# USGS River & Stream Conditions: Live Flow & Gage Height (`smilemask/usgs-river-stream-conditions`) Actor Get the latest real-time readings for any USGS water monitoring site: streamflow, gage height, water temperature and more, with site name and coordinates. Free official USGS NWIS Instantaneous Values API, no key, public domain. For flood monitoring, outdoor/fishing apps and hydrology dashboards. - **URL**: https://apify.com/smilemask/usgs-river-stream-conditions.md - **Developed by:** [돈벼락](https://apify.com/smilemask) (community) - **Categories:** Developer tools - **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks - **User rating**: No ratings yet ## Pricing from $0.80 / 1,000 results This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events. Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event ## What's an Apify Actor? An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes. In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours, and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store. In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server. Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md. ## How to integrate an Actor? If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects. You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready. Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run. For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below. Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`). # README ## USGS River & Stream Conditions: Live Flow & Gage Height Get the latest real-time readings for any USGS water monitoring site: streamflow, gage height, water temperature and more, with site name and coordinates. Free official USGS NWIS Instantaneous Values API, no key, public domain. For flood monitoring, outdoor/fishing apps and hydrology dashboards. ### What does USGS River & Stream Conditions do? Live streamflow, gage height and water temperature for any USGS water monitoring site in the US. ### What can you use it for? - Monitor river flow and water level for flood risk. - Check water temperature and flow before fishing or kayaking. - Feed real-time hydrology data into dashboards. - Track conditions at a specific USGS gauge station. ### Why use this Actor? - **Fast and cheap:** lightweight HTTP-based Actor with no browser, so runs finish in seconds and cost very little. - **No API keys or accounts needed** for the data source (see notes below). - **Clean, structured JSON** that you can export as CSV, Excel, JSON or XML, or pull through the Apify API and integrations. - **Scheduling, webhooks and integrations:** run it daily and send results to Google Sheets, Slack, Zapier, Make, n8n or your own API. ### Input Configure the run in the **Input** tab (all fields have sensible defaults). | Field | Type | Required | Default | Description | |---|---|---|---|---| | `site` | string | yes | - | 8-15 digit USGS site code, e.g. 01646500. | | `parameterCd` | string | no | `"00060,00065"` | Comma-separated USGS parameter codes to fetch. | #### Example input ```json { "site": "01646500", "parameterCd": "00060,00065" } ``` ### Output Results are stored in the default dataset. Download them from the **Output** tab or via the API. #### Example result ```json { "site": "01646500", "siteName": "POTOMAC RIVER NEAR WASH, DC LITTLE FALLS PUMP STA", "latitude": 38.94977778, "longitude": -77.12763889, "parameterName": "Discharge, cubic feet per second", "unit": "ft3/s", "value": 2160, "dateTime": "2026-10-02T18:50:00.000-04:00", "qualifier": "P", "license": "U.S. Government Work - public domain (USGS)", "scrapedAt": "2026-10-02T23:50:56.147Z" } ``` #### Output fields | Field | Type | Example | |---|---|---| | `site` | string | "01646500" | | `siteName` | string | "POTOMAC RIVER NEAR WASH, DC LITTLE FALLS PUMP STA" | | `latitude` | number | 38.94977778 | | `longitude` | number | -77.12763889 | | `parameterName` | string | "Discharge, cubic feet per second" | | `unit` | string | "ft3/s" | | `value` | number | 2160 | | `dateTime` | string | "2026-10-02T18:50:00.000-04:00" | | `qualifier` | string | "P" | | `license` | string | "U.S. Government Work - public domain (USGS)" | | `scrapedAt` | string | "2026-10-02T23:50:56.147Z" | ### How much does it cost? The Actor is billed by Apify according to the pricing shown on the **Pricing** tab of this page. Runs are small and fast, and the Apify Free plan includes monthly platform credits so you can try it at no cost. You can set a maximum cost per run, and the Actor stops cleanly when that limit is reached. ### Notes and limitations - Find a site number at waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis (e.g. 01646500 for the Potomac River near Washington DC). Data are provisional and subject to revision. - Not every site measures every parameter; parameters with no current reading return no row for that code. ### Tips - Start with a small test run, then scale up the input. - Use **Schedules** to automate recurring runs and **Webhooks** or **Integrations** to deliver the data where you need it. - Call the Actor from your code with the Apify API or the official JavaScript and Python clients. ### FAQ **What do the parameter codes mean?** 00060 = streamflow/discharge (ft3/s), 00065 = gage height (ft), 00010 = water temperature (deg C). You can add more comma-separated USGS parameter codes. **Is this live data?** Yes, the most recent instantaneous reading reported by the site, usually within the last few hours. ### Feedback Found a bug or need an extra field? Open an issue from the **Issues** tab of this Actor and it will be looked at quickly. ### More tools from the same author - [Tide Predictions: NOAA High & Low Tide Times by Station](https://apify.com/SmileMask/noaa-tide-predictions) - High and low tide times and heights for any NOAA tide station and date range. - [USGS Earthquake Data: Magnitude, Location & Depth Feed](https://apify.com/SmileMask/usgs-earthquake-feed) - Recent and historical earthquakes worldwide from USGS: magnitude, place, time, depth and tsunami flags. - [Global Weather Forecast by Coordinates: Hourly (Bulk)](https://apify.com/SmileMask/weather-forecast-met-norway) - Hourly weather forecasts for any coordinates worldwide from the Norwegian Meteorological Institute. # Changelog This Actor's version history is a separate document: https://apify.com/smilemask/usgs-river-stream-conditions/changelog.md # Actor input Schema ## `site` (type: `string`): 8-15 digit USGS site code, e.g. 01646500. ## `parameterCd` (type: `string`): Comma-separated USGS parameter codes to fetch. ## Actor input object example ```json { "site": "01646500", "parameterCd": "00060,00065" } ``` # Actor output Schema ## `results` (type: `string`): No description # API You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup. ## JavaScript example ```javascript import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client'; // Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token // Replace the '' with your token const client = new ApifyClient({ token: '', }); // Prepare Actor input const input = { "site": "01646500", "parameterCd": "00060,00065" }; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("smilemask/usgs-river-stream-conditions").call(input); // Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any) console.log('Results from dataset'); console.log(`πŸ’Ύ Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`); const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems(); items.forEach((item) => { console.dir(item); }); // πŸ“š Want to learn more πŸ“–? Go to β†’ https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs ``` ## Python example ```python from apify_client import ApifyClient # Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token # Replace '' with your token. client = ApifyClient("") # Prepare the Actor input run_input = { "site": "01646500", "parameterCd": "00060,00065", } # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("smilemask/usgs-river-stream-conditions").call(run_input=run_input) # Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any) print(f"πŸ’Ύ Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}") for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items(): print(item) # πŸ“š Want to learn more πŸ“–? Go to β†’ https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start ``` ## CLI example ```bash echo '{ "site": "01646500", "parameterCd": "00060,00065" }' | apify call smilemask/usgs-river-stream-conditions --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "type": "http", "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,smilemask/usgs-river-stream-conditions" } } } ``` The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer ` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations). ## OpenAPI specification Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/LlQOt7lmSQ5V7p45R/builds/53seit89InDhM3YSl/openapi.json