How do you read the health of a river that has suffered decades of degradation? 🌊
Sometimes, we look directly to resident fish populations.
Although many sources of contamination have been reduced, legacy contamination remains in the Great Lakes area.
Efforts to clean up derway in 30 U.S. Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOCs) as part of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). USGS scientists and partners conduct electrofishing surveys in the Buffalo and Niagara Rivers, locations designated as Great Lakes AOCs, to assess contaminant levels in fish.
Why do we do it?
⚠️ Analyzing fish tissues and toxicity in bottom sediments helps identify source areas and movement of contaminants through the local food web.
🐟 Monitoring fish populations in AOCs helps identify areas that may require additional remediation.
📈 Data collected is critical for evaluating beneficial use impairments (BUIs) - changes in the chemical, physical, or biological health of a water body that prevent us from safely using or enjoying it. A BUI is like a "do not use" sign on nature.
This work informs resource managers on the need to reassess fish-consumption advisories that are a key element of “Restrictions on Fish and Wildlife Consumption” BUI removal criteria.
📷 1: USGS scientists hold a fish caught during research on the Niagara River.
📷 2: USGS scientists conduct boat electrofishing sampling on the Buffalo River in New York.
📷 3: USGS and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service scientists conduct boat electrofishing sampling in the Niagara River Area of Concern in New York.
📷 4: USGS scientists wave from their boat as they conduct research in the Niagara River Area of Concern in New York.
Credit: Michael Darling, USGS
#FieldPhotoFriday #WaterQuality #NewYork
Sometimes, we look directly to resident fish populations.
Although many sources of contamination have been reduced, legacy contamination remains in the Great Lakes area.
Efforts to clean up derway in 30 U.S. Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOCs) as part of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). USGS scientists and partners conduct electrofishing surveys in the Buffalo and Niagara Rivers, locations designated as Great Lakes AOCs, to assess contaminant levels in fish.
Why do we do it?
⚠️ Analyzing fish tissues and toxicity in bottom sediments helps identify source areas and movement of contaminants through the local food web.
🐟 Monitoring fish populations in AOCs helps identify areas that may require additional remediation.
📈 Data collected is critical for evaluating beneficial use impairments (BUIs) - changes in the chemical, physical, or biological health of a water body that prevent us from safely using or enjoying it. A BUI is like a "do not use" sign on nature.
This work informs resource managers on the need to reassess fish-consumption advisories that are a key element of “Restrictions on Fish and Wildlife Consumption” BUI removal criteria.
📷 1: USGS scientists hold a fish caught during research on the Niagara River.
📷 2: USGS scientists conduct boat electrofishing sampling on the Buffalo River in New York.
📷 3: USGS and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service scientists conduct boat electrofishing sampling in the Niagara River Area of Concern in New York.
📷 4: USGS scientists wave from their boat as they conduct research in the Niagara River Area of Concern in New York.
Credit: Michael Darling, USGS
#FieldPhotoFriday #WaterQuality #NewYork
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From farm to table: Irrigation water use fuels our bodies. 🌽💧
Throughout the world, irrigation (water for agriculture) is essential for keeping fruits, vegetables, and grains growing to feed the world's population.
Irrigation can alleviate crop stress from droughts, and can reduce water pollution.
USGS scientists provide estimates of irrigation water use to help water managers make informed decisions.
USGS water use analysis found that in 2020:
💧110,904 million gallons per day (mgd) of water was withdrawn for crop irrigation across the lower 48 United States.
💧 Withdrawals from surface water totaled 40,470 mgd (about 36.5%) and from groundwater 70,434 mgd (about 63.5%).
💧 Crop irrigation withdrawals are highest in August at 337,259 mgd, followed by July at 305,476 mgd. December has the lowest at 4,924 mgd.
Learn more about irrigation water use - ow.ly/kgMM50ZYWNr
📷 1: Map of 2020 irrigation water use by watershed (HUC12) across the lower 48 United States and timeseries showing irrigation water use withdrawals from 1985 to 2020. Credit: Elmera Azadpour, USGS
📷 2: A typical, large-scale center-pivot spray irrigation system. Credit: USGS
📷 3: An irrigation system waters a field near Ashton, Idaho. Credit: Bureau of Reclamation
#WaterUse #Irrigation #Farming
Throughout the world, irrigation (water for agriculture) is essential for keeping fruits, vegetables, and grains growing to feed the world's population.
Irrigation can alleviate crop stress from droughts, and can reduce water pollution.
USGS scientists provide estimates of irrigation water use to help water managers make informed decisions.
USGS water use analysis found that in 2020:
💧110,904 million gallons per day (mgd) of water was withdrawn for crop irrigation across the lower 48 United States.
💧 Withdrawals from surface water totaled 40,470 mgd (about 36.5%) and from groundwater 70,434 mgd (about 63.5%).
💧 Crop irrigation withdrawals are highest in August at 337,259 mgd, followed by July at 305,476 mgd. December has the lowest at 4,924 mgd.
Learn more about irrigation water use - ow.ly/kgMM50ZYWNr
📷 1: Map of 2020 irrigation water use by watershed (HUC12) across the lower 48 United States and timeseries showing irrigation water use withdrawals from 1985 to 2020. Credit: Elmera Azadpour, USGS
📷 2: A typical, large-scale center-pivot spray irrigation system. Credit: USGS
📷 3: An irrigation system waters a field near Ashton, Idaho. Credit: Bureau of Reclamation
#WaterUse #Irrigation #Farming
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Record flooding hits the Four Corners region of the Western U.S., and USGS is there to respond.
Historically high rainfalls and river flooding hit Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah for the second week in a row.
Preliminary data show that 41 gages hit record peaks, have at least 75 years of data on record. This includes the gage on Gila River at the head of Safford Valley near Solomon, AZ (ID 09448500), which has 111 years of data on record!
USGS field crews have been actively restoring service to gages that have been damaged or destroyed, including many in remote, hard-to-reach areas.
💧 Today, USGS crews traveled by boat up to the gage on the Colorado River at Gypsum Canyon near Hite, UT (ID 09328960) to repair damages. This gage site feeds into Lake Powell and is important for downstream reservoir management.
💧 USGS responded during the flood to move the gage on San Juan River near Bluff, UT (ID 09379500) to a higher location. Once the waters began to recede, the gage was moved again to maintain safe gage operations. USGS’ quick response to changing water levels meant minimal loss of data during these record flood conditions.
💧 USGS crews will be traveling to the gage on the San Juan River below Piute Farms Wash, Monument Valley, UT (ID 09379700) to assess damages. Preliminary satellite images indicate that the river may have diverted to a new channel at this site during the flooding.
USGS gage data are important to inform downstream communities, reservoir managers, and emergency responders.
📷 1: USGS Hydrologic Technician installing orifice line for a back-up stage sensor on Oct 23, 2026. Cantilevers shown are the gage’s primary radar stage sensor (left) and reference wire gage (right).
