NWDTW 2026

Limited Capacity full

This training is in two parts: a morning classroom session and an afternoon hands-on session. The classroom portion will cover policy and procedures for running station levels found within the Techniques and Methods 3-A19 Levels at Gaging Stations as well as proper documentation within SVMobileAQ and SLAP. The hands-on session will include students using the digital instrument, reading the rod optically, running a short circuit to completion, and the best way to level in reference and auxiliary gages; this portion will be outdoors or indoors depending upon weather conditions so plan accordingly. Students will need to bring their computers; instructors will provide a Class Mode Version of SVMobileAQ for students to load onto their computers.

Speakers

Crystal Hammer

Supervisory Hydrologic Technician/Field Office Chief (Columbus, OH), U.S. Geological Survey

I'm the Columbus OH Field Office Chief for the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana WSC. For my 1st 2.5 years in the USGS, I worked out of the Pacific Islands WSC in Honolulu, Hawaii. I accepted a position in Columbus, Ohio to return to my home state and be closer to family having grown up in Cincinnati... Read More →

Tyler Sansing

Dustin Wallace

Holden Smith

Monday July 20, 2026 8:00am - 5:00pm CDT
BCC - Lackey (54 Tiered Class Only)

GNSS/SURVEYING

Length 0800-1600
Can't teach Tuesday, AM;Tuesday, PM;Wednesday, AM;Wednesday, PM;Thursday, AM;

1:00pm CDT

Groundwater Field and Data Processing basics

Monday July 20, 2026 1:00pm - 5:00pm CDT

BCC - Birmingham (65 Class / 100 theater)

The first half of this training will cover the instruments used to collect water level data and field data collection at groundwater sites. The second half will cover groundwater data processing in AQUARIUS Time-Series and highlight workflows and the application of some data corrections and edits.

Speakers

Lance Gruhn

Hydrologist, USGS

Lance Gruhn is a Hydrologist stationed in Iowa City, Iowa and is the groundwater technical and field support lead for the Hydrologic Networks Branck of the USGS Water Resources Mission Area. Lance coordinates the Groundwater Data Processing class and the Groundwater Field Techniques... Read More →

Monday July 20, 2026 1:00pm - 5:00pm CDT
BCC - Birmingham (65 Class / 100 theater)

GROUNDWATER

Length 4 Hours
Can't teach Monday, AM;Tuesday, PM;Wednesday, AM;Wednesday, PM;Thursday, AM;

1:00pm CDT

AQTS Auto-Estimation Correction

Tuesday July 21, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT

BCC - Wilson (54 Tiered Class Only)

Want a (sometimes) easy button for developing estimates during records processing? Try the AQTS Automatic Estimation correction to quickly generate estimates at your sites. Presentation will cover proper usage, recent improvements, tips and tricks, and things to watch out for to help get the most out of the correction and help save you time during records processing.

Speakers

Wade Walker

Tuesday July 21, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
BCC - Wilson (54 Tiered Class Only)

AQUARIUS (AQ)

Length 50 minutes
Can't teach Tuesday, AM;Tuesday, PM;Wednesday, AM;Wednesday, PM;Thursday, AM;

2:00pm CDT

Water, Watts, and Wires: An Introduction to Microcontrollers for Instrument Control and Monitoring

Tuesday July 21, 2026 2:00pm - 2:20pm CDT

SHOW AND TELL FIELD HACKS: EFFICIENCY TIPS AND TRICKS

"Did you unplug it and plug it back in?" - every IT Person, ever.
Field visits for simple instrument resets are a costly drain on resources. While most dataloggers have control ports that can power cycle devices and instruments, these ports are often exhausted as sensor density increases. By integrating a microcontroller, we have expanded our control capacity via multi-channel relay boards. Logic within the main datalogger verifies data transmission, validity, and connectivity before communicating with an external microcontroller that manages the power supply to individual devices and instruments. More importantly, we've moved beyond simple "On/Off" control by monitoring individual instrument's current draw in real-time. These data are passed to the primary datalogger, enabling automated notifications if hardware is drawing outside of specifications. Because the entire system can be monitored and controlled remotely, it provides a comprehensive "health check". This reduces unnecessary field visits and equips staff with additional diagnostic information needed to troubleshoot before leaving the office.

