For years, the United States Geological Survey stream gauges have been a part of fishing in Pennsylvania streams and rivers. With over 580 such gauges Commonwealth-wide, there is a good chance there is one on your favorite waterway, probably even in your favorite hole. Starting in 2026, there will be big changes regarding how anglers access the information these gauges provide.

Although the USGS stream gauges were originally installed for flood monitoring and to provide historical data regarding a stream’s conditions, they have become a staple for anglers. Want to know if you can get through a specific cut with your boat? Check the stream gauge. Want to know if a particular section is too deep to wade? Check the stream gauge. The list goes on. Water temperature, flow velocity and a host of related information are available for each stream gauge. But, there has always been one problem: accessing information.

For as long as I can remember, stream gauge data was accessed via the USGS website. Once there, you click back and forth, scanning each page until you find the information or a link to another page where the process starts over. This was confusing enough when sitting in the comfort of your living room, planning a future trip, but streamside, it was enough to make you take up golf. The small font was nearly impossible to read. The site was not mobile device-friendly. The table was too large to view quickly or accurately.

That is all about to change. In early 2026, USGS will be implementing across-the-board upgrades to the system. For intents and purposes, it will be a new website. Users will find it easier to read data formatted to make finding what they want quicker, tables streamlined to reduce size, and a site that is mobile device-friendly.

Once the changes take place, expected by mid-February, users will be temporarily redirected to the new page. Bookmarks or saved sites will no longer work, and you will need to bookmark or save the corresponding new page. After the first year, the redirect function will also stop, so make sure you save your favorite pages now while that is still available.

What will not change is the data available to anglers. You will still have access to all the same data. All data will still come directly from the stream gauges. The changes only affect how that data is compiled and displayed. You will also continue to view historic data as it will migrate to the new pages. Of course, some of the data may be in a new location on the website, so you will need to play around to bookmark your favorite information.

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Tom Burrell is a retired Waterways Conservation Officer, veteran and lifelong outdoorsman. He now spends his days hunting, fishing and sharing his experiences with readers.