Monitoring and Evaluation

According to the Global Water Partnership, a strong monitoring and evaluation system has the potential to ensure that an IWRM strategy meets its main objective of fostering positive change, and also that the strategy can adapt to evolving needs and conditions. Resources available in this sub-theme include examples of performance indicators, technical methods of hydraulic monitoring, handbooks for appraisal of management systems, and other resources that support the wide variety of approaches for monitoring and evaluating water resources.

Monitoring and Evaluation Resources

Groundwater monitoring and research

Publication date:
July 21, 2021
Groundwater is an important water resource. The USGS collects information on the quality and quantity of groundwater and conducts advanced modeling of groundwater flow and groundwater/surface-water systems. The USGS also evaluates the effects of water-use, land-use, and climate change on...Read more
Regional/Country focus:
United States

Public Supply Wells

Publication date:
July 21, 2021
The USGS National Water Quality Program investigates the quality of water pumped from public-supply wells across the United States. These wells are the source of drinking water and water for other household needs for more than one-third of the U.S. population. There are about 140,000 public water...Read more
Regional/Country focus:
United States

Rain and Precipitation

Publication date:
July 21, 2021
Rain and snow are key elements in the Earth's water cycle, which is vital to all life on Earth. Rainfall is the main way that the water in the skies comes down to Earth, where it fills our lakes and rivers, recharges the underground aquifers, and provides drinks to plants and animals. Water...Read more
Regional/Country focus:
United States

GLRI Urban Stormwater Monitoring

Publication date:
July 21, 2021
The GLRI Urban Stormwater Monitoring effort brings together the expertise of the USGS with local and national partners to assess the ability of green infrastructure to reduce stormwater runoff in Great Lakes urban areas. The term "urban stormwater" refers to rainfall or snowmelt that is...Read more
Regional/Country focus:
United States

Sediment Sampling and Data Processing

Publication date:
July 21, 2021
Sediment can be transported as suspended load (moves with the flow of the river) or as bedload (rolls along the riverbed) or can be deposited on the riverbed or bank. Sediment is naturally occurring and essential to supporting the ecological function of a water body. High sediment concentrations in...Read more
Regional/Country focus:
United States

Historical Flooding

Publication date:
July 21, 2021
The USGS provides practical, unbiased information about the Nation's rivers and streams that is crucial in mitigating hazards associated with floods. This site provides information about the USGS activities, data, and services provided during regional high-flow events, such as hurricanes or...Read more
Regional/Country focus:
United States

Groundwater Basics

Publication date:
July 21, 2021
This web page provides an overview of USGS's research about groundwater. It includes related research, publications, software, and a collection of data and tools. Groundwater is water in the ground that fully saturates pores or cracks in soils and rocks. Water underlies the Earth's...Read more
Regional/Country focus:
United States

Aquifers and Groundwater

Publication date:
July 21, 2021
A huge amount of water exists in the ground below your feet, and people all over the world make great use of it. But it is only found in usable quantities in certain places underground: aquifers. Most of the void spaces in the rocks below the water table are filled with water. These rocks have...Read more
Regional/Country focus:
United States

Rapid Fluctuations in Groundwater Quality

Publication date:
July 21, 2021
As part of the National Water Quality Program, USGS scientists are investigating why, in some areas and at some depths, groundwater quality changes at short timescales: years to months to days to even hours, rather than decades. These fluctuations often occur in areas where groundwater and surface...Read more
Regional/Country focus:
United States

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