The Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with State, county, municipal, and other Federal agencies, obtains a large amount of data pertaining to the water resources of Iowa each water year. These data, accumulated during many water years, constitute a valuable data base for developing an improved understanding of the water resources of the State. To make this data readily available to interested parties outside of the Geological Survey, the data is published annually in this report series entitled “Water Resources Data - Iowa” as part of the National Water Data System.
Water resources data for water year 2001 for Iowa consists of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage and contents of lakes and reservoirs; and water levels and water quality of ground water. This report, in two volumes, contains stage or discharge records for 132 gaging stations; stage records for 9 lakes and reservoirs; water-quality records for 4 gaging stations; sediment records for 13 gaging stations; and water levels for 163 ground-water observation wells. Also included are peak-flow data for 92 crest-stage partial-record stations, water-quality data from 86 municipal wells, and precipitation data collected at 6 gaging stations and 2 precipitation sites. Additional water data were collected at various sites not included in the systematic data-collection program, and are published here as miscellaneous measurements and analyses. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating local, State, and Federal agencies in Iowa.
Records of discharge or stage of streams, and contents or stage of lakes and reservoirs were first published in a series of U.S. Geological Survey water-supply papers entitled “Surface Water Supply of the United States.” Through September 30, 1960, these water-supply papers were published in an annual series; during 1961-65 and 1966-70, they were published in 5- year series. Records of chemical quality, water temperatures, and suspended sediment were published from 1941 to 1970 in an annual series of water-supply papers entitled “Quality of Surface Waters of the United States.” Records of ground-water levels were published from 1935 to 1974 in a series of water-supply papers entitled “Ground-Water Levels in the United States.” Water-supply papers may be consulted in the libraries of the principal cities in the United States, or they may be purchased from Books and Open-File Reports Section, Federal Center, Box 25425, Denver, Colorado 80225.
For water years 1961 through 1970, streamflow data were released by the Geological Survey in annual reports on a State-boundary basis. Water-quality records for water years 1964 through 1970 were similarly released either in separate reports or in conjunction with streamflow records.
Beginning with the 1971 water year, water data for streamflow, water quality, and ground water is published in official U.S. Geological Survey reports on a State-boundary basis. These official reports carry an identification number consisting of the two-letter State postal abbreviation, the last two digits of the water year, and the volume number. For example, this report is identified as “U.S. Geological Survey Water-Data Report IA-01-1.” These water-data reports are for sale by the National Technical Information Service, U.S. Department of Commerce, Springfield, Virginia 22161.