gage 05014500 Swiftcurrent Creek at Many Glacier, Glacier National Park, MT

USGS Streamgages By the Numbers

Get the facts and figures about the USGS Streamgaging Network, one of the largest streamgaging enterprises in the world!
By
Water Resources Mission Area
link

USGS Streamgages By the Numbers

Get the facts and figures about the USGS Streamgaging Network, one of the largest streamgaging enterprises in the world!
Learn More
link
USGS Gage With Rainbow

USGS Streamgaging Network

The USGS Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program supports the collection and (or) delivery of both streamflow and water-level information at approximately 8,500 sites and water-level information alone for more than 1,700 additional sites. The data are served online—most in near realtime—to meet many diverse needs.
By
Water Resources Mission Area
link

USGS Streamgaging Network

The USGS Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program supports the collection and (or) delivery of both streamflow and water-level information at approximately 8,500 sites and water-level information alone for more than 1,700 additional sites. The data are served online—most in near realtime—to meet many diverse needs.
Learn More
link
USGS gage 11289650 Toulumne River Below LaGrange Dam Near LaGrange CA

Federal Priority Streamgages (FPS)

Federal Priority Streamgages (FPS) are monitoring stations that track the amount of water in streams and rivers across the Nation and that meet one or more strategic, long-term Federal information needs. FPS are strategically positioned across the Nation to serve, in part, as a “backbone” of 4,756 eligible sites for the larger USGS streamgaging network of 11,885 sites (2023) that is operated by...
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program
link

Federal Priority Streamgages (FPS)

Federal Priority Streamgages (FPS) are monitoring stations that track the amount of water in streams and rivers across the Nation and that meet one or more strategic, long-term Federal information needs. FPS are strategically positioned across the Nation to serve, in part, as a “backbone” of 4,756 eligible sites for the larger USGS streamgaging network of 11,885 sites (2023) that is operated by...
Learn More

Centennial Streamgages are USGS streamgages that have been in operation for more than 100 years.

USGS streamgaging began in 1889 with the establishment of the streamgage on the Rio Grande in Embudo, New Mexico, where the first team of hydrographers were trained in new techniques to measure water flow systematically.

Now, there are more than 11,000 USGS streamgages nationwide, 900 of which are Centennial Streamgages. In August 2025, we will celebrate the 1,000th Centennial Streamgage—more information about this grand celebration will be released as we get closer to the date. 

A streamgage is like a bottle of wine—it gets better with age

Long-term streamgages provide valuable data for trend analysis, flood and drought prediction, and information for water supply, climate change, and land-use changes.

USGS streamgage data impacts the lives of everyone directly or indirectly—from the bridge you drive over, to the tap water that flows when you turn on your sink, to the production of food you eat each day. 

Where is your closest USGS streamgage?

Find the closest USGS streamgage to you using the National Water Dashboard.  Subscribe to WaterAlert and receive notifications to your email or phone for changes in water conditions based on thresholds you choose. 

Happy birthday to these Centennial Streamgages

These USGS streamgages are celebrating 100 years of monitoring streamflow this month, October 2024:

The National Streamgage Network is funded by Congress and through partnerships with over 1,400 state and local agencies.

Circular black and white logo reading "Monitoring Milestone Over 100 Years of Scientific Data U.S.G.S."
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
link
USGS gage 05014500 Swiftcurrent Creek at Many Glacier, Glacier National Park, MT

USGS Streamgages By the Numbers

Get the facts and figures about the USGS Streamgaging Network, one of the largest streamgaging enterprises in the world!
By
Water Resources Mission Area
link

USGS Streamgages By the Numbers

Get the facts and figures about the USGS Streamgaging Network, one of the largest streamgaging enterprises in the world!
Learn More
link
USGS Gage With Rainbow

USGS Streamgaging Network

The USGS Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program supports the collection and (or) delivery of both streamflow and water-level information at approximately 8,500 sites and water-level information alone for more than 1,700 additional sites. The data are served online—most in near realtime—to meet many diverse needs.
By
Water Resources Mission Area
link

USGS Streamgaging Network

The USGS Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program supports the collection and (or) delivery of both streamflow and water-level information at approximately 8,500 sites and water-level information alone for more than 1,700 additional sites. The data are served online—most in near realtime—to meet many diverse needs.
Learn More
link
USGS gage 11289650 Toulumne River Below LaGrange Dam Near LaGrange CA

Federal Priority Streamgages (FPS)

Federal Priority Streamgages (FPS) are monitoring stations that track the amount of water in streams and rivers across the Nation and that meet one or more strategic, long-term Federal information needs. FPS are strategically positioned across the Nation to serve, in part, as a “backbone” of 4,756 eligible sites for the larger USGS streamgaging network of 11,885 sites (2023) that is operated by...
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program
link

Federal Priority Streamgages (FPS)

Federal Priority Streamgages (FPS) are monitoring stations that track the amount of water in streams and rivers across the Nation and that meet one or more strategic, long-term Federal information needs. FPS are strategically positioned across the Nation to serve, in part, as a “backbone” of 4,756 eligible sites for the larger USGS streamgaging network of 11,885 sites (2023) that is operated by...
Learn More
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