📷 2: USGS drone image of Pagosa Springs, Colorado on Monday, November 2, 2026.
📷 3: The last HIVIS capture before floods took the camera offline at the Bluff site. Oct 26, 2026 at 9:00am MDT.
📷 4: USGS Hydrologic Technician measuring water surface velocity from cableway about 1,900 feet downstream from the Bluff gage.
Credit: USGS
#Flooding #Utah
Historically high rainfalls and river flooding hit Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah for the second week in a row.
Preliminary data show that 41 gages hit record peaks, have at least 75 years of data on record. This includes the gage on Gila River at the head of Safford Valley near Solomon, AZ (ID 09448500), which has 111 years of data on record!
USGS field crews have been actively restoring service to gages that have been damaged or destroyed, including many in remote, hard-to-reach areas.
💧 Today, USGS crews traveled by boat up to the gage on the Colorado River at Gypsum Canyon near Hite, UT (ID 09328960) to repair damages. This gage site feeds into Lake Powell and is important for downstream reservoir management.
💧 USGS responded during the flood to move the gage on San Juan River near Bluff, UT (ID 09379500) to a higher location. Once the waters began to recede, the gage was moved again to maintain safe gage operations. USGS’ quick response to changing water levels meant minimal loss of data during these record flood conditions.
💧 USGS crews will be traveling to the gage on the San Juan River below Piute Farms Wash, Monument Valley, UT (ID 09379700) to assess damages. Preliminary satellite images indicate that the river may have diverted to a new channel at this site during the flooding.
USGS gage data are important to inform downstream communities, reservoir managers, and emergency responders.
📷 1: USGS Hydrologic Technician installing orifice line for a back-up stage sensor on Oct 23, 2026. Cantilevers shown are the gage’s primary radar stage sensor (left) and reference wire gage (right).
📷 2: USGS drone image of Pagosa Springs, Colorado on Monday, November 2, 2026.
📷 3: The last HIVIS capture before floods took the camera offline at the Bluff site. Oct 26, 2026 at 9:00am MDT.
📷 4: USGS Hydrologic Technician measuring water surface velocity from cableway about 1,900 feet downstream from the Bluff gage.
Credit: USGS
#Flooding #Utah
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USGS water data at your fingertips – and in your feed!
The USGS is one of the largest providers of water information in the world, serving over 135 years of water data from more than one million monitoring locations.
We have been sharing monthly visualizations of summary or several years through social media, showing how major weather events impact water availability across the U.S.
Now, we’re adding to this series with videos that show daily surface water and groundwater conditions for the past month.
October’s water conditions show:
💧 Hurricane Isaias’s footprint across the Gulf and Appalachia in early October
💧 Unseasonably wet and warm conditions in the Midwest
💧 Repeated rounds of precipitation in the southwest
💧 Expansion of dry conditions in the northwest
View surface water and groundwater conditions daily at the link in our story!
On this interactive data visualization website, you can:
📍 Toggle between national and state views
📆 Choose to view conditions from the past month, 3 month, 6 months, or year
💧 Toggle between viewing surface water conditions or groundwater conditions
💾 Download presentation-quality videos or images - water.usgs.gov/vizlab/current…
🎥 Video showing daily surface water and groundwater conditions for October 2026. Conditions are shown relative to normal with color and size, with larger blue symbols showing wetter than normal conditions and larger brown symbols showing drier conditions. For groundwater, the direction of the triangle also represents status, with arrows pointing up for wetter conditions and down for drier conditions.
#WaterData #rstats #python
The USGS is one of the largest providers of water information in the world, serving over 135 years of water data from more than one million monitoring locations.
We have been sharing monthly visualizations of summary or several years through social media, showing how major weather events impact water availability across the U.S.
Now, we’re adding to this series with videos that show daily surface water and groundwater conditions for the past month.
October’s water conditions show:
💧 Hurricane Isaias’s footprint across the Gulf and Appalachia in early October
💧 Unseasonably wet and warm conditions in the Midwest
💧 Repeated rounds of precipitation in the southwest
💧 Expansion of dry conditions in the northwest
View surface water and groundwater conditions daily at the link in our story!
On this interactive data visualization website, you can:
📍 Toggle between national and state views
📆 Choose to view conditions from the past month, 3 month, 6 months, or year
💧 Toggle between viewing surface water conditions or groundwater conditions
💾 Download presentation-quality videos or images - water.usgs.gov/vizlab/current…
🎥 Video showing daily surface water and groundwater conditions for October 2026. Conditions are shown relative to normal with color and size, with larger blue symbols showing wetter than normal conditions and larger brown symbols showing drier conditions. For groundwater, the direction of the triangle also represents status, with arrows pointing up for wetter conditions and down for drier conditions.
#WaterData #rstats #python
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October streamflow conditions across the U.S. 💧
In October, wet conditions were experienced across the southwest, Midwest, and east, with drier conditions felt in the northwest and southeast U.S.
Notable weather patterns included:
🌧 Repeated rounds of heavy rain brought rners region of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah.
🌊 Hurricane Isaias brought heavy rain to the Gulf Coast and up the Eastern Seaboard in early October
☀️ Limited rainfall combined with unseasonably warm temperatures expanded dry conditions in the northwest
Explore more water data visualizations: water.usgs.gov/vizlab/
📷: October 2026 streamflow conditions. Tile chart showing national streamflow conditions and streamflow conditions in the U.S. with a tile chart for each state by flow percentiles at USGS streamgages relative to the historic record across the U.S. Flow percentiles are broken up into seven bins from 0–100% where increased percentiles indicate wetter conditions.
#WaterData #rstats #dataRetrieval
In October, wet conditions were experienced across the southwest, Midwest, and east, with drier conditions felt in the northwest and southeast U.S.
Notable weather patterns included:
🌧 Repeated rounds of heavy rain brought rners region of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah.
🌊 Hurricane Isaias brought heavy rain to the Gulf Coast and up the Eastern Seaboard in early October
☀️ Limited rainfall combined with unseasonably warm temperatures expanded dry conditions in the northwest
Explore more water data visualizations: water.usgs.gov/vizlab/
📷: October 2026 streamflow conditions. Tile chart showing national streamflow conditions and streamflow conditions in the U.S. with a tile chart for each state by flow percentiles at USGS streamgages relative to the historic record across the U.S. Flow percentiles are broken up into seven bins from 0–100% where increased percentiles indicate wetter conditions.
#WaterData #rstats #dataRetrieval
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A New Way to Measure Flow 📹💧
Measuring high flows in the field can be risky.
But accurate streamflow data saves lives, from flood forecasting to water resource planning.
That’s why the USGS developed IVyTools, an open‑source software that uses video (Space-Time Image streamflow without ever touching the water.
🎯 Tested against an international benchmark dataset, it achieved less than 5% error and performed reliably across diverse river conditions.