Speakers

Trevor Violette

Physical Scientist

Trevor has been working for the Estuarine Hydrodynamics and Sediment Transport team for almost 14 years. In his time, he has been heavily involved in index velocity and complex velocity mapping projects, water quality, and fish tracking. He's installed more ADCPs, QW Sondes, and Hydrophones... Read More →

Tuesday July 21, 2026 2:00pm - 2:20pm CDT
BCC - Lackey (54 Tiered Class Only)

Length 20 minutes
Can't teach Monday, AM;Thursday, AM;

3:00pm CDT

Image Velocimetry Policy and Procedure Updates and Working Session

Tuesday July 21, 2026 3:00pm - 3:50pm CDT

This session provides an overview of the current policy landscape for image velocimetry (IVy) within the USGS, with emphasis on Operational Quality Assurance (OQA) expectations and the process for aligning IVy methods with approved national standards. We will discuss where IVy techniques currently stand in the method-approval pipeline, outline the steps required to transition research workflows into fully supported operational methods, and highlight ongoing efforts to ensure consistent, defensible applications across the WMA. Attendees will gain clarity on documentation requirements, approvals, and future guidance that will shape the public release and operational use of IVy tools and products, as well as have the opportunity to share their feedback and needs with leadership.

Speakers

Frank Engel

Geographer, U.S. Geological Survey

Me in a Sentence: Geographer and researcher passionate about developing new tools, technology, and apps using remote sensing to solve real-world problems.

A bit more about me:
I joined the Illinois WSC Data Section in 2012 while pursuing my Ph.D. in Geography and Civil Engineering. At that time, I was an expert in Hydroacoustics and worked with the Office of Surface Water on developing software like the Velocity Mapping Toolbox, technical review of QRev... Read More →

Tuesday July 21, 2026 3:00pm - 3:50pm CDT
BCC - Mason (33 Class / 60 Theater)

Length 50 minutes
Can't teach Monday, AM;

4:00pm CDT

Monitor every river, lake, and reservoir in the US with WaterMAP - An Online Portal for Remotely Sensed Water Data

Tuesday July 21, 2026 4:00pm - 4:50pm CDT

BCC - Mobile (33 Class / 60 Theater)

WaterMAP (https://apps.usgs.gov/watermap) is an interactive web application that brings together comprehensive views of surface water conditions in rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, everywhere in the US. The application allows users to explore water conditions over time using both satellite observations and onsite measurements. We will demonstrate best practices to leverage and integrate each data catalog while highlighting the interactive mapping and visualization capabilities, as well as data search/filter/download functionalities. Live demos will present use cases to improve workflows for USGS hydrologic technicians and scientists. Data product owners and the development team will be available to answer questions.

Speakers

Rachel Sleeter

Chuck Hansen

Hydrologist, USGS

Chuck Hansen is a Hydrologist with the California Water Science Center in Sacramento. He leads
a team of software and hardware engineers focusing on remote sensing and data delivery.

Tuesday July 21, 2026 4:00pm - 4:50pm CDT
BCC - Mobile (33 Class / 60 Theater)

Length 50 minutes
Can't teach Monday, AM;Monday, PM;Thursday, AM;

4:00pm CDT

NIMS and HIVIS Demonstration and Usage

Tuesday July 21, 2026 4:00pm - 4:50pm CDT

This session offers a practical, end‑to‑end demonstration of the National Image Management System (NIMS) and the Hydrologic Imagery Visualization and Information System (HIVIS) web application. We will begin by walking through how camera stations are added, edited, and managed within the NIMS Admin Console, highlighting tools for configuration, metadata editing, and system monitoring. The demo then transitions to the HIVIS front‑end application, where we will showcase recent interface updates, new visualization capabilities, and streamlined workflows for viewing and interrogating hydrologic image data. Participants will also be introduced to the broader NIMS API and the pyNIMS Python module, with examples of how these resources enable programmatic access for analysis, automation, and integration with other tools. The session concludes with a brief look at features planned for release this year—including advancements in the AAA process and other workflow enhancements—to give users a clear view of what’s coming next.

