Montana Water Science Center
ABOUT THE MONTANA
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About the Montana Water Science CenterThe Montana Water Science Center (WSC) is one of 48 Water Science Centers in the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The Montana Water Science Center's mission is to collect, analyze and disseminate in an impartial manner the hydrologic data and information needed to wisely manage water resources for the people of the United States and the State of Montana. Contact information for the main Montana WSC office: Montana Water Science Center Office InformationWhat We Do
We form partnerships with Federal, State, and local agencies, and other public organizations to ensure that our work is relevant and useful. Funding for the Montana Water Science Center comes from a variety of sources, including direct Federal appropriations, other Federal agencies, and a cooperative program that allows the Montana Water Science Center to partially match funding with state and local agencies. Information concerning USGS products and services can be obtained from: The Montana WSC home page provides direct access to current and historical USGS streamflow data, a bibliography of Montana Water Science Center reports, and much more about USGS operations in the state of Montana. Data Collection![]() Basic hydrologic data collection, processing, analysis, dissemination, and archiving are major parts of the Montana Water Science Center program. Streamflow data, for example, are used for flood and water-supply forecasts, planning and design, river regulation, streamflow statistics, and research investigations. Much of the data are available on a near-real-time basis by satellite telemetry. Types of data currently collected include:
Database Capabilities![]() USGS data are stored and maintained in long-term, quality-assured data bases. The data bases contain data for Montana and the rest of the nation and are accessible to the public. The data include:
ProjectsThe chief purpose of hydrologic projects is to help cooperating agencies solve water problems. For example, investigative results have been used to manage storm-water runoff, to develop ground-water management plans, and to identify areas of water-quality degradation. These investigations address many water issues:
Analytical TechniquesThe Montana Water Science Center uses state-of-the-art as well as traditional methods that include quality assurance and quality control:
Water-quality samples are collected and analyzed for a wide range of constituents, including major inorganics, nutrients, trace elements, dissolved gases, pesticides, isotopes, organic solvents, petrochemicals, and biological indicators. |