🔄 All-in-one: Standardizes workflow from video preprocessing to discharge calculations and includes robust built-in uncertainty checks.
This tool helps advance safer, more accessible, image‑based streamflow monitoring and supports future automation in real‑time hydrologic data networks.
👉 Learn more about how IVyTools is shaping the future of water data - ow.ly/LyF85101NbQ
📷1: USGS stream gage 14314500 Clearwater River above Trap Creek near Toketee Falls, OR.
📷2: (Top) The perspective image is used to visually locate the cross‐section. (Bottom) The cross‐section data are derived from the camera. In IvyTools, the cross-section data are combined with camera-based velocity measurements to calculate discharge.
Credit: USGS
Measuring high flows in the field can be risky.
But accurate streamflow data saves lives, from flood forecasting to water resource planning.
That’s why the USGS developed IVyTools, an open‑source software that uses video (Space-Time Image streamflow without ever touching the water.
🎯 Tested against an international benchmark dataset, it achieved less than 5% error and performed reliably across diverse river conditions.
🔄 All-in-one: Standardizes workflow from video preprocessing to discharge calculations and includes robust built-in uncertainty checks.
This tool helps advance safer, more accessible, image‑based streamflow monitoring and supports future automation in real‑time hydrologic data networks.
👉 Learn more about how IVyTools is shaping the future of water data - ow.ly/LyF85101NbQ
📷1: USGS stream gage 14314500 Clearwater River above Trap Creek near Toketee Falls, OR.
📷2: (Top) The perspective image is used to visually locate the cross‐section. (Bottom) The cross‐section data are derived from the camera. In IvyTools, the cross-section data are combined with camera-based velocity measurements to calculate discharge.
Credit: USGS
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Trick or Hydrological Treat? 👻🍬
Water science can get incredibly weird. From rivers flowing backward during historic earthquakes to Antarctic glaciers that look like they're bleeding, nature writes the ultimate spooky stories.
👻 When rivers run backward
🍬 It sounds like a ut powerful events can reverse river currents. In 1811-1812, the massive New Madrid earthquakes caused parts of the Mississippi River to temporarily flow backward. More recently, intense storm surges from some major hurricanes, like Hurricane Laura in 2020, have forced coastal rivers to reverse course for hours!
👻 The glacier that bleeds
🍬 Located in Antarctica, "Blood Falls" looks terrifying, but it’s pure geochemistry. Beneath the glacier, an iron-rich lake is trapped and cut off from sunlight and air. When the iron-rich water exits the ice, it reacts with oxygen in the air and turns the water red, similar to how rust is formed.
👻 The sound of flowing water
🍬 Our streamgages don't scream, but they do use sound! Scientists use instruments like Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCPs), which bounce high-frequency sound waves off particles in moving water. By measuring how the pitch changes (the Doppler effect), we map how fast a river is moving - no spooky screaming required.
Happy hydrologic Halloween! 🎃🦇
📷 1: A foggy, early morning view looking down the Gibbon River, off of Grand Loop Rd in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. Credit: USGS
📷 2: A USGS hydrograph of discharge on the Neches River Saltwater Barrier at Beaumont, Texas during Hurricane Laura in August 2020 displaying flow reversal. Background image: An oxbow of the Neches River in Big Thicket National Preserve just upstream of Beaumont, TX. Credit: National Park Service
📷 3: Blood Falls at Taylor Glacier in Antarctica. Credit: Peter Rejcek, National Science Foundation
📷 4: A USGS hydrologic technician takes a flow measurement on the South Umpqua River at Melrose, Oregon. Credit: USGS
Water science can get incredibly weird. From rivers flowing backward during historic earthquakes to Antarctic glaciers that look like they're bleeding, nature writes the ultimate spooky stories.
👻 When rivers run backward
🍬 It sounds like a ut powerful events can reverse river currents. In 1811-1812, the massive New Madrid earthquakes caused parts of the Mississippi River to temporarily flow backward. More recently, intense storm surges from some major hurricanes, like Hurricane Laura in 2020, have forced coastal rivers to reverse course for hours!
👻 The glacier that bleeds
🍬 Located in Antarctica, "Blood Falls" looks terrifying, but it’s pure geochemistry. Beneath the glacier, an iron-rich lake is trapped and cut off from sunlight and air. When the iron-rich water exits the ice, it reacts with oxygen in the air and turns the water red, similar to how rust is formed.
👻 The sound of flowing water
🍬 Our streamgages don't scream, but they do use sound! Scientists use instruments like Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCPs), which bounce high-frequency sound waves off particles in moving water. By measuring how the pitch changes (the Doppler effect), we map how fast a river is moving - no spooky screaming required.
Happy hydrologic Halloween! 🎃🦇
📷 1: A foggy, early morning view looking down the Gibbon River, off of Grand Loop Rd in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. Credit: USGS
📷 2: A USGS hydrograph of discharge on the Neches River Saltwater Barrier at Beaumont, Texas during Hurricane Laura in August 2020 displaying flow reversal. Background image: An oxbow of the Neches River in Big Thicket National Preserve just upstream of Beaumont, TX. Credit: National Park Service
📷 3: Blood Falls at Taylor Glacier in Antarctica. Credit: Peter Rejcek, National Science Foundation
📷 4: A USGS hydrologic technician takes a flow measurement on the South Umpqua River at Melrose, Oregon. Credit: USGS
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When it rains, it pours, especially in the southwest this month. 🌊🚧
Intense rainstorms over the past few weeks in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Texas have led to widespread flooding and damage to homes and infrastructure.
☔️ These storms have been driven by ng fueled by tropical moisture from Hurricane Trudy, combined with a stagnant weather pattern and a low pressure system pulling Pacific moisture into the region.
USGS is responding to the flooding by:
💧 Installing Rapid Deployment Gages, which allow for quick installation of gages in response to storm events or to replace permanent infrastructure that has been damaged.
💧 Deploying field crews across the southwest to measure discharge and high-water marks, install and repair equipment, and document damage. Crews have been active in the San Juan, Dolores, Gunnison, Animas, Rio Chama, Rio Grande, and La Plata River Basins to mention just a few.
💧 Installing new field cameras in hard-to-access locations, such as Bright Angel Creek in the Grand Canyon.
💧 Collaborating! Responding to floodings of this spatial magnitude takes a lot of cooperation and coordination, with Water Science Centers from the Four Corners working together to share field crews, equipment, and resources.
👉 Has it flooded where you are? Share your stories in the comments.