Speakers

Frank Engel

Geographer, U.S. Geological Survey

Tuesday July 21, 2026 4:00pm - 4:50pm CDT
BCC - Mason (33 Class / 60 Theater)

Length 50 minutes
Can't teach Monday, AM;

8:00am CDT

History and Current Activities of the Federal Interagency Sedimentation Project

Wednesday July 22, 2026 8:00am - 8:20am CDT

The Federal Interagency Sedimentation Project (FISP) was founded in 1939 to standardize sediment sampler instrumentation, sampling methods, and sediment sample laboratory analysis processes. The project expanded over the many years of its operation to include automatic samplers, surrogate instrumentation such as acoustics and turbidity meters, water quality samplers, and much more.
This session will cover the history, achievements, and current projects the FISP is working on.

Speakers

Paul Diaz

Wednesday July 22, 2026 8:00am - 8:20am CDT
BCC - Nichols (21 Class / 40 Theater)

SEDIMENT

Length 20 minutes
Can't teach Monday, AM;Monday, PM;Thursday, AM;

8:00am CDT

A Solution Thirty Years in the Making: The Fargo-Moorhead Diversion Project

Wednesday July 22, 2026 8:00am - 8:50am CDT

BCC - Smith (28 Class / 45 Theater)

After the devastation of the 1997 flood, there was agreement in the Fargo-Moorhead community that something needed to be done to prevent a repeat of the catastrophic damages. Planning began for what would become the FM Area Diversion. The process has included studies, permits, Congressional action and hard work from many key entities, including the USGS. Now, the community is on track to have permanent, reliable flood protection by 2027. This presentation will outline the project and USGS's involvement leading up to, during, and post project development.

Speakers

Spencer Wheeling

Wednesday July 22, 2026 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
BCC - Smith (28 Class / 45 Theater)

Length 50 minutes
Can't teach Monday, PM;Monday, AM;Thursday, AM;

8:00am CDT

Ground Control to Major Tom: Custom gage notifications and redundant telemetry options using radio and LoRaWAN in California

Wednesday July 22, 2026 8:00am - 8:50am CDT

BCC - Thames (21 Class / 40 Theater)

An introduction and discussion of benefits and best uses of an experimental LoRa enabled data logger and LoraWAN network highlighting their benefits, practical applications, and optimal use cases. Demonstrations of primary and redundant telemetry options deployed at sites in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and San Francisco Bay. Additional demonstrations showcasing the development of custom alerts, automated notifications, and remotely triggered solutions designed to support site operations, telemetry reliability, and data health monitoring.

Speakers

Patrick Haluska

Trevor Violette

Physical Scientist

Wednesday July 22, 2026 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
BCC - Thames (21 Class / 40 Theater)

Telemetry

Length 50 minutes
Can't teach Monday, AM;Thursday, AM;

9:00am CDT

Stream2Screen: Streamlining Gage Management with a Real-Time Push Notification System

Wednesday July 22, 2026 9:00am - 9:20am CDT

Efficiency isn't just a goal-- it's a necessity when managing a large network of gages. Manual checks and generic station-health emails are so last century.
We've integrated custom programming into our internet-connected dataloggers to improve our standard monitoring workflow. By utilizing an open-source web server and HTTP PUSH/POST methods, we send push notifications to "subscribed" users. Notifications are completely customizable and end-users only "subscribe" to gages that they run or are interested in. They receive instant notifications if there are instrument-specific issues, total system failures or peaks in parameters that should be targeted. With custom messaging, we also build in troubleshooting tech-tips. No more generic "Low Battery" message; users get specific messaging containing diagnostic tips and the likely culprit for the issue or failure. Our gages don't just record data; they advocate for their own maintenance and targeted sample scheduling.

Speakers

Trevor Violette

Physical Scientist

Wednesday July 22, 2026 9:00am - 9:20am CDT
BCC - Mason (33 Class / 60 Theater)

Telemetry

Length 30 minutes
Can't teach Monday, AM;Thursday, AM;

10:00am CDT

Let's Work Together - USGS Flood Coordination

Wednesday July 22, 2026 10:00am - 10:20am CDT

Flood Coordination helps facilitate clear, consistent cross‑organizational situational awareness through routine flood coordination calls (internal operational calls and external science calls), updates to Emergency Management and USGS leadership, and participation in interagency briefings, but it doesn't work unless we work together. I would like to present the current approach and am looking for your feedback.

