USGS collects data at the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway

Noteworthy

National & Regional Science:

• Circular 1383-G: USGS Water Science Strategy – Observing, Understanding, Predicting, and Delivering Water Science to the Nation
• OFR 2013-1054: User's Manual for the National Water Information System of the USGS
• New water-quality test for preventing unnecessary beach closures
• OFR 2012-5228: Organic contaminants, trace and major elements, and nutrients in water and sediment sampled in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill
• Fact Sheet: Tracking and Forecasting the Nation's Water Quality Priorities and Strategies for 2013–2023

Local Science Features:

• New Hampshire: Concentrations of Chloride and Sodium in Groundwater in New Hampshire From 1960 Through 2011
• Arkansas: No Contamination from Fayetteville Shale Exploration Found in Sampled Wells

Past listings...

Water Quality Data

National Water Information System (NWIS)

NWIS provides current and historical water-quality data.

Today's Water Conditions

Water-Quality Watch provides continuous real-time water-quality measurements.

Water-Quality Web Services

Web services automate the sharing of USGS and USEPA water-quality monitoring data.

For More Data

Additional water-quality data resources are available.

USGS in Your Area

USGS Water Science Centers are located in each state.

Other Water-Quality Information Topics and Sources

General Education: Environmental Issues

• Water hardness map and chart from 1975.
• Alkalinity map showing alkalinity of U.S. surface waters and description (USEPA, from 1988).
• Water - Introduction and links (USGS)
• Window to My Environment (EPA)
• Clean Water and Robocow (Agriculture and Agri-Food, Canada)

Water Resources Links

• Sediment page from the USGS Office of Surface Water (OSW)
• Microbiology Program
• Animal Feeding Operations (1999)
• TMDLs - The USGS Role in TMDL Assessments
• National Field Manual for the Collection of Water-Quality Data
• National Water Quality Assesment Program (NAWQA)
• National Irrigation Water Quality Program (2005)
• National Research Program (NRP)
• Office of Groundwater (OGW)
  • Branch of Geophysics (OGW BG)
  • Water Use Information

Interdisciplinary Links

• Interdiscipline Links
• USEPA Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program
• Sample of Information on Emerging and Selected Contaminants (For more information, see the selected water-quality topics page)
  • Arsenic
  • Emerging --USGS Toxic Substances Hydrology Program
  • Emerging --Department of Defense
  • Endocrine disruptors, and other toxic substances
  • Mercury
  • Microorganisms
  • Nutrients: Nitrates in ground water/ Flux and Sources of Nutrients in the Mississippi-Atchafalaya River Basin
  • Pesticides and a Fact Sheet
  • Radon
  • Trace elements
  • CDC National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals
  • VOCs
    • "Volatile Organic Compounds in Ground Water from Rural Wells" available on NAWQA VOC page.

Chemical databases

• The ChemBank (Initiative for Chemical Genetics) contains data on 2,500 biologically active small molecules, including many drugs and pesticides, chemical structures, and SMILES formulae for creating structures.
• ChemFinder provides free chemical searching and includes chemical structures (2D structures, 3D models), physical properties, as well as hyperlinks to other websites.
• Cole-Parmer's Chemical Compatability Database. Click on the chemical or solution of interest, click on the material of interest, then submit query, and you get a "chemical effect" rating.