View the latest streamflow conditions on the National Water Dashboard - dashboard.waterdata.usgs.gov/app/nwd/en/
📷 1: Flooding at Moenkopi Wash, Arizona on Oct 22, 2026. Credit: USGS
📷 2 & 3: Rapid Deployment Gage (09341625) on San Juan River above Turkey Creek near Pagosa Springs, CO showing after (image 2, Oct 26, 2026) and before (image 3, Oct 21, 2026) flooding. USGS field crews installed the gage on October 9 in anticipation of potential flood events. Credit: K. Raimer, USGS
📷 4: Hydrographs showing gage heights from September 10 through October 29, 2026. Yellow dots are field measurements USGS hydrologic technicians have made to assess gage accuracy. Credit: Althea Archer, USGS
#WaterData #Flooding
Intense rainstorms over the past few weeks in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Texas have led to widespread flooding and damage to homes and infrastructure.
☔️ These storms have been driven by ng fueled by tropical moisture from Hurricane Trudy, combined with a stagnant weather pattern and a low pressure system pulling Pacific moisture into the region.
USGS is responding to the flooding by:
💧 Installing Rapid Deployment Gages, which allow for quick installation of gages in response to storm events or to replace permanent infrastructure that has been damaged.
💧 Deploying field crews across the southwest to measure discharge and high-water marks, install and repair equipment, and document damage. Crews have been active in the San Juan, Dolores, Gunnison, Animas, Rio Chama, Rio Grande, and La Plata River Basins to mention just a few.
💧 Installing new field cameras in hard-to-access locations, such as Bright Angel Creek in the Grand Canyon.
💧 Collaborating! Responding to floodings of this spatial magnitude takes a lot of cooperation and coordination, with Water Science Centers from the Four Corners working together to share field crews, equipment, and resources.
👉 Has it flooded where you are? Share your stories in the comments.
View the latest streamflow conditions on the National Water Dashboard - dashboard.waterdata.usgs.gov/app/nwd/en/
📷 1: Flooding at Moenkopi Wash, Arizona on Oct 22, 2026. Credit: USGS
📷 2 & 3: Rapid Deployment Gage (09341625) on San Juan River above Turkey Creek near Pagosa Springs, CO showing after (image 2, Oct 26, 2026) and before (image 3, Oct 21, 2026) flooding. USGS field crews installed the gage on October 9 in anticipation of potential flood events. Credit: K. Raimer, USGS
📷 4: Hydrographs showing gage heights from September 10 through October 29, 2026. Yellow dots are field measurements USGS hydrologic technicians have made to assess gage accuracy. Credit: Althea Archer, USGS
#WaterData #Flooding
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We talked about public supply last week, but where do the millions of rural households get their water?
Domestic self-supplied water is water used at home that does not come from a public water utility, which can include potable and non-potable water.
🚰 About 17% of households . had self-supplied water sources in 2020!
🚰 The most common source of self-supplied water is a well. Other self-supplied water sources include capturing rainwater in a cistern, private surface water diversions (intakes), piping spring water to a home or outdoor faucet, or hauling jugs of water from a store or spring to use in the home.
🚰 Domestic self-supplied water is used for all home water uses such as watering gardens, drinking water, or household functions.
In 2020, about 4,740 million gallons per day (mgd) of water was withdrawn for self-supplied domestic use across the lower 48 U.S.
💧 The Northeast hydrologic region withdrew the most for domestic self-supply water use at about 20.2% (959 mgd), followed by Tennessee-Missouri at about 13.8% (656 mgd). The Northern High Plains region used the least, with about 0.5% (26 mgd).
💧 USGS estimated that withdrawals for indoor use totaled about 4,073 mgd and for outdoor use totaled about 667 mgd for the lower 48 states.
Learn more about domestic self-supply water use - ow.ly/raBO50ZYXWz
📷 1: Map of 2020 domestic self-supply water use by watershed (HUC12) across the lower 48 United States and timeseries showing domestic water use withdrawals from 1985 to 2020. Credit: Elmera Azadpour, USGS
📷 2: A USGS hydrologist collects a sample of untreated groundwater from a domestic well in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. Credit: Matthew Conlon, USGS
📷 3: Old dug well with granite top in front yard of home, which has since changed to using a modern drilled well for domestic use. Credit: Joseph Ayotte, USGS
Domestic self-supplied water is water used at home that does not come from a public water utility, which can include potable and non-potable water.
🚰 About 17% of households . had self-supplied water sources in 2020!
🚰 The most common source of self-supplied water is a well. Other self-supplied water sources include capturing rainwater in a cistern, private surface water diversions (intakes), piping spring water to a home or outdoor faucet, or hauling jugs of water from a store or spring to use in the home.
🚰 Domestic self-supplied water is used for all home water uses such as watering gardens, drinking water, or household functions.
In 2020, about 4,740 million gallons per day (mgd) of water was withdrawn for self-supplied domestic use across the lower 48 U.S.
💧 The Northeast hydrologic region withdrew the most for domestic self-supply water use at about 20.2% (959 mgd), followed by Tennessee-Missouri at about 13.8% (656 mgd). The Northern High Plains region used the least, with about 0.5% (26 mgd).
💧 USGS estimated that withdrawals for indoor use totaled about 4,073 mgd and for outdoor use totaled about 667 mgd for the lower 48 states.
Learn more about domestic self-supply water use - ow.ly/raBO50ZYXWz
📷 1: Map of 2020 domestic self-supply water use by watershed (HUC12) across the lower 48 United States and timeseries showing domestic water use withdrawals from 1985 to 2020. Credit: Elmera Azadpour, USGS
📷 2: A USGS hydrologist collects a sample of untreated groundwater from a domestic well in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. Credit: Matthew Conlon, USGS
📷 3: Old dug well with granite top in front yard of home, which has since changed to using a modern drilled well for domestic use. Credit: Joseph Ayotte, USGS
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Wildfires don’t just threaten our landscapes - they also threaten our water. 💧🔥
New research spanning five U.S. wildfire case studies shows how rapid, collaborative science can help water agencies and managers move from reactive crisis response to proactive resilience.
What earch + coordinated response = better decisions during water emergencies
💧 Pre-wildfire planning matters, from watershed health assessments to hands-on workshops
💧 Collaboration between scientists, water agencies, and managers strengthens recovery
💧 Co-produced knowledge helps communities protect drinking water, ecosystems, and infrastructure
💧 A proactive R2O2R (research-to-operations-to-research) framework can guide water management before, during, and after wildfire
Dive into the full paper to explore how smarter, faster wildfire-water research can transform resilience nationwide - ow.ly/2ba750ZZNFm
📷1: Photo of Sonoma County Water Agency engineer surveying burn damage at the Walbridge Fire burn scar in the Russian River watershed, California (November 2020). The Russian River watershed experienced multiple wildfires between 2017 and 2020. Credit: Stephen Maples, Sonoma County Water Agency
📷2: Photo of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory scientist and Sonoma Water Agency engineering technician collecting water samples at Franz Creek in the Russian River watershed, California (November 2017) for analysis at USGS laboratories in Boulder, Colorado. Credit: Todd Schram, Sonoma County Water Agency.
