WATER SPOTTERS

Help others see the waters you know.

A familiar shoreline. A river after rain. The lake you pass on your morning walk. A photo can help someone else see what you see.

Water Spotters lets you share water photos through Water Savvy and explore photos from other people. Together, those views help build a picture of the places we care about.

See how to take part
A hiker photographs a river with a mobile phone.
Notice a place. Capture what you see.

SHARE WHAT YOU NOTICE

Start with a photo of a place you know.

01

Open Community in the app. Take a photo or choose one from your gallery.

02

Check the place and date. Add the location and, when you know it, the date the photo was taken.

03

Share your view. Follow the steps in the app to submit your photo. You can also explore photos other people have shared.

Stay somewhere safe when taking photos. Share your own images and respect other people’s privacy.

Water Savvy photo upload options: Take Photo and From Gallery.
Take a photo or choose one from your gallery.

For illustration only. Examples shown do not represent live readings or alerts. Water conditions change, and the information you see will depend on your location, available sources, and when those sources were updated. Check dates and local guidance before making decisions about water use or safety.

EXPLORE THE MAP

Water Savvy map with a shared shoreline photo open.
Explore photos people have shared on the map.

For illustration only. Examples shown do not represent live readings or alerts. Water conditions change, and the information you see will depend on your location, available sources, and when those sources were updated. Check dates and local guidance before making decisions about water use or safety.

See a place through someone else’s eyes.

Open photos on the map to look at the water and shoreline in a place that interests you. A photo may show a water level, a stretch of beach, or something you want to learn more about.

Photos add a view of a place. They do not measure water quality or explain every cause of a change.

Explore more of what the app can do

WATER CHRONOMETER

In development

Notice what changes over time.

A photo records a moment. Images taken years apart help us see changes we might otherwise miss.

We’re developing Water Chronometer to help you explore how places change over time.

Elephant Butte Reservoir, New Mexico

Satellite view of Elephant Butte Reservoir on July 27, 2026, with much less water and large areas of exposed basin.
Satellite view of Elephant Butte Reservoir on June 2, 1994, with water covering much of the basin.
June 2, 1994July 27, 2026

These satellite images show how much the reservoir’s water coverage changed between two dates.

Images: NASA Earth Observatory / Michala Garrison. Landsat data: USGS.

For illustration only. Examples shown do not represent live readings or alerts. Water conditions change, and the information you see will depend on your location, available sources, and when those sources were updated. Check dates and local guidance before making decisions about water use or safety.

See the original images and story at NASA
View both images
Satellite view of Elephant Butte Reservoir on June 2, 1994, with water covering much of the basin.
June 2, 1994
Satellite view of Elephant Butte Reservoir on July 27, 2026, with much less water and large areas of exposed basin.
July 27, 2026

NASA imagery shown as an example.

A few things worth knowing.

Your view can help someone else look closer.

Get Water Savvy to explore water photos and share the places you know.