Ambient Water Monitoring and Assessment: Resources and Tools

  • National Aquatic Resource Surveys

    The National Aquatic Resource Surveys are collaborative programs between EPA, states, and tribes designed to assess the quality of the nation's coastal waters, lakes and reservoirs, rivers and streams, and wetlands.

  • Water Quality Data Portal

    The Water Quality Portal is the premiere source of water-quality data in the United States and beyond. This cooperative service integrates publicly available water-quality data from the United States Geological Survey, the Environmental Protection Agency, and over 400 state, federal, tribal, and local agencies.

  • How's My Waterway

    How's My Waterway was designed to provide the general public with information about the condition of their local waters based on data that states, federal, tribal, local agencies and others have provided to EPA.

Water quality data are used to characterize waters, identify trends over time, recognize emerging problems, determine effectiveness of water management programs, help direct remediation efforts where they are most needed and to respond to emergencies such as natural disasters. The Environmental Protection Agency works together with partners to collaborate on water quality monitoring activities.

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Last updated on April 1, 2025