# USGS Water Data API

Category: [Energy and environment](https://free-web-services.com/web-services/open-data/energy/)  
Page: https://free-web-services.com/web-services/open-data/energy/usgs-water-data-api.html  
Documentation: https://api.waterdata.usgs.gov/

The USGS Water Data API gives water data for the United States: monitoring locations on rivers, lakes and wells and their measurements, such as streamflow and water levels, for example to show the current flow of a river. It follows the OGC API standard and returns GeoJSON. Free, no key needed; a free api.data.gov key raises the rate limit.

- API key: Not needed
- Pricing: Free, no key needed; a free api.data.gov key raises the rate limit.
- From the browser: Yes (CORS)
- Formats: JSON
- Interface: REST, HTTP-GET
- Provider: api.waterdata.usgs.gov
- Last checked: Working on November 7th, 2026

Example request:

```sh
curl 'https://api.waterdata.usgs.gov/ogcapi/v0/collections/monitoring-locations/items?limit=1&f=json'
```

The JavaScript works in a web page as well as in Node.js 18 or newer.