Yosemite National Park’s hydrology program, in cooperation with the US Geological Survey (USGS), the Merced Irrigation District, and Hetch Hetchy Water and Power, monitors water quantity and quality to provide information for drought management, park planning, and long-term hydrologic trends and possible ecological impacts. River gages in Yosemite have been active for many decades, producing valuable long-term records. Data has been recorded at Happy Isles by the USGS for over 100 years! (View real-time flow data at Happy Isles gaging station.) Park scientists also assess water quality along the Merced and Tuolumne Wild and Scenic Rivers, which together drain the entire park. The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act awards special protection to the quality of the water and the free-flowing condition of these rivers, and the park is responsible for upholding these high standards.
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