Speakers

Julia Prokopec

Hydrologist/FIM Coordinator/Assistant Flood Coordinator, USGS

Julia Prokopec is a hydrologist in the Web Informatics & Mapping Team (WIM) in the Upper Midwest Water Science Center in St Paul, MN. She works with partners and lead developers to coordinate development and project management within WIM. She is also the USGS Flood Inundation Mapping... Read More →

Wednesday July 22, 2026 10:00am - 10:20am CDT
BCC - Nichols (21 Class / 40 Theater)

DATA CHIEFS/FIELD OFFICE CHIEFS

Length 20 minutes
Can't teach Thursday, AM;

10:00am CDT

USGS Precipitation Chemistry QA project for NADP 2025 results

Wednesday July 22, 2026 10:00am - 10:20am CDT

BCC - Thames (21 Class / 40 Theater)

Review of the 2025 NADP External QA program interlaboratory comparison results for NTN, MDN, field audit, system blank and 1 week 2 week sampler comparison studies

Speakers

Noel Deyette

Wednesday July 22, 2026 10:00am - 10:20am CDT
BCC - Thames (21 Class / 40 Theater)

Precipitation Chemistry QA

Length 20 minutes
Can't teach Monday, AM;

10:30am CDT

Fluvial Sediment Monitoring in the USGS

Wednesday July 22, 2026 10:30am - 11:20am CDT

In this session we’ll cover the progression of sediment science in the USGS, its uses, importance, and challenges to collect this data. We’ll also cover the current state of sediment science, field support resources, and vision of the future of sediment science in the USGS.

Speakers

Paul Diaz

Wednesday July 22, 2026 10:30am - 11:20am CDT
BCC - Nichols (21 Class / 40 Theater)

SEDIMENT

Length 50 minutes
Can't teach Monday, AM;Monday, PM;Thursday, AM;

2:30pm CDT

IVyTools — Is it accurate?

Wednesday July 22, 2026 2:30pm - 3:20pm CDT

BCC - Central Bank (39 Class / 60 Theater)

This session presents recent validation results for IVyTools and evaluates the performance of Space-Time Image Velocimetry (STIV) methods across a range of hydraulic conditions. We will review findings from our internal comparison study, highlight accuracy metrics derived from controlled field and laboratory datasets, and demonstrate how the Comparison Measurement Database supports transparent evaluation of IVy-derived velocities. The session will also introduce the latest improvements to IVyTools processing workflows, including enhanced guidance on interpreting “dots” visualizations for QA/QC. Attendees will gain a clearer understanding of the strengths, limitations, and reliability of STIV-based velocity measurements and how to apply the tools confidently in operational settings.

Speakers

Frank Engel

Geographer, U.S. Geological Survey

Wednesday July 22, 2026 2:30pm - 3:20pm CDT
BCC - Central Bank (39 Class / 60 Theater)

Length 50 minutes
Can't teach Monday, AM;

3:30pm CDT

Frozen SUSHI (Scientists Using Salt Hydrometric Instruments): Salt Dilution Tracer Discharge Measurements Under Ice

Wednesday July 22, 2026 3:30pm - 3:50pm CDT

A presentation on the application of salt dilution tracer discrete discharge measurements in under ice conditions. An overview of the method and workflow is discussed. Results of under ice measurements will be reviewed emphasizing the successes, technical challenges, and the lessons learned. Including a further discussion on improving accuracy and repeatability of the method in the future.

Speakers

Tony Trease

Hydro Tech, USGS

Hydro Tech at the Lakewood Field Office. Colorado WSC Hydracoustics Specialist. Rocky Mountain SUSHI. 17 years with the USGS.

Wednesday July 22, 2026 3:30pm - 3:50pm CDT
BCC - Lackey (54 Tiered Class Only)

Length 20 minutes
Can't teach Monday, AM;Thursday, AM;

4:00pm CDT

10 Things I Hate About NWDi/WADERS

Wednesday July 22, 2026 4:00pm - 4:50pm CDT

BCC - Central Bank (39 Class / 60 Theater)

The NWDi development team wants to hear why you don’t use NWDi/WADERS and roadblocks/usability issues you come up against. We want to hear your ideas for enhancements. NWDi team plans to take these ideas/issues to drive development and communication on the application.

NWDi/WADERS is an interactive web application that brings together an array of data and approaches to view and manage the USGS water network operations and internal business operational systems in a unified, standardized way for real-time management, resource planning, and situational awareness.

Speakers

Julia Prokopec

Hydrologist/FIM Coordinator/Assistant Flood Coordinator, USGS

Sonya Vasquez

Hydrologic Technician, NV WSC

Chuck Hansen

Hydrologist, USGS

Chuck Hansen is a Hydrologist with the California Water Science Center in Sacramento. He leads
a team of software and hardware engineers focusing on remote sensing and data delivery.

