USGS Science in Maryland-Delaware-District of Columbia

07/10/2026

07/06/2026

Great American Waterway Day 5: The Chesapeake Bay! 🇺🇸

The nation’s largest estuary, the Chesapeake Bay is shaped by a vast watershed and supports one of the most productive ecosystems in the world. Its wetlands, tidal marshes, and oyster reefs filter water, protect coastlines, and sustain major fisheries like the iconic blue crab.

The Bay has been central to American history, from early port cities to centuries of agriculture and timber harvesting that transformed the landscape.

Today, science and long‑term stewardship remain key to protecting this dynamic system.

💧 The USGS has 102 gages within 1km of the Chesapeake Bay. Check back later today to learn more about USGS science happening in and around the Chesapeake!

Then, celebrate with us tomorrow as we wrap up this Great American Waterway campaign for the 4th of July! ✨ (Hint: Tomorrow’s waterway opens up to a bay that holds the world’s largest horseshoe crab population!)

📷 Vintage-style poster of Chesapeake Bay with a USGS gage and blue crab on the shoreline in the foreground and estuaries feeding the bay the background. Illustration by Althea A. Archer, USGS

07/02/2026

Can you feel the heat?

With summer just starting, it's time to recap a spring full of water science in Maryland, Delaware, and Washington, D.C.

Read our Spring newsletter: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/md-de-dc-water/news/spring-2026-newsletter-flow

📸 Jeremy Malen services a water-quality sensor along the Susquehanna River near Darlington, MD (USGS-01579550). Photo credit: Kelly McVicker, USGS.

06/29/2026

We are celebrating a major milestone at one of our Delaware streams: The 1000th streamflow measurement of White Clay Creek near Newark, Delaware (USGS-01479000)!

The USGS first began monitoring the creek here in 1931, and continuous records have been maintained since 1959.

A huge thank‑you to the dedicated hydrologic technicians, field crews, and partners, including the Delaware Geological Survey, who’ve made this long‑term record possible. For nearly a century, these measurements have supported water-resource management and a more resilient future for Delaware and beyond.

https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/USGS-01479000

📸 A clear White Clay Creek on a sunny day as seen on the day of the 1000th measurement. Photo credit: Sam Woomer, USGS.

06/17/2026

Blink, and you’ll miss it. 👀🌊

A stream in Baltimore, called Moores Run, shows just how quickly small streams can crest and recede after rain.

Moores Run at Radecke Ave at Baltimore, MD (USGS- 01585230) is the 5th flashiest watershed monitored by the USGS in the country. It also has over 25 years of record, making it a great dataset for scientists who study the water dynamics of urban watersheds.

After a four-year hiatus, we restarted monitoring gage height every minute at Moores Run, which is much more frequent than usual but is needed because of how flashy the stream is. The site is now also equipped with a HIVIS camera that takes photos every 5 minutes.

🔗 https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/USGS-01585230

📽️: A timelapse of Moores Run showing the stream’s flashiness. Images from the HIVIS camera.

05/28/2026

The Maryland Geological Survey (MGS) recently visited our Baltimore office to train personnel in high-tech groundwater assessment techniques using our demonstration wells.

Various instruments are used to measure different properties of the rock surrounding the well in order to better understand how water flows through the aquifer.

The MGS team used a variety of geophysical tools, including a gamma sensor to “see” the geologic properties of the area surrounding the well, a temperature and electrical sensitivity sensor, and a long snaking camera to view the well from the inside.

Practices and collaborations like this demonstrate both the USGS and MGS’ commitment to using the most effective and cutting-edge techniques to answer important questions about water resources.

📸1: USGS and MGS personnel testing equipment underneath a canopy.
📸2: A person holding a long snaking cord attached to a geophysical tool.
📸3: Looking at the camera feed on a laptop.
📸4: USGS and MGS personnel gathered in a group.
📸5: USGS and MGS personnel placing a geophysical tool down the demonstration well.
📸6: A geophysical tool down the well.

Credit: Neel Hodgkinson, USGS.

05/21/2026

If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around, does it make a difference to USGS streamflow monitoring?

When a tree falls into the stream or river near a USGS streamgage, it can slow down and back up the water. This can make it look as though the entire stream is slower or higher. Because that streamgage might be the only point we monitor a stream or river for miles in either direction, it’s important we investigate. Our hydrologic technicians visit our sites when we notice anomalies to ensure that appropriate action is taken to provide reliable and accurate data for the public.

📸1-2: A fallen tree near the Mattawoman Creek Near Pomonkey, MD streamgage (USGS-01658000). Photo credit: Logan Tolley, USGS.
📸3: The fallen tree as seen from the HIVIS stream camera at Mattawoman Creek.
📸4: Several fallen tree logs cover the stream at Zekiah Swamp Run Near Newtown, MD (USGS-01660920). Photo credit: Brett McFarland, USGS.

04/13/2026

Testing the next generation of water monitoring...from the air!

We continue to test our aerial drones as a means of measuring stream velocity. Along this scenic stretch of the Brandywine Creek in Delaware, we tested our aerial stream velocity measurements against the reliable measurements from our in-stream measurements.

The idea for this project is to measure stream velocity using a high-resolution camera mounted to the drone flying above the river, allowing us to measure during floods from a safe distance.

Our ability to measure streamflow with this method is still in its early stages, and this project is part of the Next Generation Water Observing System (NGWOS), a program which develops innovative ways to improve water science and keep communities informed during extreme events.

📸1: An aerial view of hydrologic technicians on a truss bridge above Brandywine Creek measuring streamflow with an ADCP.
📸2: A drone landing pad and drone adjacent to Brandywine Creek. Photo credit: Nick Giro, USGS.
📸3: An aerial view of Brandywine Creek with a stone building to the right and an historic mill building to the left.
📸 Aerial photos credit Nick Giro and Chris Lewis, USGS.

03/31/2026

📣 Job Announcement!

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is hiring a Biological Science Technician (Field Assistant) to work at the Maryland-Delaware-DC Water Science Center.

This position will:
✅ Collect biological, botany, fisheries, or wildlife data from study files or monitoring stations.
✅ Perform laboratory analysis of biological samples to determine specified chemical, biological, or physical characteristics.
✅ Operate a government motor vehicle or a boat as an incidental driver.

This is a temporary excepted service position not-to-exceed 1 year but may be extended without further competition. Employment may not exceed 1,039 hours in a service year.

📍 Baltimore, MD
📅 Open March 30 – April 3, 2026

Learn more and apply: https://www.usajobs.gov/job/862734300

📸 Examining stream habitability in Baltimore County, Maryland. Photo credit: Neel Hodgkinson, USGS.