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Mar 3, 2019 · Most USGS streamgages are used to generate continuous streamflow information year-round. Together these gages constitute the National Streamflow Network. Some gages, however, only record the water level (gage height or stage) of a stream, lake or reservoir; no streamflow (discharge) is computed.
Mar 16, 2023 · Most USGS streamgages are funded in partnership with one or more of about 1,500 Federal, state, local and Tribal agencies and organizations. Each streamgage provides vital information that can help protect lives and property, as well as ensure adequate water supply for the future.
Nov 29, 2023 · The three USGS centennial streamgages comprise half the recognized locations in North America and are among the first 22 WMO centennial streamgages worldwide. The newly recognized gages are located on the Columbia River at The Dalles, Oregon, the Ohio River at Louisville, Kentucky, and the Rio Grande at Embudo, New Mexico.
- USGS Streamgaging Nationally
- USGS Streamgaging in Minnesota
- How Streamgages Work
- Data Retrievals, statistics, and Other Analyses from Streamgages
- Floods, Droughts, and Current Streamflow Conditions in Context
- Information About Specific Rivers, Streams, and Gages
- Miscellaneous Questions
Q: Why does the USGS collect streamflow information? What is USGS streamflow information used for?
A:The USGS is a non-regulatory agency that collects accurate and unbiased streamflow information to serve many different Federal, State, tribal, local, and public needs. Common uses include: 1. Flood forecasting* 2. Drought monitoring 3. Water-supply planning 4. Water-allocation permitting 5. Waste-load allocation permitting 6. Navigation and shipping 7. Design of bridges, highways and other structures in or near streams 8. Determining trends in streamflow or water-quality* 9. Monitoring stre...
Q:What is the history of USGS streamgaging?
A: The first streamgage operated by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) was established in 1889 on the Rio Grande near Embudo, New Mexico. Specific appropriation for streamgaging was made by the Organic Act of August 18, 1894, which contained the budget line item of $12,500 "for gauging the streams and determining the water supply of the United States, including the investigation of underground currents and artesian wells in the arid and semiarid sections" (Grover and Hoyt, 1906). In Minnesota,...
Q: What are the oldest active streamgages in Minnesota?
A: The Mississippi River at Grand Rapids has the longest continuous record of daily discharge in the state, beginning September 17, 1883. The second longest record is from the Mississippi River at St Paul, which began March 1, 1892. More information about the history of the streamgage at St Paul is noted in USGS Scientific Investigations Report 2014-5079. Additional active streamgages with continuous daily discharge records that began more than 100 years ago include the following. Note that s...
Q: Where are streamgages in Minnesota and why are they located there?
A: Interactive maps of USGS streamgages in Minnesota are available fromNWISWeb and NWIS Mapper. Streamgages typically are located where they are most needed for one or more of the many uses of streamgage data (FAQ A-1 ).Determining a specific streamgage location requires balancing the needs of the data users with the site characteristics needed to ensure the most accurate and robust streamflow record. For example, a community (data user) needing a flood-forecast streamgage may wish to locate...
Q: How do streamgages operated by the USGS differ from those operated by other agencies?
A: USGS streamgages are operated using nationally consistent methods, instrumentation with stringent accuracy requirements, and quality-assurance practices so that streamgage information are comparable across the nation and through time. Data consistency and comparability are essential for studies that compare streamflow characteristics or evaluate trends. Other agencies may operate streamgages for different objectives or time scales, and consequently may not use or require the same methods,...
Q: How does a streamgage work?
A: Streamgages commonly are installed to obtain two types of information about the stream: the water level (or stage) and the streamflow (or discharge) rate. Currently, no instrumentation exists to directly measure the discharge rate that is economical and meets required accuracy needs. Consequently, most streamgages work by sensing and recording the water level (or stage) through various types of instruments at regular intervals (generally every 15-minutes in Minnesota). Because the streamfl...
Q: How is streamflow or discharge determined?
A: At most streamgages, the water level or stage of a stream is measured and recordedcontinuously, and discharge is measured periodically over the range in stages that occur. From the paired, simultaneous measurements of stage and discharge, a stage-discharge relation is developed that allows discharge to be computed for any stage. This Fact sheet 2011-3001 provides a good description of the process of computing streamflow and delivering it to the internet. Other good general references inclu...
Q: What types of streamgages are there? Why do some stations not have discharge?
A: The USGS uses the term "streamgage" to refer specifically to a gaging station used to collect a continuous (every 15-minutes, hourly, and/or daily) record of stage, which is used to compute a continuous record of discharge (streamflow).These are the most common type of gages listed on the USGS NWISWeb streamflow web page. Informally, the term streamgage may also refer to other types of gaging stations that are used for different purposes. A second type of continuous recording station may r...
Q: Where can I retrieve data for streamflow/water-quality/suspended sediment/groundwater?
A: Most USGS water-monitoring data for Minnesota, including streamflow, groundwater levels, and water-quality are available on line from NWISWeb pages. To search for a specific river or location, use the NWISWeb Mapper interface or enter the search terms of interest (for example stream name or county) by following the links on the NWISWeb site information page . USGS reports may contain investigation-specific data as well and are available on line at the USGS Publications Warehouse by enterin...
Q: Where can I find all of the types and periods of data collected at a monitoring site?