New research spanning five U.S. wildfire case studies shows how rapid, collaborative science can help water agencies and managers move from reactive crisis response to proactive resilience.
What earch + coordinated response = better decisions during water emergencies
💧 Pre-wildfire planning matters, from watershed health assessments to hands-on workshops
💧 Collaboration between scientists, water agencies, and managers strengthens recovery
💧 Co-produced knowledge helps communities protect drinking water, ecosystems, and infrastructure
💧 A proactive R2O2R (research-to-operations-to-research) framework can guide water management before, during, and after wildfire
Dive into the full paper to explore how smarter, faster wildfire-water research can transform resilience nationwide - ow.ly/2ba750ZZNFm
📷1: Photo of Sonoma County Water Agency engineer surveying burn damage at the Walbridge Fire burn scar in the Russian River watershed, California (November 2020). The Russian River watershed experienced multiple wildfires between 2017 and 2020. Credit: Stephen Maples, Sonoma County Water Agency
📷2: Photo of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory scientist and Sonoma Water Agency engineering technician collecting water samples at Franz Creek in the Russian River watershed, California (November 2017) for analysis at USGS laboratories in Boulder, Colorado. Credit: Todd Schram, Sonoma County Water Agency.
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A question we hear a lot is, what is a HUC and how do I find my location?
A watershed is an area of land where all precipitation and runoff drain to the same stream, river, lake, or ocean.
💧Watersheds are separated by high points in the landscape, such as hills or mountain divides (see image 3 from Alaska). In a flatter landscape, these divides can be very subtle, where there is just a small change in slope (see image 4 from Texas).
💧 Instead of street names and ZIP Codes, scientists use Hydrologic Unit Codes (HUCs) to identify watersheds across the United States.
💧 The USGS and other federal agencies developed the HUC system to organize watersheds into a nested hierarchy.
Each additional set of digits in a HUC code identifies a smaller and more detailed watershed.
📍 In this way, HUC 03 represents the South Atlantic-Gulf and HUC 0309 represents just a portion of southern Florida.
📍 HUCs go all the way down to 12 digits, which range in size from approximately 10,000 to 40,000 acres – that’s less than 10% of Rhode Island’s size.
Visit our page, “What is a HUC?” to learn more – usgs.gov/water-science-…!
💡 Hey teachers! We recently created a new lesson plan on Water Science School to help students learn how watersheds are mapped, discover their own HUC, compare local and regional drainage patterns, and learn how water connects communities across the country. Check out the lesson plan! Link on the "What is a HUC?" page!
📷 1: Loch Vale Watershed in the Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Credit: USGS
📷 2: Image illustrates the nesting of hydrologic unit codes (HUCs), which result in successively smaller drainage units and add digits to the HUC to create a unique “address.” Illustration by Althea Archer, USGS
📷 3: The Agashashok River watershed in Alaska. Credit: Michael P. Carey, USGS
📷 4: The Pecos River Watershed in Texas. Credit: Natalie Houston, USGS.
A watershed is an area of land where all precipitation and runoff drain to the same stream, river, lake, or ocean.
💧Watersheds are separated by high points in the landscape, such as hills or mountain divides (see image 3 from Alaska). In a flatter landscape, these divides can be very subtle, where there is just a small change in slope (see image 4 from Texas).
💧 Instead of street names and ZIP Codes, scientists use Hydrologic Unit Codes (HUCs) to identify watersheds across the United States.
💧 The USGS and other federal agencies developed the HUC system to organize watersheds into a nested hierarchy.
Each additional set of digits in a HUC code identifies a smaller and more detailed watershed.
📍 In this way, HUC 03 represents the South Atlantic-Gulf and HUC 0309 represents just a portion of southern Florida.
📍 HUCs go all the way down to 12 digits, which range in size from approximately 10,000 to 40,000 acres – that’s less than 10% of Rhode Island’s size.
Visit our page, “What is a HUC?” to learn more – usgs.gov/water-science-…!
💡 Hey teachers! We recently created a new lesson plan on Water Science School to help students learn how watersheds are mapped, discover their own HUC, compare local and regional drainage patterns, and learn how water connects communities across the country. Check out the lesson plan! Link on the "What is a HUC?" page!
📷 1: Loch Vale Watershed in the Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Credit: USGS
📷 2: Image illustrates the nesting of hydrologic unit codes (HUCs), which result in successively smaller drainage units and add digits to the HUC to create a unique “address.” Illustration by Althea Archer, USGS
📷 3: The Agashashok River watershed in Alaska. Credit: Michael P. Carey, USGS
📷 4: The Pecos River Watershed in Texas. Credit: Natalie Houston, USGS.
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💧Science meets history at the falls! 🏛️🔬
The Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park (PAGR), located on the Passaic River just 15 miles west of New York City in Paterson, New Jersey, was established as a unit of the National Park System in 2011.
🏭 Alexander lls in 1778, finding them to be useful for industrial purposes. In 1791, as Secretary of the Treasury, he declared this site to be the location of the Nation’s first planned industrial city, or a “national manufactury.”
🏞️ The park showcases the natural beauty of the cascading Paterson Falls on the Passaic River alongside the historic and cultural resources of Paterson, New Jersey.
But centuries of industrial use have taken a toll. ⚠️
The Passaic River segment that flows through the park, and the sub-watershed surrounding the park, supports its designated uses for agricultural and industrial water supply but does not support its designated uses for aquatic life, fish consumption, swimming, or public water supply.
As part of the NPS-USGS Water Quality Partnership Program, the USGS New Jersey Water Science Center partnered with the National Park Service, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Urban Waters Federal Partnership to establish a baseline water quality inventory to compile and evaluate historic water quality in the park. 🧪📊
This critical inventory is important for building an understanding of what is needed to sustain healthy aquatic ecosystems, support the recreational purposes of the park, and attain all designated beneficial uses.
Learn more: ow.ly/7naI50ZZolC
📷 1-4: Scenic views of Paterson Great Falls in Paterson Great Falls National Park, New Jersey. Credit: Sally Carullo, USGS
The Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park (PAGR), located on the Passaic River just 15 miles west of New York City in Paterson, New Jersey, was established as a unit of the National Park System in 2011.
🏭 Alexander lls in 1778, finding them to be useful for industrial purposes. In 1791, as Secretary of the Treasury, he declared this site to be the location of the Nation’s first planned industrial city, or a “national manufactury.”
🏞️ The park showcases the natural beauty of the cascading Paterson Falls on the Passaic River alongside the historic and cultural resources of Paterson, New Jersey.
But centuries of industrial use have taken a toll. ⚠️
The Passaic River segment that flows through the park, and the sub-watershed surrounding the park, supports its designated uses for agricultural and industrial water supply but does not support its designated uses for aquatic life, fish consumption, swimming, or public water supply.
