USGS Frequently Asked Questions

Answer:

Real-time streamflow data available on USGS pages are PROVISIONAL data that have not been reviewed or edited. These data may be subject to significant change and are not citable until reviewed and approved by the U.S. Geological Survey. Real-time streamflow data may be changed after review because the stage-discharge relationship may have been affected by:

backwater from ice or debris such as log jams

algal and aquatic growth in the stream

sediment movement

malfunction of recording equipment

Data are reviewed periodically to ensure accuracy. Each station record is considered PROVISIONAL until the data are published. The data are usually published within 6 months of the end of the water year.

Data users are cautioned to consider carefully the provisional nature of the information before using it for decisions that concern personal or public safety or the conduct of business that involves substantial monetary or operational consequences.