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| Frequently Asked Questions, USGS North Carolina Water Science Center |
Ground Water FAQ (new page)
You may also want to look through the extensive USGS FAQ or browse the USGS Science Topics. For questions that aren't covered, you may want to try Ask-A-Geologist or Ask USGS. Specific questions for North Carolina information can be directed to the NC Water Science Center Information Officer.
U.S. Geological Survey, WRD
3916 Sunset Ridge Road
Raleigh, NC 27607
(Tel: 919-571-4000)
(Fax: 919-571-4041)
The National Weather Service provides stage forecasts for selected streams. North Carolina is included in the Southeast River Forecast Center and the Lower Mississippi Forecast Center; there are three North Carolina index maps:
Floodplain maps across North Carolina are currently being updated. The updates are organized by river basin; most river basins have been started. You can view and download the completed update maps, check the project status across the state, and learn more about the update process at NC Floodmaps.
If the updated floodplain maps are not available for your area, you can contact the National Flood Insurance Program, North Carolina Division of Emergency Management at (919) 715-8000, extension 282. The NC Division of Emergency Management keeps reference copies of the currently active Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) flood-frequency maps.
To obtain hardcopy map products directly from FEMA, call 1-800-358-9616 or order online through the Map Service Center.
North Carolina water-quality standards for streams are published in the North Carolina Code, T15A: 002B.0200, Classifications and Water Quality Standards Applicable to Surface Waters of North Carolina(requires Adobe Acrobat to view) . Additional information can be found through the North Carolina Division of Water Quality. If you are interested, you might also consider adopting a waterway through NC Stream Watch.
For general information on drinking water health issues, call the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 800-426-4791.
North Carolina regulations for the public water supply can be found through the State Division of Environmental Health, Public Water Supply. If you have specific concerns, you may call them at (919) 733-2321 and assisst you in having your water supply tested (for a fee). To have water from a private water supply tested, contact the Environmental Health Offices in your county. Their fees may vary from county to county. An alternative plan would be to contact local laboratories to arrange for water testing.
Portals to USGS products are listed under General Catalogs, Locators, and Collections and through Ask USGS. Items can be purcased through the USGS Store.
Official climatalogical data from the National Weather Service is avaible online from several organizations.
| NC State Climate Office | Interval, daily, and monthly data from several different monitoring networks. |
| NWS Forecast Offices
Links are usually under the "Climate" heading |
Daily or monthly data for major metropolitan centers |
| SE Regional Climate Center | Historical data for all NWS stations |
| National Climatic Data Center | All data, fee-based |
Precipitation data from the USGS is available through NWIS Web.
The Natural Resource Conservation Service has soil survey information for each North Carolina county. They also have a North Carolina station in their Soil Climate Analysis Network.
Soil temperature and moisture data is available from the North Carolina State Climate Office for approximately 30 stations across North Carolina. These stations are part of their AgNet and ECONet programs; data is available online from CRONOS under the ECONET and SCAN data types.
For North Carolina-specific information or regulations regarding wetlands, you can contact:
The USF&W National Wetlands Inventory page has extensive information about wetlands in addition to their National Wetland Inventory maps. You can order hard copies of the NWI maps from thier page or use their Wetlands Interactive Mapper to make and print custom wetlands maps.
Other national resources for wetlands information (some with North Carolina specific programs) include:
CO-OPS, The Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services, provides both predictions (through Water Leval Tidal Predictions) and current data (through Tides Online). Further information about tide data from the National Ocean Service is avaible through their Tides and Currents page and their Tides and Water Levels tutorial.
Nautical charts are available from the Office of Coast Survey and NOS Data Explorer. Further information about charting and navigation from the National Ocean Service is availble through their Shoreline Mapping and Marine Navigation pages.
Information about the North Carolina coastal areas is available from the Division of Coastal Management.
Benchmark elevations are available through both the National Geodetic Survey and the North Carolina Geodetic Survey.
National Geodetic Survey - Datasheets
North Carolina Geodetic Survey - Station Search
If you have recovered a benchmark or may disturb a benchmark, you need to contact the North Carolina Geodetic Survey. You may be asked to fill out their Station Recovery Form.
Earthquakes, volcanoes, geomagnetic storms, and landslides are monitored by the USGS Hazards Program. Floods, earthquakes, and tornadoes can be mapped using the FEMA/ESRI Online Hazards Map. Local preparedness resources are available from the North Carolina Division of Emergency Management.
Hurricanes
Information on current hurricanes is available from the National Hurricane Center.
USGS information concerning storms that affected North Carolina is available at:
Earthquakes
Current national and global data is available from the National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC). Specific data for North Carolina is available from the NEIC under North Carolina Seismicity. Additional regional information is available from the Center for Earthquake Research and Information (CERI).
Volcanoes
Millions of years ago, the land that would become North Carolina was being created and shaped through volcanic activity. A brief geologic history of North Carolina is available through North Carolina's Volcanic Past.
After the New Madrid earthquakes of 1811-1812, there were also reports of a volcanic eruption in North Carolina. Those reports are analyzed in A Volcano in North Carolina? A Closer Look at a Tall Tale.
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