As part of the NPS-USGS Water Quality Partnership Program, the USGS New Jersey Water Science Center partnered with the National Park Service, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Urban Waters Federal Partnership to establish a baseline water quality inventory to compile and evaluate historic water quality in the park. 🧪📊
This critical inventory is important for building an understanding of what is needed to sustain healthy aquatic ecosystems, support the recreational purposes of the park, and attain all designated beneficial uses.
Learn more: ow.ly/7naI50ZZolC
📷 1-4: Scenic views of Paterson Great Falls in Paterson Great Falls National Park, New Jersey. Credit: Sally Carullo, USGS
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Public supply is the third largest way in which Americans use water – and about 83% of people living in the United States get their water through public supply systems.
Public water-supply systems are government or privately run facilities that withdraw water from rivers, lakes, nd then deliver it to homes, businesses, and schools.
💧 35,823 million gallons per day (mgd) of water was withdrawn for public supply across the lower 48 states.
💧 Withdrawals from surface water totaled 18,586 mgd (about 52%) and from groundwater 17,236 mgd (about 48%).
💧 The Northeast hydrologic region withdrew the most at about 20% (7,142 mgd), followed by California-Nevada at about 15% (5,390 mgd). The Northern High Plains region used the least, with about 0.4% (139 mgd).
💧 Nationally, public supply withdrawals are highest in July at 43,697 mgd, followed by August at 42,975 mgd. December has the lowest at 29,971 mgd.
Industry and people located in more densely populated areas depend upon public-supply systems, emphasizing the need for quality data collection for public water-supply systems in the United States.
Learn more about public supply water use - ow.ly/kOtE50ZYWSK
📷 1: Map of 2020 public supply water use by watershed (HUC12) across the lower 48 United States and timeseries showing public supply water use withdrawals from 1985 to 2020. Credit: Elmera Azadpour, USGS
📷 2: The historic water tower in Chicago, IL, built in 1869 and now a museum. Credit: Nancy Barber, USGS
📷 3: USGS Water towers at Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center. Credit: USGS
Public water-supply systems are government or privately run facilities that withdraw water from rivers, lakes, nd then deliver it to homes, businesses, and schools.
💧 35,823 million gallons per day (mgd) of water was withdrawn for public supply across the lower 48 states.
💧 Withdrawals from surface water totaled 18,586 mgd (about 52%) and from groundwater 17,236 mgd (about 48%).
💧 The Northeast hydrologic region withdrew the most at about 20% (7,142 mgd), followed by California-Nevada at about 15% (5,390 mgd). The Northern High Plains region used the least, with about 0.4% (139 mgd).
💧 Nationally, public supply withdrawals are highest in July at 43,697 mgd, followed by August at 42,975 mgd. December has the lowest at 29,971 mgd.
Industry and people located in more densely populated areas depend upon public-supply systems, emphasizing the need for quality data collection for public water-supply systems in the United States.
Learn more about public supply water use - ow.ly/kOtE50ZYWSK
📷 1: Map of 2020 public supply water use by watershed (HUC12) across the lower 48 United States and timeseries showing public supply water use withdrawals from 1985 to 2020. Credit: Elmera Azadpour, USGS
📷 2: The historic water tower in Chicago, IL, built in 1869 and now a museum. Credit: Nancy Barber, USGS
📷 3: USGS Water towers at Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center. Credit: USGS
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Behind every storm track is a network monitoring water movement in real time. 📡🌊
Hurricane Isaias made landfall near Destin, Florida on October 9, as a Category 2 storm. Tracking inland through Alabama, its remnants brought damaging winds, significant rainfall, flash atening storm surge from the Gulf Coast to the southern Appalachians and Mid-Atlantic.
💧 4 to 6 inches of rain, with localized flash flooding fell across the Gulf Coast.
💧 Over 12 inches of rain was reported for Bellwood, Alabama and DeFuniak Springs, Florida.
💧 2-5 inches of rain with nearly 10 inches in localized areas were observed across the Southeastern U.S.
While weather models forecast where the rain will fall, USGS streamgages and hydrologic technicians measure the ground-level impact, giving emergency managers the data they need to make critical safety decisions.
Explore the latest Hurricane Isaias information - usgs.gov/special-topics…
🎥: Animated map tracking Hurricane Isaias across the Gulf Coast and Southeast U.S. from October 7, 7:00 PM CDT through October 12, 6:00 PM CDT (landfall October 9, 8:30 PM CDT), with hourly rainfall totals, streamgages colored by flood severity, a running count of gages in flood stage, and a stacked bar chart of flood-stage gage counts building over time. Credit: Elmera Azadpour, USGS
Hurricane Isaias made landfall near Destin, Florida on October 9, as a Category 2 storm. Tracking inland through Alabama, its remnants brought damaging winds, significant rainfall, flash atening storm surge from the Gulf Coast to the southern Appalachians and Mid-Atlantic.
💧 4 to 6 inches of rain, with localized flash flooding fell across the Gulf Coast.
💧 Over 12 inches of rain was reported for Bellwood, Alabama and DeFuniak Springs, Florida.
💧 2-5 inches of rain with nearly 10 inches in localized areas were observed across the Southeastern U.S.
While weather models forecast where the rain will fall, USGS streamgages and hydrologic technicians measure the ground-level impact, giving emergency managers the data they need to make critical safety decisions.
Explore the latest Hurricane Isaias information - usgs.gov/special-topics…
🎥: Animated map tracking Hurricane Isaias across the Gulf Coast and Southeast U.S. from October 7, 7:00 PM CDT through October 12, 6:00 PM CDT (landfall October 9, 8:30 PM CDT), with hourly rainfall totals, streamgages colored by flood severity, a running count of gages in flood stage, and a stacked bar chart of flood-stage gage counts building over time. Credit: Elmera Azadpour, USGS
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Water connects us all - especially in our wildest spaces! 💧 🌿 🦆 🦅
This week is National Wildlife Refuge Week. Managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the National Wildlife Refuge System is a network of more than 570 national wildlife refuges encompassing more of public lands and water.
From monitoring streamflow, tracking water quality, and mapping wetlands to studying how changing climates affect habitats, USGS science provides valuable data that FWS uses to conserve and manage these vital sanctuaries.
What’s your favorite National Wildlife Refuge? Tell us in the comments. 👇
📸 1: A USGS Hydrologist filters wetland water to sample for infectious avian influenza in Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska. Credit: USGS
📸 2: A USGS Hydrologist uses a small unoccupied aircraft system, sUAS or "drone," to collect information about vegetation on Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon in August 2018. Credit: Cian Dawson, USGS
📸 3: A field assistant wades in a wetland while filtering for infectious avian influenza virus at the Roseau River Wildlife Management Area, Roseau, Minnesota. Credit: USGS
📸 4: A sensor is deployed to measure flow in a channel of the marsh in Rachel Carlson National Wildlife Refuge. Credit: Sandy Brosnahan, USGS
#NationalWildlifeRefugeWeek #WaterScience #FieldPhotoFriday
This week is National Wildlife Refuge Week. Managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the National Wildlife Refuge System is a network of more than 570 national wildlife refuges encompassing more of public lands and water.