A: To view an inventory of the data collected at a USGS monitoring site, at the site's NWISWeb page, under the banner "Available data for this site," select "SUMMARY OF ALL AVAILABLE DATA" from the drop-down list and click "GO." This will generate a table of the types of data collected, period of collection, and counts of the data points for each type of data. For example, here is a link to an inventory of data from the Minnesota River near Jordan. Other agencies may also collect data at USGS...
Q: Have there ever been any streamgages in my river basin?
A: To search for a specific river or location, use the NWISWeb Mapper interfaceand zoom into your area of interest. Use the tools on the left side of screen to show active and discontinued sites. Alternatively, use the NWISWeb Site Informationpage to enter the search terms of interest (for example stream name or county). These links will generate data inventories from all active and discontinued monitoring sites. Return to FAQ List.
Q:We've had several "100-year floods" the past few years. How can that be?
A: From USGS GIP-106: the "100-year flood" is an estimate of the long-term average recurrence interval, which does not mean that we really have 100 years between each flood of greater or equal magnitude. Floods happen irregularly. Consider the following: if we had 1,000 years of streamflow data, we would expect to see about10 floods of equal or greater magnitude than the "100-year flood." These floods would notoccur at 100-year intervals. In one part of the 1,000-year record it could be 15 or...
Q:Where can I view previous USGS publications about floods in Minnesota?
A:The USGS publishes summaries of major floods when resources allow, often with support from other Federal and State agencies. Recent reports that document floods recorded at USGS streamgages in Minnesota include: 1. 2012 Northeast Minnesota SIR 2012-5283 2. 2011 Floods of the Central United States PP1798-D 3. 2010 Southern Minnesota SIR 2011-5045 4. 2009 Red River of the North Web Page from USGS North Dakota Water 5. 2008 Southern Minnesota and and many other states Professional Paper 1775 6...
Q:Where can I retrieve streamflow statistics for peak-flow, high-flow, and floods?
A: See FAQ D-13 Return to FAQ List.
Q:How did the Red River of the North get it's name?
A: That seems to be the subject of some debate, and a multi-part answer. Encyclopaedia Britannica notes: "After it was explored in 1732-33 by the French voyageur Pierre Gaultier de Varennes et de La Vérendrye, the river, [was] called Red because of the reddish brown silt it carries..." In "The Streams of Minnesota" (Waters, Thomas F., 1977, University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 371 pages), Waters writes: "Why it should be called the "Red" is virtually lost to history. If the...
Q:Why does the Red River of the North flow north?
A: From a USGS North Dakota Water Science Center (NDWSC) web page: "Lake Agassiz, a lake formed by melting glaciers, covered much of what is today western Minnesota, eastern North Dakota, southern Manitoba, and southwestern Ontario from about 12,500 years ago to about 7,500 years ago. Lake Agassiz virtually disappeared, leaving a few remnants like Minnesota's Upper and Lower Red Lakes and Lake of the Woods and Canada's Lake Winnipeg, Lake Manitoba, and Lake Winnipegosis. Lake Agassiz also lef...
Q:Why does the Red River of the North seem to flood so easily?
A: From USGS SIR 2005-5194: "The Red River of the North is one of the few rivers in the United States to flow directly north into Canada. The basin flood plain lies in a glacial lakebed and is relatively flat (less than 0.5-foot drop in elevation per mile in the reach downstream from Grand Forks, North Dakota). Because of the flat basin, the shallow river channel, and the northerly flow, the timing of spring thaw and snowmelt can greatly aggravate flooding in the basin. Snow and ice in the he...
Q:What is the USGS National Streamflow Information Program?
A: The USGS National Streamflow Information Program (NSIP, also known as the Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program as of 2016) is designed to provided a unified network of streamgages and streamflow information assessment to meet National, regional, and local needs. The program has five goals: 1. A stable (long term) network of Federally funded streamgages 2. Intensive stream data collection during floods and droughts 3. Regional and National assessments of streamflow 4. A robust str...
Q:What are USGS Cooperative Matching Funds?
A: The USGS Cooperative Water Program is "bottom-up, on-the-ground" program designed to bring local, State, and Tribal water science needs and decision-making together with USGS national capabilities related to USGS nationally consistent methods and quality assurance; innovative monitoring technology, models, and analysis tools; and robust data management and delivery systems. The Program provides the foundation for strong and robust water monitoring networks (quantity and quality) and suppor...
Q:How can I receive alerts from a streamgage automatically? What is WaterAlert?
A: The USGS WaterAlert application sends e-mail or text (SMS) messages when certain parameters, as measured by a USGS streamgagesand other real-time data-collection stations, exceed user-definable thresholds. Real-time data from USGS gages are transmitted via satellite or other telemetry to USGS offices at various intervals; in most cases, generally once per hour in Minnesota. Emergency transmissions, such as during floods, may be more frequent. Notifications will be based on the data receive...
Nov 29, 2016 · The USGS currently (2007) operates about 7,400 streamgages nationwide (fig. 1) as part of the National Streamflow Information Program (NSIP).
The maps and graphs in this summary describe national streamflow conditions for water year 2020 (October 1, 2019, to September 30, 2020) in the context of streamflow ranks relative to the 91-year period of water years 1930–2020, unless otherwise noted.
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Today, the USGS Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program supports the collection and (or) delivery of both streamflow and water-level information for more than 8,500 sites (continuous or partial record) and water-level information alone for more than 1,700 additional sites.
