Editing Stream gauge (section)

==National stream gauge networks==
[[Image:Gauging Station plaque, Dovedale - geograph.org.uk - 701714.jpg|thumb|Plaque marking the construction of the [[River Dove, Central England|River Dove]] gauging station, dedicated to [[Izaak Walton]], author of [[Izaak Walton#The Compleat Angler|The Compleat Angler]].]]

===United Kingdom===
The first routine measurements of river flow in England began on the [[River Thames|Thames]] and [[River Lea|Lea]] in the 1880s,<ref name=ceh_network>{{cite web |url=http://www.ceh.ac.uk/data/nrfa/hydrometry/network.html |title=The UK Gauging Station Network |work=Hydrometry in the UK |publisher=Centre of Ecology and Hydrology |access-date=29 March 2011}}</ref>  and in Scotland on the [[River Garry, Inverness-shire|River Garry]] in 1913.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sepa.org.uk/water/river_levels/river_level_monitoring_history.aspx |title= A brief history of river level monitoring in Scotland |publisher= Scottish Environment Protection Agency |access-date=29 March 2011}}</ref>  The national gauging station network was established in its current form by the early 1970s and consists of approximately 1500 flow measurement stations supplemented by a variable number of temporary monitoring sites.<ref name=ceh_network/>  The [[Environment Agency]] is responsible for collection and analysis of hydrometric data in England, [[Natural Resources Wales]] in Wales, whilst responsibility for Scotland and Northern Ireland rests with the [[Scottish Environment Protection Agency]] and [[Rivers Agency]] respectively.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ceh.ac.uk/data/nrfa/hydrometry/mas.html |title=Measuring Authorities |work=Hydrometry in the UK |publisher=Centre of Ecology and Hydrology |access-date=29 March 2011}}</ref>

===United States===
[[Image:USGS.12149000.01.00060..20070306.20070313.1.0.p50.pres.png|thumb|upright=1.35|[[Hydrograph]] of the March 13, 2007 [[Snoqualmie River]] flood]]

In the United States, the [[U.S. Geological Survey]] (USGS) is the principal federal agency tasked with maintaining records of stream flow data. Within the USGS, the Water Resources Division carries the responsibility for monitoring water resources.

To establish a stream gauge, USGS personnel first choose a site on a stream where the geometry is relatively stable and there is a suitable location to make discrete direct measurements of streamflow using specialized equipment.  Many times this will be at a bridge or other stream crossing.  Technicians then install equipment that measures the '''stage''' (the elevation of the water surface) or, more rarely, the '''[[velocity]]''' of the flow.  Additional equipment is installed to record and transmit these readings (via the [[Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite]]) to the Water Science Center office where the records are kept.  The USGS has a Water Science Center office in every state within the United States.  Current streamflow data from USGS streamgages may be viewed in map form at: [http://waterwatch.usgs.gov/?id=ww_current].

===Zimbabwe===

In [[Zimbabwe]], the national stream gauge network is the responsibility of the [[Zimbabwe National Water Authority]]. This is an extensive network covering all major rivers and catchments in the country. However, a review of existing gauges raised serious concerns about the reliability of the data of a minority of stations, due in part to ongoing funding problems.<ref>Nyabeze, W.R. 2005. Calibrating a distributed model to estimate runoff for ungauged catchments in Zimbabwe. ''Physics and Chemistry of the Earth'', '''30''', 625-633. [https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pce.2005.08.001]</ref>

=== Bangladesh ===
The largest stream gauge network in Bangladesh is maintained by Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB). At few other locations, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority maintains a few gauges to provide advisories for navigational purposes.{{citation needed|date=January 2020}}

[[File:Choceň, vodočet pod Masarykovým mostem.jpg|thumb|upright|Emergency levels I, II and III at [[Tichá Orlice]] river in [[Choceň]], [[Czech Republic]] ]]

===Czech Republic===
In the Czech Republic, in some measuring places (profiles) are defined three levels which define three degrees of flood-emergency activity. The degree I is a situation of alertness, the degree II is a situation of readiness, the degree III is a situation of danger.

=== Canada ===
[[File:Dancing rating curve.gif|thumb|Temporarily shifted rating curve for station 05CK004, Red Deer River near Bindloss, Alberta, Canada, operated by Water Survey of Canada]]

[[Canada|Canadian]] streams and rivers are monitored by the [[Water Survey of Canada]], a branch of [[Environment and Climate Change Canada]].  As of 2021, it operates or collects data from more than 2800 gauges across Canada.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Canada|first=Environment and Climate Change|date=2007-01-09|title=Water Survey of Canada|url=https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/water-overview/quantity/monitoring/survey.html|access-date=2021-06-26|website=www.canada.ca}}</ref>  This data is used by provincial and territory governments to inform flood predictions and water management.



===Sri Lanka===
In Sri Lanka stream and rivers are monitored by  [[ Hydrology and Disaster Management Division]] a branch of [[Irrigation Department]]. It operates nearly 40 gauging station around the island.