From monitoring streamflow, tracking water quality, and mapping wetlands to studying how changing climates affect habitats, USGS science provides valuable data that FWS uses to conserve and manage these vital sanctuaries.
What’s your favorite National Wildlife Refuge? Tell us in the comments. 👇
📸 1: A USGS Hydrologist filters wetland water to sample for infectious avian influenza in Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska. Credit: USGS
📸 2: A USGS Hydrologist uses a small unoccupied aircraft system, sUAS or "drone," to collect information about vegetation on Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon in August 2018. Credit: Cian Dawson, USGS
📸 3: A field assistant wades in a wetland while filtering for infectious avian influenza virus at the Roseau River Wildlife Management Area, Roseau, Minnesota. Credit: USGS
📸 4: A sensor is deployed to measure flow in a channel of the marsh in Rachel Carlson National Wildlife Refuge. Credit: Sandy Brosnahan, USGS
#NationalWildlifeRefugeWeek #WaterScience #FieldPhotoFriday
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The vital flow: Understanding water’s essential role in thermoelectric power generation. ⚡️💧
When you get home in the evening after a long day of work and flip on the lights, you might not think about the intricate systems behind the electricity that powers your home. But the s a lot of science—and water—to deliver the electricity you expect and rely on in your house.
Thermoelectric power plants, which rely heavily on water for their operations, are among the most critical producers of energy in the U.S.
Thermoelectric plants use water in two ways:
⚡️ By heating water into steam to generate electricity
⚡️ By using cooling water to condense the steam back into liquid water for reuse or release
Understanding how much water is used, where, and when is vital to meeting the Nation’s water demand.
💧 In the 2020 water year (October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2020), thermoelectric power generation, public supply, and crop irrigation accounted for about 90% (approximately 224,000 million gallons of water per day) of the freshwater withdrawn daily in the lower 48 states.
💧 Thermoelectric power made up 36% of that volume at about 82,000 million gallons of water a day.
💧 While most of the water used in thermoelectric plants in the U.S. is freshwater, some thermoelectric power plants also use saline water, which reduces the demand for freshwater.
💧 Nearly all (96%) of the freshwater used in thermoelectric power generation is eventually returned, although the rate varies based on the type of cooling system employed by a given plant.
Learn more about how water is used in thermoelectric power generation - ow.ly/OCOb50ZXMkx
📷 1: Map of 2020 thermoelectric power water use by watershed (HUC12) across the lower 48 United States and timeseries showing thermoelectric water use withdrawals from 1985 to 2020. Credit: Elmera Azadpour, USGS.
📷 2-3: Power-generating plants use evaporation to cool hot water. Credit: Alan Cressler, USGS.
#WaterUse #Thermoelectric #WaterData
When you get home in the evening after a long day of work and flip on the lights, you might not think about the intricate systems behind the electricity that powers your home. But the s a lot of science—and water—to deliver the electricity you expect and rely on in your house.
Thermoelectric power plants, which rely heavily on water for their operations, are among the most critical producers of energy in the U.S.
Thermoelectric plants use water in two ways:
⚡️ By heating water into steam to generate electricity
⚡️ By using cooling water to condense the steam back into liquid water for reuse or release
Understanding how much water is used, where, and when is vital to meeting the Nation’s water demand.
💧 In the 2020 water year (October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2020), thermoelectric power generation, public supply, and crop irrigation accounted for about 90% (approximately 224,000 million gallons of water per day) of the freshwater withdrawn daily in the lower 48 states.
💧 Thermoelectric power made up 36% of that volume at about 82,000 million gallons of water a day.
💧 While most of the water used in thermoelectric plants in the U.S. is freshwater, some thermoelectric power plants also use saline water, which reduces the demand for freshwater.
💧 Nearly all (96%) of the freshwater used in thermoelectric power generation is eventually returned, although the rate varies based on the type of cooling system employed by a given plant.
Learn more about how water is used in thermoelectric power generation - ow.ly/OCOb50ZXMkx
📷 1: Map of 2020 thermoelectric power water use by watershed (HUC12) across the lower 48 United States and timeseries showing thermoelectric water use withdrawals from 1985 to 2020. Credit: Elmera Azadpour, USGS.
📷 2-3: Power-generating plants use evaporation to cool hot water. Credit: Alan Cressler, USGS.
#WaterUse #Thermoelectric #WaterData
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Geoscience is for everyone because WATER is for everyone! 💧 🌍
It’s Earth Science Week and today is Geoscience is for Everyone Day! To celebrate, dive into the complex and interconnected world of our planet's most vital resource.
From industrial and agricultural use to urban the water cycle describes how water moves from Earth’s surface into the atmosphere, then back to the surface again or to below Earth’s surface.
Geoscience isn't just about rocks - it’s about understanding the environment we live in and impact every day.
Learn more about the key processes of the water cycle and how natural and human interactions influence where water moves, how it's stored, and how clean it is.
🔎 Explore the Where’s the Water series of posters to learn more about water cycle processes - ow.ly/jQoh50ZVMOs
📷: Illustrated water cycle diagram components from the Where’s the Water series of posters designed for educators. These posters provide insight into the water cycle in 6 different systems: coast, urban, agriculture, suburban, forest, and desert.
#EarthScienceWeek #ESW2026 #STEM
It’s Earth Science Week and today is Geoscience is for Everyone Day! To celebrate, dive into the complex and interconnected world of our planet's most vital resource.
From industrial and agricultural use to urban the water cycle describes how water moves from Earth’s surface into the atmosphere, then back to the surface again or to below Earth’s surface.
Geoscience isn't just about rocks - it’s about understanding the environment we live in and impact every day.
Learn more about the key processes of the water cycle and how natural and human interactions influence where water moves, how it's stored, and how clean it is.
🔎 Explore the Where’s the Water series of posters to learn more about water cycle processes - ow.ly/jQoh50ZVMOs
📷: Illustrated water cycle diagram components from the Where’s the Water series of posters designed for educators. These posters provide insight into the water cycle in 6 different systems: coast, urban, agriculture, suburban, forest, and desert.
#EarthScienceWeek #ESW2026 #STEM
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Hurricane Isaias made landfall on late Friday evening as a Category 2 hurricane, then weakened and headed north-northeast through Appalachia as a post-tropical cyclone.
Isaias brought damaging winds, heavy rain, flash flooding, power outages, and life-threatening storm surge to and up along the eastern seaboard.
💧 The Gulf Coast saw 4 to 6 inches of rain through the weekend, with localized flash flooding. The National Weather Service reported over 12 inches for Bellwood, Alabama and DeFuniak Springs, Florida.
💧 The rest of Southeast, including the Southern Appalachians and coastal Carolinas, saw 2 to 5 inches of rain, with localized higher amounts of nearly 10 inches.
