Water Resources of Alaska

Welcome to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Web page for the water resources of Alaska; this is your direct link to all kinds of water-resource information. Here you'll find information on Alaska's rivers and streams, ground water, water quality, and many other topics. The USGS operates the most extensive satellite network of stream-gaging stations in the state, many of which form the backbone of flood-warning systems.

The USGS provides current ("real-time") stream stage and streamflow, water-quality, and ground-water levels for over 200 sites in Alaska.

AK Monitoring Networks

The USGS Alaska Science Center Water Resources Office continuously monitors surface water, ground water, and water quality parameters across the state. Monitoring sites are operated in cooperation with various local, State, or Federal agencies.

Streambed Scour

The USGS Alaska Science Center is researching streambed scour at bridges through scour monitoring, hydrodynamic modeling, and data collection during high flows.

Surface Water

Alaska provides real-time water-stage, streamflow and precipitation data at 152 sites across the state.

Ground Water

Fourteen ground-water wells are monitored by the USGS in Alaska. These wells record data on hourly intervals.

Flood Watch

The "Flood and high flow" map shows the location of streamgages where the water level is currently at or above flood stage.

Water Quality

Water-quality conditions are continuously monitored by the USGS at 42 sites across the state of Alaska

Featured Project

Matanuska River Bank Erosion

Aerial view of Matanuska River at mile 59, Glenn Hwy., near Sutton, AK. Photo by J. Curran, USGS, August 14, 2007.

Bank erosion along the Matanuska River, a large braided river in southcentral Alaska, has periodically damaged or destroyed properties and structures for decades. Continued rapid population growth in one of the fastest growing areas in Alaska, coupled with the expense of erosion control measures, has elevated the issue for land managers and property owners. Understanding channel processes and variations in bank erodibility is needed to effectively manage areas near such active rivers.

Data via GoogleMaps

New Maps Deliver Current Streamflow Conditions

We recently added a Google-Map based Web page to deliver map-based current surface-water resources conditions in Alaska.

The maps utilize zoom and pan to allow you to focus in on the water-monitoring sites that interest you. The maps show current streamflow as compared to historical records. By hovering your mouse over a site, a popup box shows the most recent stage and streamflow.

Highlighted Publications

The Alaska Science Center produces publications about water resources.

Carbon Cycling in Landscapes Across High-Latitude Regions

Mercury and water-quality data from Rink Creek, Salmon River, and Good River, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska, November 2009-October 2011

Shallow groundwater in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, Alaska—Conceptualization and simulation of flow

Water quality of streams draining abandoned and reclaimed mined lands in the Kantishna Hills area, Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska, 2008–11

The Arctic Freshwater Biodiversity Monitoring Plan

Listening to Tide Water GlaciersThey are very noisy

Hydrology and Modeling of Flow Conditions at Bridge 339 and Mile 38-43, Copper River Highway, Alaska

Spatially telescoping measurements for improved characterization of ground water—surface water interactions

234U/²³⁸U) in rivers of the Yukon Basin (Alaska and Canada) as an aid in identifying water sources, with implications for monitoring hydrologic change in arctic regions" style="float: left; margin-right: 20px;">Uranium isotopes (²³⁴U/²³⁸U) in rivers of the Yukon Basin (Alaska and Canada) as an aid in identifying water sources, with implications for monitoring hydrologic change in arctic regions

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