Ashley Heath

Wednesday July 22, 2026 4:00pm - 4:50pm CDT
BCC - Central Bank (39 Class / 60 Theater)

COMPUTER TOOLS

Length I am good with 20 or 50!
Can't teach Thursday, AM;

4:00pm CDT

Flow Photo Explorer: Using Trail Cameras to Estimate Streamflow Dynamics

Wednesday July 22, 2026 4:00pm - 4:50pm CDT

This session introduces the Flow Photo Explorer (FPE)—a USGS tool that uses time-lapse trail camera images to estimate relative streamflow dynamics, especially in ungagged streams and now deployed at 600+ locations. We’ll show how simple imagery can be turned into flow models and highlight ongoing work expanding these methods. The session includes a live demo of the platform so you can see how it works in practice, along with examples of where it’s been useful and what’s coming next.

Speakers

Annie Tucker

Wednesday July 22, 2026 4:00pm - 4:50pm CDT
BCC - Mason (33 Class / 60 Theater)

Length 50 minutes
Can't teach Monday, AM;Monday, PM;Thursday, AM;

4:00pm CDT

Peak Flow Visualization Tools

Wednesday July 22, 2026 4:00pm - 4:50pm CDT

USGS peak-flow data is one of the most important datasets used to assess flood risk in the United States. This presentation will discuss tools for visualizing USGS peak-flow data and indirect discharge measurements to improve accessibility of USGS flood data. These tools can be used to easily find what USGS peak-flow data are available in an area to inform operations during and after floods events and identify data for use in flood frequency studies.

Speakers

Seth Siefken

Hydrologist

Seth Siefken is a civil engineer based in Helena, Montana. He's been working with USGS since fall 2018, where his projects have included flood frequency analysis, water quality monitoring, writing software, and field data collection. He is currently the maintainer of the USGS PeakFQ... Read More →

Dan Wagner

Peter McCarthy

Wednesday July 22, 2026 4:00pm - 4:50pm CDT
BCC - Lackey (54 Tiered Class Only)

Length 50 minutes
Can't teach Monday, PM;Monday, AM;

4:30pm CDT

Using AreaComp3 for Indirect measurements

Wednesday July 22, 2026 4:30pm - 4:50pm CDT

BCC - Birmingham (65 Class / 100 theater)

AreaComp3 was primarily developed to assist with development of Stage-Area ratings for index velocity sites. The program has several other improvements that can assist with the computation of Indirect measurements, specifically Contracted Opening and Critical Depth measurements. This brief presentation will discuss the use of the AreaComp3 tool with X,Y,Z data, and how you can use that output to assist with the computation of Indirect Measurements. This presentation is geared towards users that collect cross section data post flood and need to compute hydrologic properties with that data. It is also oriented towards technicians/hydrologists that work with Indirect Measurements of Discharge and should be familiar with those methods.

Speakers

Erich Kessler

Wednesday July 22, 2026 4:30pm - 4:50pm CDT
BCC - Birmingham (65 Class / 100 theater)

SHOW AND TELL FIELD HACKS: EFFICIENCY TIPS AND TRICKS

Length 20 minutes
Can't teach Thursday, AM;Wednesday, AM;

8:00am CDT

Developing Guidelines for Continuous Meteorological Monitoring

Thursday July 23, 2026 8:00am - 8:20am CDT

BCC - Smith (28 Class / 45 Theater)

Continuous meteorological (MET) monitoring is conducted across the USGS to meet cooperator needs, support hydrologic research, and provide operational support for other data collection activities. We will provide an early-stage development overview of USGS MET monitoring guidelines to facilitate standardized data collection for air temperature, relative humidity, barometric pressure, wind, and solar radiation observations. The current state of continuous MET monitoring across the USGS will be discussed along with progress toward creating monitoring guidelines that can be consistently applied across the agency.

