Surface Water Monitoring

Water that sits or flows above the earth, including oceans, lakes, rivers, streams, wetlands, ponds, floodwater, and runoff is called surface water. Only 1% of the earth's water is found in lakes, rivers and streams.

Surface water is created from runoff when rain falls and snow or ice melts. Some runoff also seeps into the ground and eventually becomes groundwater. Some groundwater also flows into streams and becomes surface water.

Surface water monitoring provides valuable data that is used:

• in flood forecasting
• for identifying low water level conditions
• by municipalities when planning for future development