USGS Value of Data for Flood Management

U.S. Geological Survey stream gage data are used by organizations to better manage floods through reservoir operations and design, flood forecasting, and floodplain management. The estimated benefits of stream gage data for flood-related decisions were assessed by the USGS through direct surveys. We applied the Business Model Maturity Index method to estimate the relative contribution of stream gage data to flood control for three use cases. The value of data varied dramatically depending on whether the data were considered responsible for the full benefit of flood management decisions or a relative contribution to the decision.