Cooperative Water Program
Cooperative Program Supports Relevant Science and Decision Making
USGS water science improves the quality of life of every American citizen by providing information to help assure that water is available and safe for drinking and recreation; is protective of ecosystems; and preserves our Nation’s economic viability related to energy, irrigation, industry, navigation, and other water demands.
Interpretative studies funded by the Cooperative Water Program- about 700 annually- cover a wide range of issues that are important to the USGS water mission and that inform local, State, and Tribal water decision-making, including,
- flood inundation and regional flood and drought risks as related to climate and watershed factors;
- environmental flows in streams for sustaining ecological health;
- groundwater/surface water relations;
- groundwater availability and recharge;
- effects of urbanization, agriculture, and irrigation on the quantity and quality of water and ecosystems;
- non-point source pollution, such as from farms, residential areas, and the atmosphere;
- natural contaminants, such as arsenic and radon, in groundwater used for drinking;
- emerging contaminants in drinking water and streams, such as pharmaceuticals, hormones, and endocrine disruptors;
- energy development on quantity and quality of water resources; and,
- water use
