Since 1991, USGS scientists with the NAWQA program have been collecting and analyzing data and information in more than 50 major river basins and aquifers across the Nation. The goal is to develop long-term consistent and comparable information on streams, ground water, and aquatic ecosystems to support sound management and policy decisions. The NAWQA program is designed to answer these questions:

1. What is the condition of our Nation's streams and ground water?
   

2. How are these conditions changing over time?
   

3. How do natural features and human activities affect these conditions?

How does NAWQA answer these questions?

Study design and methods are nationally consistent	. . . .so that. . . .	water-quality conditions can be compared on a regional and national basis.
Studies are long-term and cyclical	. . . .so that. . . .	trends in water quality can be analyzed to determine whether conditions are getting better or worse.
Studies relate human activities (contaminant sources, land and chemical use) and natural factors (soils, geology, hydrology, climate) to water quality, aquatic life, and stream habitat	. . . .so that. . . .	findings help with decisions about managing water resources and protecting drinking water and aquatic ecosystems.
USGS scientists interact with government officials, resource managers, industry representatives, and other interested parties	. . . .so that. . . .	findings are relevant to decision makers.
USGS scientists cover a range of disciplines, including hydrology, geology, geophysics, biology, geography, and statistics	. . . .so that. . . .	the interdependent nature of river basins and aquifer systems can be analyzed.
USGS is committed to making its unbiased scientific information available to everyone	. . . .so that. . . .	findings are presented in multiple formats, including raw data, reports, journal articles, pamphlets, and videos. Most of these products are free.