Speakers

Shawn Naylor

Richard Van Nevel

Ariele Kramer

Thursday July 23, 2026 8:00am - 8:20am CDT
BCC - Smith (28 Class / 45 Theater)

LISTENING SESSIONS

Length 30 minutes
Can't teach Monday, AM;

8:00am CDT

New Limited-Use Method for the Collection of Low Precision (0.1 ft) Stage Data

Thursday July 23, 2026 8:00am - 8:50am CDT

BCC - Sellers (476 Class / 800 Theater)

Limited-Use methods are collected and/or reviewed using non-standard methods, which may include modifications to a standard method, differences in quality assurance procedures, and(or) following external methods with limited validation information pertaining to a particular use or context. The low precision, or 0.1ft, stage data method establishes the procedural framework for these modification. The method provides a complete description of the requirements for site establishment, as well as the data collection and data processing quality assurance/quality control procedures.
This session will discuss these requirements and examine how the new method's modifications impact data quality compared to the standard methods currently collected under the parameter Gage height.

Speakers

Bryan Pula

Hydrologist

Thursday July 23, 2026 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
BCC - Sellers (476 Class / 800 Theater)

Fit for Purpose/Surface Water

Length 50 minutes
Can't teach Monday, AM;

8:00am CDT

Tips & Tricks for Running Station Levels

Thursday July 23, 2026 8:00am - 9:20am CDT

Hotel Capstone - Presidents (50 Theater/40 Classroom)

This session will present different ways to combat common issues/errors when running station levels. Topics covered will include but not limited to: equipment, planning, archiving, and documentation. Attendees will have an opportunity to present their office's tips and tricks for running station levels during Open Mic portion.

Speakers

Tyler Sansing

Dustin Wallace

Holden Smith

Crystal Hammer

Supervisory Hydrologic Technician/Field Office Chief (Columbus, OH), U.S. Geological Survey

Thursday July 23, 2026 8:00am - 9:20am CDT
Hotel Capstone - Presidents (50 Theater/40 Classroom)

Length 80 minutes
Can't teach Tuesday, AM;Tuesday, PM;Wednesday, AM;Wednesday, PM;Thursday, AM;

8:30am CDT

Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Applications for Water Science

Thursday July 23, 2026 8:30am - 9:20am CDT

Moody Music - Room 1003 (150 Theater / Thurs Only)

This is an introduction to planning effective missions for Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) for Water Science Centers. An overview will be presented for establishing capabilities, selecting UASs and sensors, mission planning, data processing, quality assurance and publication for UAS-collected data. Logistical and safety considerations, as well as scientific best practices will be discussed. Examples of UAS projects and use cases from across the Nation will be presented for streamflow monitoring, flood response, terrain mapping, groundwater - surface water exchange zone identification, and more!

Speakers

Chris L. Gazoorian

Thursday July 23, 2026 8:30am - 9:20am CDT
Moody Music - Room 1003 (150 Theater / Thurs Only)

UNCREWED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS

Length 50 minutes
Can't teach Monday, AM;
Notes This will cover high-level overview of UAS operations general information for WSC management and scientists. This is very much a presentation and NOT a training session.

10:00am CDT

Groundwater Workgroup Open-Forum

Thursday July 23, 2026 10:00am - 11:20am CDT

Moody Music - Room 1003 (150 Theater / Thurs Only)

The goal of this open-forum/listening session is to provide groundwater expertise for Q&A and to promote interaction and networking within the USGS groundwater community

Speakers

Lance Gruhn

Hydrologist, USGS

Thursday July 23, 2026 10:00am - 11:20am CDT
Moody Music - Room 1003 (150 Theater / Thurs Only)

GROUNDWATER

Length 80 minutes
Can't teach Monday, PM;Monday, AM;

10:30am CDT

Envisioning the future of QWDX and SedLOGIN

Thursday July 23, 2026 10:30am - 10:50am CDT

BCC - Smith (28 Class / 45 Theater)

The QWDX and SedLOGIN Modernization Discovery project is evaluating options for updating the systems that support the efficient and traceable transfer of laboratory and field data into AQUARIUS Samples. This session will share a project update and offer users a chance to contribute directly to the alternatives analysis—helping shape the future of how discrete-sample data flows into AQS.

Speakers

Kate Norton

Patrick Eslick-Huff

Michael Canova

Hydrologist / Data Management Specialist, U.S. Geological Survey

Thursday July 23, 2026 10:30am - 10:50am CDT
BCC - Smith (28 Class / 45 Theater)

DISCRETE QW

Length 20 minutes
Can't teach Monday, PM;Monday, AM;

1:00pm CDT

Dremio for LDMs and Hydrologists

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT

Discover how Dremio makes it easy for local data managers and hydrologists to gain valuable insights from your AQUARIUS Samples Data. Learn to run the growing library of useful queries, build your own custom views, and share them with others. This session is your first step toward modernizing your data workflows.