USGS hydrologic technicians responded along the entire path of the storm, from Florida up through North Carolina to determine impacts and provide data for local and state agencies.
USGS data informs:
🌊 Local water conditions at streamgages across the country, including comparisons to historical conditions and flood status
🚧 Flood impacts to local infrastructure from bridges to pedestrian walkways, and more
🚨 Landslide risks and impacts
View Real-Time Flood Impacts across the Southeast over the past weekend - ow.ly/fEjA50ZXM4F
💡 Did you know: Each point of interest on the map can be selected to learn more about the impacts, link out to the USGS monitoring location page, or create a WaterAlert for that site.
📷 1: USGS hydrologic technicians collect field measurements on Shoal River near Mossy Head, Florida (ID 0268500) during peak flooding conditions.
📷 2: Hydrographs showing continuously measured gage height before, during, and after Hurricane Isaias at streamgages in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and Florida. Field measurements are shown as yellow dots on the hydrograph. The gage on Shoal River (ID 02368500) hit a peak of record for that site. Credit: Althea Archer, USGS
📷 3: The Real-Time Flood Impact mapper showing many flooded areas of interest throughout the Southeast from October 9 through October 13, 2026.
Credit: USGS
Isaias brought damaging winds, heavy rain, flash flooding, power outages, and life-threatening storm surge to and up along the eastern seaboard.
💧 The Gulf Coast saw 4 to 6 inches of rain through the weekend, with localized flash flooding. The National Weather Service reported over 12 inches for Bellwood, Alabama and DeFuniak Springs, Florida.
💧 The rest of Southeast, including the Southern Appalachians and coastal Carolinas, saw 2 to 5 inches of rain, with localized higher amounts of nearly 10 inches.
USGS hydrologic technicians responded along the entire path of the storm, from Florida up through North Carolina to determine impacts and provide data for local and state agencies.
USGS data informs:
🌊 Local water conditions at streamgages across the country, including comparisons to historical conditions and flood status
🚧 Flood impacts to local infrastructure from bridges to pedestrian walkways, and more
🚨 Landslide risks and impacts
View Real-Time Flood Impacts across the Southeast over the past weekend - ow.ly/fEjA50ZXM4F
💡 Did you know: Each point of interest on the map can be selected to learn more about the impacts, link out to the USGS monitoring location page, or create a WaterAlert for that site.
📷 1: USGS hydrologic technicians collect field measurements on Shoal River near Mossy Head, Florida (ID 0268500) during peak flooding conditions.
📷 2: Hydrographs showing continuously measured gage height before, during, and after Hurricane Isaias at streamgages in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and Florida. Field measurements are shown as yellow dots on the hydrograph. The gage on Shoal River (ID 02368500) hit a peak of record for that site. Credit: Althea Archer, USGS
📷 3: The Real-Time Flood Impact mapper showing many flooded areas of interest throughout the Southeast from October 9 through October 13, 2026.
Credit: USGS
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Tropical Storm Rachel’s impact can be felt across large areas of the southwestern U.S.
💧 In California, precipitation totals in San Diego, Imperial, and Riverside Counties ranged anywhere from 0.75 inches at the coast to a bit over 2 inches in most of the mountainous regions. ages on the main stem of the Las Vegas Wash are recording significant peaks of approximately 8,000 to 10,000 cubic feet per second, marking the largest event in the area since 2023.
💧 In Utah, a streamgage on Big Brush Creek near Vernal (ID 09261700) measured a peak of record for gage height, with several other gages in top 5% peak levels.
💧 In Arizona, a gage on Fossil Creek (ID 09507480) was near an annual peak flow and represents the highest measurement recorded there in years.
USGS has field crews out today making critical field measurements at gages to verify data and document other impacts, such as high-water marks.
See the current status of gages and weather conditions with the National Water Dashboard – dashboard.waterdata.usgs.gov/app/nwd/en/
📷 1: Two USGS hydrologic technicians making high flow wading measurements on Muddy River, Glendale, NV (ID 09419000) on October 13, 2026. Credit: Hampton Childres, USGS
📷 2: View of conditions at Fossil Creek near Strawberry, AZ on October 11, 2026. Credit: Kurt Schonauer, USGS.
📷 3 USGS hydrologic technician servicing the crest-stage gage at the Las Vegas Wash Overflow at Lake Las Vegas Inlet (ID 09419756). This area is normally dry and is the inflow to Lake Las Vegas. It only flows during large runoff events. During normal flows, the Las Vegas Wash bypasses Lake Las Vegas through a series of culverts. Credit: Hampton Childres, USGS.
📷 4: Conditions after the storm on Whitewater River near Indio, CA (ID 10259300). Credit: USGS
💧 In California, precipitation totals in San Diego, Imperial, and Riverside Counties ranged anywhere from 0.75 inches at the coast to a bit over 2 inches in most of the mountainous regions. ages on the main stem of the Las Vegas Wash are recording significant peaks of approximately 8,000 to 10,000 cubic feet per second, marking the largest event in the area since 2023.
💧 In Utah, a streamgage on Big Brush Creek near Vernal (ID 09261700) measured a peak of record for gage height, with several other gages in top 5% peak levels.
💧 In Arizona, a gage on Fossil Creek (ID 09507480) was near an annual peak flow and represents the highest measurement recorded there in years.
USGS has field crews out today making critical field measurements at gages to verify data and document other impacts, such as high-water marks.
See the current status of gages and weather conditions with the National Water Dashboard – dashboard.waterdata.usgs.gov/app/nwd/en/
📷 1: Two USGS hydrologic technicians making high flow wading measurements on Muddy River, Glendale, NV (ID 09419000) on October 13, 2026. Credit: Hampton Childres, USGS
📷 2: View of conditions at Fossil Creek near Strawberry, AZ on October 11, 2026. Credit: Kurt Schonauer, USGS.
📷 3 USGS hydrologic technician servicing the crest-stage gage at the Las Vegas Wash Overflow at Lake Las Vegas Inlet (ID 09419756). This area is normally dry and is the inflow to Lake Las Vegas. It only flows during large runoff events. During normal flows, the Las Vegas Wash bypasses Lake Las Vegas through a series of culverts. Credit: Hampton Childres, USGS.
📷 4: Conditions after the storm on Whitewater River near Indio, CA (ID 10259300). Credit: USGS
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Point of clarification: The peak discharge associated with Big Brush Creek near Vernal (ID 09261700) is about 73 cfs. The maximum discharge recorded at this site was actually 423 cfs in May 2005. In this case gage height is a bit misleading when referencing peaks, because datums can vary. (Datums refer to the baseline from which gage height is measured). However, this doesn't diminish the impact in Utah! As of 09:45 MDT on October 13, 2026, 12 streamgages in Utah were reporting all-time high flows for this day of the year.
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