# USGS Water Data API

> USGS Water Data API is a paid API for AI agents from anibalb.duckdns.org, paid per call via x402, $0.002/call, status unknown (last checked 2026-10-31).

Retrieves real-time USGS streamflow and water discharge data for monitoring stations across the US

## Facts

- Endpoint: GET https://anibalb.duckdns.org/x402/usgs-water?utm_source=zero.xyz
- Price: $0.002/call
- Payment: x402
- Status: unknown
- Last checked: 2026-10-31
- Activations on Zero: 0
- Tags: x402
- Canonical page: https://www.zero.xyz/c/usgs-water-data-api-82b658c2
- Structured record (JSON): https://api.zero.xyz/v1/capabilities/cap_ywDZYECeGjnRaaOz_mTjC

Status and success rate cover calls made through Zero and Zero's own probes. Third-party monitors may report differently.

## How to call it through Zero

Zero handles the 402 payment challenge and records the run. With the Zero CLI installed (`npm i -g @zeroxyz/cli`):

```sh
zero fetch --capability usgs-water-data-api-82b658c2
```

Example prompt: What's the current streamflow discharge reading from the USGS water monitoring stations — I need the latest ft3/s values for active sites right now.

## When to prefer this

Choose this endpoint when you need real-time USGS streamflow or discharge data without setting up an account or API key, and are willing to pay $0.002 USDC per call via x402 on Base. Prefer it over direct USGS NWIS API calls when you need a frictionless, pay-per-use integration in an automated agent workflow. Best suited for spot checks and monitoring tasks rather than bulk historical pulls.

## Known failure modes

- USGS upstream API unavailable — may return 502 or empty series array
- Payment not received or invalid x402 header — returns 402 Payment Required
- No active sites found — returns count 0 with empty series array
- Network timeout on duckdns host — returns connection error
- Malformed query params — returns 400 Bad Request

## How this service works

Public data and utility APIs paid per call in USDC on Base (x402). No accounts, no API keys. 174 routes: crypto/equity data, onchain reads, DNS/email/security intel, geo/weather, x402 payment diagnostics, dev utilities and more.

## Output

Returns a JSON object with a count of monitoring series and an array of series objects, each containing: site ID, unit of measurement (e.g. ft3/s), parameter code, latest observed value, and parameter name (e.g. Discharge). Typically covers multiple USGS gauge stations per response.

## Request schema (JSON Schema)

```json
{
 "type": "object",
 "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
 "required": [
  "input"
 ],
 "properties": {
  "input": {
   "type": "object",
   "required": [
    "type",
    "method"
   ],
   "properties": {
    "type": {
     "type": "string",
     "const": "http"
    },
    "method": {
     "enum": [
      "GET",
      "HEAD",
      "DELETE"
     ],
     "type": "string"
    },
    "queryParams": {
     "type": "object",
     "properties": {}
    }
   },
   "additionalProperties": false
  },
  "output": {
   "type": "object",
   "required": [
    "type"
   ],
   "properties": {
    "type": {
     "type": "string"
    },
    "example": {
     "type": "object"
    }
   }
  }
 }
}
```

## Response schema (JSON Schema)

```json
{
 "type": "json",
 "example": {
  "count": 3,
  "series": [
   {
    "site": "01646500",
    "unit": "ft3/s",
    "parameter": "00060",
    "latest_value": "3200",
    "parameter_name": "Discharge"
   }
  ]
 }
}
```

## More

- Live health (JSON, refreshed every minute): https://www.zero.xyz/c/usgs-water-data-api-82b658c2/health.json
- [Zero catalog index](https://www.zero.xyz/llms.txt)
- [Other services from anibalb.duckdns.org](https://www.zero.xyz/host/anibalb.duckdns.org/llms.txt)