News Release

Pennsylvania statewide stream and ground-water levels available online from USGS

Peer-Reviewed Publication

U.S. Geological Survey

As a public service during the current drought period, the Pennsylvania District Office of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is providing a new online service that demonstrates the effects of the current drought on statewide ground-water levels and streamflow conditions.

This new service displays the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's current drought-declaration status for the 67 counties in the Commonwealth, shows streamflow and ground-water hydrographs that indicate the current severity of the drought in the affected counties, shows the relation of current and past water levels recorded from a statewide network of ground-water observation wells, and presents streamflow hydrographs from three large river sites and selected smaller streams that compare current and past streamflow data. In addition, links are provided to other drought information web sites.

In addition to this new service, the Pennsylvania District Office of the USGS, in cooperation with other Federal, State, and local agencies, routinely presents online information about the most current stream stage and streamflow conditions for nearly 220 locations throughout the Commonwealth, 5-day stream hydrographs, historical streamflow data at those sites and others, current ground-water conditions for 27 ground-water observation wells located throughout the Commonwealth, monthly reports from the statewide network of observation wells, and links to other Federal, State, and local water-resources web sites, and similar USGS web sites across the nation.

The new drought information can be found on the web at usgs.gov/ (or go directly to the USGS Pennsylvania District water-data-online page, pa.water.usgs.gov/pa_hydro.html for the most-current information on stream and groundwater levels).

As the nation's largest water, earth and biological science and civilian mapping agency the USGS works in cooperation with more than 2000 organizations across the country to provide reliable, impartial, scientific information to resource managers, planners, and other customers. This information is gathered in every state by USGS scientists to minimize the loss of life and property from natural disasters, contribute to sound economic and physical development of the nation's natural resources, and enhance the quality of life by monitoring water, biological, energy, and mineral resources.

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This press release and in-depth information about USGS programs may be found on the USGS home page: www.usgs.gov To receive the latest USGS news releases automatically by email, send a request to This press release and in-depth information about USGS programs may be found on the USGS home page: www.usgs.gov. To receive the latest USGS news releases automatically by email, send a request to listproc@listserver.usgs.gov. Specify the listserver(s) of interest from the following names: water-pr: geologic-hazards-pr; biological-pr; mapping-pr; products-pr; lecture-pr. In the body of the message write: subscribe (name of listserver) (your name). Example: subscribe water-pr joe smith.

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News Release
U.S. Department of the Interior
U.S. Geological Survey
840 Market Street
Lemoyne, PA 17043

Contact: John Nantz
jmnantz@usgs.gov
717-730-6916



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