You are here: Home / Tutorials / Overview / Navigating USGS Water Data for the Nation

Navigating USGS Water Data for the Nation

How to navigate the USGS Water Data for the Nation Site

Navigation Help

Site navigation


There is a navigation banner at the top of every screen. This banner allows you to jump to various data category pages for different geographical areas. It's as simple as 1, 2, 3 to use this banner:

  1. Click on the Data Category dropdown and choose a category.
  2. Click on geographic area drop down and choose an area.
  3. Now click on the GO button to the new page.
Data CategoryDescription
Home Initial page for a geographical area; provides an overview of what is available in the area.
Current conditions Sites with current condition or recent surface-water, groundwater, or water-quality data. New data are usually updated in 15 minute to 4 hour intervals (hourly is typical).
Site information Allows a search to retrieve descriptive data for all sites, with links to available water data for individual sites.
Mapper Brings up a mapper focused on the area of interest.
Surface water Allows retrieval of various types of data for streams, lakes, and springs.
Groundwater Allows retrieval of various types of groundwater data, including water levels.
Water quality Allows retrieval of chemical and physical data for streams, lakes, springs, and wells.
Status This is not seen by the public but is seen inside the USGS network or by known cooperators. The number indicates your privilege within the network for seeing non-public data.

 

 


Geographic AreaDescription
United States Retrieve information on all sites available. Multiple states can be selected for retrieval.
State Retrieve information on all sites available in a state or territory.

 

Web Site Overview

To explore this system follow the 1,2, 3 rule.

  1. Choose your geographic area
  2. Choose your data type
  3. Choose your options

If you are interested in information for one station, be sure to choose just that single station. Then follow the directions in the station navigation section below.

To view the various data available simply click in the box to choose which data you would like to view, then hit GO.

The following table shows what types of data could be available for a site. Depending upon which site you select you could see some of these selections.

Data available for sites
Data typeDescription
Location Map The site is showed centered on a map
Time-series: Current/Historical Observations Current and historical data transmitted from the site
Time-series: Daily data Official daily data values for the period of record
Time-series: Daily statistics Daily value statistics for each day of the year
Time-series: Monthly statistics Monthly value statistics for each month of the year
Time-series: Annual statistics Annual value statistics for every year of record
Surface-water: Peak streamflow Highest annual streamflows for a site
Surface-water: Measurements List of all streamflow measurements made at the site
Groundwater: Daily data Official daily values for the period of record
Groundwater: Daily data statistics Daily value statistics for each day of the year
Groundwater: Monthly data statistics Monthly value statistics for each month of the year
Groundwater: Annual data statistics Annual value statistics for every year of record
Groundwater: Field measurements Water level information for a well
Water-Quality: Daily data Official daily values for the period of record
Water-Quality: Daily data statistics Daily value statistics for each day of the year
Water-Quality: Monthly data statistics Monthly value statistics for each month of the year
Water-Quality: Annual data statistics Annual value statistics for every year of record
Water-Quality: Field/Lab samples All water quality data taken from the site
Offsite: USGS GroundwaterWatch USGS GroundwaterWatch pages providing groundwater level data from wells currently in a regular measurement program.
Offsite: USGS Annual water-data reports USGS Annual Water Data Reports providing an archive of the annually published data
Offsite: EPA Surf your watershed EPA site for water quality information in the associated watershed
Internal: Sitefile review Only accessible in the USGS network