USGS Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ's about Rivers

We had a "100-year flood" two years in a row. How can that be?

How are floods predicted?

What does the term "stream stage" mean?

Where can I find bathymetric data?

Is measuring water in a well like measuring a stream?

Does "stage" tell you how much water is flowing in a stream?

I frequently kayak the Potomac River and the real-time stage data reported by USGS seem to be too high (or too low). Are the USGS data inaccurate?

Why does the USGS collect streamflow data?

How can I obtain real-time streamflow information?

How are data collected at USGS gaging stations tranferred automatically to the USGS website?

How can I obtain river forecasts?

How does the USGS collect streamflow data?

Why are there sometimes differences between river stages as reported by the National Weather Service and by USGS?

Why do some real-time stream-gaging stations experience equipment problems for extended periods of time?

How are stream-gaging stations selected for real-time data services?

Why are updated real-time stream-gaging data available only every 4 hours?

Why might USGS streamflow data reports not be accurate?

Why is the discharge reported at a particular stage sometimes different in different years or at certain times in the same year?

Why are data sometimes not available for a particular stream-gaging station?

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