Water resources data for the 1997 water year for Maryland and Delaware consist of records of stage, discharge, and water quality of streams; stage and contents of lakes and reservoirs. This volume (Volume 1. Surface-Water Data) contains records for water discharge at 101 gaging stations; stage and contents of 1 reservoir; and water quality at 17 gaging stations. Also included are stage and discharge for 3 creststage partial-record stations, discharge only for 9 low-flow partial-record stations, and stage only for 7 tidal crest-stage partial-record stations. Additional water data were collected at various sites not involved in the systematic data-collection program and are published as miscellaneous measurements. These data represent that part of the National Water Data System operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and cooperating State, local, and Federal agencies in Maryland and Delaware.