Data
WAV stream monitoring volunteers provide valuable scientific data on Wisconsin’s wadeable streams and rivers to Wisconsin’s natural resource professionals and community leaders. Data collected by the WAV network informs decision-making about real-world resource management issues that impact local communities. All WAV volunteers enter stream monitoring data into the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ Surface Water Integrated Monitoring System (SWIMS) database.
Submit Data
WAV volunteers are responsible for submitting their data to the Wisconsin DNR’s SWIMS database every month. Learn how to access the database and enter and edit data correctly.
WAV Stream Data Dashboard
The WAV Program hosts an interactive dashboard to display volunteer stream data entered into the DNR’s database. Explore and download water quality data collected by volunteers at stream sites across Wisconsin!
Other Data Exploration Tools
Wisconsin Water Search:
Search Wisconsin’s waters using this Wisconsin DNR tool, which pulls data from SWIMS, to learn about the conditions, management goals and habitat of a local waterbody.
Wisconsin DNR Surface Water Data Viewer:
The Surface Water Data Viewer (SWDV) is a DNR data delivery system that provides interactive web mapping tools for a wide variety of datasets including chemistry (water, sediment), physical and biological (macroinvertebrate, fish) data.
Wisconsin DNR Aquatic Invasive Species tools:
Check where aquatic or wetland invasive species have been reported. Search waterbody or by species lists or refer to the DNR Lakes and AIS Mapping Tool.
USGS National Water Dashboard:
View over 13,000 USGS real-time stream, lake, reservoir, precipitation, water quality, and groundwater stations in context with current weather and hazard conditions. Data are refreshed every minute. Find a USGS stream gauge near you!
EPA How’s My Waterway:
How’s My Waterway was designed to provide the general public with information about the condition of their local waters based on data that states, federal, tribal, local agencies and others have provided to EPA. Water quality information is displayed on 3 scales in How’s My Waterway; community, state and national.