The Water Desk develops, collects, and showcases innovative data visualizations, maps and graphics. We offer a series of interactive dashboards that allow you to explore data on water-related topics, such as drought, snowpack and precipitation. You can also embed these dashboards on your own website.
Data visualizations
Recent visualizations and posts
Use this interactive map to browse photos and videos taken in wintertime from our expanding collection of free-to-use media captured by drones, planes and ground-based photographers.
Map: daily nationwide snowpack
This map shows daily snowpack estimates for the contiguous United States since October 2003. Using the dropdown menu above the chart – or clicking a state on the map...
Map: monthly average precipitation
This map shows total rain and snowfall in the contiguous United States, every month from 1981 to the present. The map's color scale runs from white (no precipitation), to blue (significant precipitation) to red (intense...
Map: New Mexico drought tracker
This map depicts data from the National Drought Mitigation Center. Drought intensity categories are based on numerous indicators and local reports from more than 350 expert observers around the...
Map: New Mexico monthly precipitation
This map shows total rain and snowfall in the New Mexico every month from 1981 to the present. The map's color scale runs from white (no precipitation), to blue (significant precipitation) to red (intense precipitation)....
Map: Rio Grande drought tracker
This map depicts data from the National Drought Mitigation Center. Drought intensity categories are based on numerous indicators and local reports from more than 350 expert observers around the...
Map: U.S. dams and reservoirs
The Global Reservoir and Dam Database (GRaND) is a survey listing about 7,000 larger dams and reservoirs worldwide, including 1,920 in the United States. Data includes such parameters as...
Map: weekly drought reports
This map depicts data from the National Drought Mitigation Center. Drought intensity categories are based on numerous indicators and local reports from more than 350 expert observers around the...
Decades later, abandoned mines continue to haunt Colorado’s waterways
According to a 2017 study, there are over 23,000 abandoned mines across Colorado and 1,800 miles of streams that are impaired due to pollutants related to acid mine drainage.
Data viz: surveying Colorado River Basin maps
This collection of Colorado River Basin maps includes public domain images and other cartographic resources for depicting the watershed.
Map: Winter photo galleries
Use this interactive map to browse photos and videos taken in wintertime from our expanding collection of free-to-use media captured by drones, planes and...
