Appendix B: Revised Instruction Set

Using USGS Mobile Water Data

❏ Initial access ❏ Site list
❏ ❏
Using the map Getting Site Details
❏ ❏
❏ Symbology ❏ Managing Favorites
❏ ❏
Using the menu Reporting problems
Site search About this site

Introduction
The new USGS Mobile Water Data site (m.waterdata.usgs.gov) is a site designed for mobile
users. It highlights USGS current conditions water data. For example, you can use it to monitor
conditions at a favorite river or stream. Any USGS current conditions water data is available.

This site is new so the USGS expect some issues to be noticed. Hence, this is a beta release.
See reporting problems if you want to report recurring issues.

Initial access
When you first connect to the site, there will be two pop-ups that notify the user that the data is
provisional and that this website requests location data. The location data is used to show relevant
sites near you. Sharing your location is not required.

1. Click yes “Ok” to show you acknowledge the warning

2. Click “Yes” if you are ok with location data being
used or “No” if not
Using The Map
Typically you will share your location. The screen should be
zoomed in to a comfortable magnification level at or near the
location of your device and look similar to the image on the
right.

Use the + button to zoom in and the - button to zoom

out. If you zoom out too far, you will see a warning message.
For performance reasons, if the scale is too large it is
impractical to show all possible sites on the device.

You can navigate east, west, north or south using your

device. With most mobile devices this is done by dragging
your finger across the map in the direction you want the map
to move.

3. Type "Albany" in the search box and execute the

query

Note, you are likely to see Albany, New York. If you are in
Georgia, you may see Albany, Georgia, as it is closer to you.
You cannot use it to search by USGS site number of site
name, this feature will be explained later.

There are two useful buttons:

● The compass button allows you to quickly return to the location of your
device

● The menu button in the top left corner takes you to a menu with additional options

Symbology
Upside down raindrops point to the location of USGS current condition sites. If you shared your
location then you will see a glowing brown dot that indicates the position of your device.

The color of the raindrops indicate the kind of site. Most are gray raindrops and indicate surface
water sites such as rivers, streams and lakes. Full explanations of all the symbols used can be
accessed through the menu button in the top left corner of the screen.

4. Click on one of these raindrops.

Using the menu
5. Click on the menu icon in the left corner you should see the menu screen

Menu screen:

● Map returns you to the map

● Map Explanation explains the map symbology
● Site Search lets you find a site if you know its
number
● Site List / Favorites shows the sites on the current
map extent, or you can use it to access your favorite
sites
● Full site takes you to the USGS Water Data Site ●
Help takes you to this page.
● Accessibility takes you to the USGS accessibility
site
Site search
6. Click on Site Search. The following screen will appear:
7. First get the USGS number that you are searching for,
for example “01645762”
8. Enter the USGS number into the search bar and press
search

If successful, you will get the site's detail page. If it is incorrect, you
will get an error dialog box. Site numbers are 8 or 15 digits. Surface
water sites are typically 8 digits and groundwater sites are typically 15
digits.

Site List
This option shows you a list of sites on the current map plus
any favorites you may have stored. Select the + button to
expand the list or - to contract the list. Once a list is expanded,
select the site of interest by pressing the right arrow key to see
details on that site.
Getting site details
To see details on a site, simply select the upside down
raindrop, usually by pressing on it. A pop up dialog box will
appear with succinct information about the site including its
name and number.

● Press on the Types of Data Available link to take

you to a site detail page. On it, you can see all the
various types of data (parameters) available for this
site. The total number of data types is shown and
circled. Since there may be many data types
available, you may have to scroll down to see the
data type that interests you.
● When on a site detail page, you can use the back
arrow button in the upper left corner of the screen
to return to the previous screen. You can use the
menu button in the top right corner to take you to
the menu.

The site detail page provides the most recent measurement for each data type. To see the most
recent 7-day graph of the data for a data type select the right arrow button next to the data type.
Note that by selecting the "508 Compliant data" link above the graph, the user is redirected to the
USGS Water Data for the Nation page, where the data can be seen in a table. If you are visually
impaired, this provides access to the data.

With mobile devices, if you prefer more graph detail, orient your device to landscape mode and
the graph will resize.

The following options are available at the bottom of these details screens:

● Search takes you to a dialog box where you can search by a specific USGS site number
 ● Map takes you back to the map. You should be at the location you were when you clicked
on the Types of Data Available link.
● Full site takes you to the USGS Water Data for the Nation Site

Managing favorites
While on a site detail page or types of data detail page, you have the option to save the site as a
favorite by pressing the Add this site to your favorites button at the top of the screen. If it is
already saved as a favorite, the button becomes Remove this site from your favorites.

You can save as many favorite sites as you want subject to memory limitations imposed by your
browser and device. Favorites are saved on your device only.

9. Search for a local site

10. Save the site to your favorites using the button in the top left

Reporting problems
Before reporting a problem, please check our known problems page. There may be a
workaround.
If you notice recurring errors or issues using the site with your device, let us know.
Troubleshooting issues can be challenging because of great variations in mobile phones,
network providers, operating systems, browsers used and browser settings. Please provide the
following:

● A screen image of the error, stored as a file. See your device instruction manual for
instructions on how to make a screen image. Here are some typical instructions for
Android, iOS, Windows Phone and Blackberry devices.
● Cell phone make and model number
● Operating system and version used. It's important to know the version you are
running, such as Android's Ice Cream Sandwich. Here are some instructions for
Android, iOS, Windows Phone and Blackberry devices.
● Browser and version number used
● The steps you took that generated the problem
We will do our best to solve reported problems if we can replicate them. Send us an email.

About this site

While this site is in beta status, it is highly available. It is hosted redundantly at USGS hosting
centers in Reston, Virginia; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and Menlo Park, California.