Speakers

Michael Canova

Hydrologist / Data Management Specialist, U.S. Geological Survey

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
BCC - Nichols (21 Class / 40 Theater)

DATABASE (DBA/LDM/NWIS)

Length 50 minutes
Can't teach Thursday, AM;Monday, AM;

1:00pm CDT

Visualizing Current Conditions at the state-level with hyswap

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:00pm - 2:20pm CDT

BCC - Wilson (54 Tiered Class Only)

This session introduces a set of state-level Python notebooks that use hyswap to generate maps and charts of current water conditions. These notebooks are designed to be easy to run and modify, providing a practical entry point for creating visuals that were previously available through legacy systems like WaterWatch.

Participants will learn how to produce 7-, 14-, and 28-day percentile maps, along with HUC-based runoff maps, using reproducible workflows that can be adapted to different states or regions. The session will walk through how the notebooks are structured, how they access and process data, and how outputs can be customized for specific communication or analysis needs.

This is a hands-on, work-along session. Attendees are encouraged to bring a laptop and follow along as we get the notebooks running locally, step through the code, and make simple modifications. Support will be provided to help participants set up Python environments and troubleshoot issues so they can continue using the notebooks independently after the session. The session is open to anyone interested in learning how to generate state-level water condition visuals using Python, regardless of prior experience.

Speakers

Cee Nell

Elise Hinman

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:00pm - 2:20pm CDT
BCC - Wilson (54 Tiered Class Only)

COMPUTER TOOLS

Length 80 minutes
Can't teach Tuesday, AM;Tuesday, PM;Wednesday, AM;Wednesday, PM;Thursday, AM;

1:00pm CDT

Measuring Groundwater flow velocity and direction: Project investigations, long term deployments, and Research and Development of New Multi-dimensional Heat Pulse Flowmeters

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:00pm - 2:20pm CDT

Moody Music - Room 1003 (150 Theater / Thurs Only)

Groundwater flow meters that measure horizontal flow direction and velocity have been used by the USGS in a variety of investigations across the country. Traditionally, these instruments required on-site operation and supported investigative studies of contaminant plumes (such as TCE and PFAS) to aid in site characterization and remedial planning, as well as to evaluate aquifer test responses and production well influence. As part of the NGWOS Illinois Basin Study, groundwater flow meters have been deployed for long-term, telemetered monitoring at two testbed sites to help characterize groundwater flow and direction to assess groundwater–surface water interactions between streams and nearby agricultural areas. Recently, as part of the NGWOS Research and Development sub-program, work has commenced to develop a heat pulse flowmeter that is capable of measuring flow direction and velocity in 3-dimensional space rather than being limited to the horizontal plane. This presentation will provide an overview of available technologies, guidance on proper deployment and operation, case studies, best management practices, and research and development of a new multi-dimensional instrument.

Speakers

Lance Gruhn

Hydrologist, USGS

David Lampe

Supervisory Hydrologist, USGS OKI WSC

Matt Hardebeck

Hydrologist, United States Geological Survey

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:00pm - 2:20pm CDT
Moody Music - Room 1003 (150 Theater / Thurs Only)

GROUNDWATER

Length 80 minutes
Can't teach Thursday, AM;

1:30pm CDT

Peak Precision from Your Desk: In-Office Validation of the Upper End of Stage-Discharge Rating Curves

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:30pm - 2:20pm CDT

Developing reliable upper-end extensions of stage-discharge rating curves is often challenging due to limited high-flow measurements. This presentation outlines a clear hierarchy of preferred approaches—starting with direct flow measurements, followed by indirect methods—and then focuses on practical in-office techniques that can be performed without field work. Methods include estimating peak flows using areal regression (Q vs. drainage area), transferring peak discharges from upstream or downstream gages, and leveraging the StreamStats cross-section cutting tool along with the AreaComp3 software program to generate control and channel geometry. These desk-based strategies allow hydrologists to effectively vet rating descriptor pairs, assess curve shape, and confidently extend ratings to higher stages.

Speakers

Arthur Lilienthal

Hydrologist, USGS

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:30pm - 2:20pm CDT
BCC - Lackey (54 Tiered Class Only)