Surf Your Watershed Help
A Brief Summary
Surf Your Watershed gathers environmental information available by geographic units which includes state, watershed (Surf's primary focus), county, metro area, and tribe. The information below describes the Locate Your Watershed page which contains many different routes to the same information. Each of the geographic pages are also discussed briefly.
Locate Your Watershed
- Search by Map - This option allows users to select a state by choosing one from a US map or a text list. This will lead to a state page.
- Find Place - Searches the geographic navigation tables in Surf all at once. This is a good option when you're looking for something specific but aren't sure what geographic table it would be in. For example you want to find options for Greensboro. The search would return a Metropolitan Area link and 5 cities named Greensboro in 5 different states. You can then select the option you would like.
- Locate by Geographic Unit - This option searches one table at the time.
- Zip Code - returns watershed page options
- State - returns the watersheds in the state
- Stream name - returns watershed page options
- Watershed name - returns watershed page options
- HUC code - returns a watershed page
- County - returns county pages
- National Estuary Program - returns watershed page options
- City name - returns watershed page options
- Community Water System ID - A specialized search used by professionals who know community water system ids.
- Large Ecosystem - returns watershed page options
- Places - USGS's Geographic Names Information System - allows a user to complete a form and find information based on things like school name, park name, lake name, and other options that are not available in Surf. The USGS site has geographic information about these places then links back to a Surf watershed page.
States
The state pages contain links that provide information available by state. It is divided into Environmental Profile, Water, Land, Air and People. It includes informational links, data, and opportunities to become involved.
Watersheds
The watershed pages contain links that provide information available by watershed. It is divided into Environmental Profile, Water, Land, Air and People. It includes informational links, data, and opportunities to become involved at a watershed level.
Counties
The county pages contain links that provide information available by county. There are a limited number of links available with county information. The site does include county population links from the 2000 US Census. The locator map and watershed map overlays help visualize the interconnectivity of watersheds across other boundary definitions.
Surf Your Watershed's Databases
Surf integrates information gathered in associated databases by geographical unit. The databases include Environmental Websites, Adopt Your Watershed, River Corridor and Restoration, and more. Detailed description of the databases.