Get Data: Access Public ATTAINS Data
The information reported to EPA by states is available in ATTAINS. The public information is made available via ATTAINS web services, geospatial services, as well as through other EPA tools.
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ATTAINS Data Archive - The older data tools listed in the ATTAINS Data Archive access historical data from an older ATAINS system, but do not access the newer Integrated Report submissions. These older tools are deprecated and will likely be removed later this year.
How's My Waterway
- How's My Waterway is a website that provides people with information about the condition of their local waters based on data that states, federal, tribal, local agencies and others have provided to EPA. How's My Waterway uses various ATTAINS web services to display data in a public-friendly way.
ATTAINS Web Services
- ATTAINS web services are formatted using JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) and use Representational State Transfer (REST) protocols.
- How to Access and Use ATTAINS Web Services - This document explains how to use ATTAINS Web Services to access public ATTAINS data, including how to generate the URL to query an ATTAINS REST service. It provides the base URL for each service, and the query parameters available for that service.
- ATTAINS Web Services can be used in conjunction with software that reads JSON and converts it into a tabular format. For simplicity, EPA has created a file that allows a user to query for assessment decisions by changing a few query input parameters in Excel.
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SERVICES Retrieve(561 K, 05/22/2019) - This is an example Excel file that queries ATTAINS Web Services for specific attributes. The query input parameters can be adjusted to retrieve a different state or a different attribute. Instructions for using this file are provided below.
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Instructions for Using the Services Retrieve - This document explains how to adjust the state and query attributes in the Services_Retrieve.xlsx file to query for different information.
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ATTAINS Geospatial Data
- ATTAINS geospatial data and summary assessment attributes are published in the ATTAINS Assessment geospatial service. The geospatial service is updated when a state's assessment cycle is submitted to EPA and when EPA takes final action on the assessment cycle.
- EPA uses an automated process called the Catchment Indexing Process (CIP) to georeference state-submitted waterbody geometry to NHDPlus catchments. To learn more about the process and the decisions that led to it, please refer to the Integrated Reporting Georeferencing Pilot Report.
- The ATTAINS geospatial service provides the state-submitted waterbody geometry as well as a table that shows the associations of each waterbody to NHDPlus catchments.
National Water Quality Inventory Report to Congress
- National Water Quality Inventory Report to Congress - This page provides access to historical Reports to Congress on general water quality conditions in the United States.
ATTAINS Data Archive
The data tools listed in this section access historical data from an older ATTAINS system, but do not access the newer Integrated Report submissions. The legacy ATTAINS web reports and ATTAINS data in AskWATERS are deprecated and will be removed during 2020. Please use How’s My Waterway for web reports with ATTAINS data, or use ATTAINS web services and geospatial services to obtain ATTAINS data instead.
All the tools and web reports below access water quality decision data that are in the legacy ATTAINS system. The data behind the following tools have not been updated since 2017.
- Click here to access ATTAINS web reports - The ATTAINS data are presented online in two main report formats (integrated and separate), which reflect how States provide their data to EPA. These reports are deprecated and have been replaced by How's My Waterway.
- Ask WATERS: Ask WATERS answers multi-program questions that draw on information from the databases linked through WATERS.
- The Simple Query answers frequently asked questions about WATERS data. Its easy-to-use interface returns summary, detailed and graphical results in an easy-to-read format.
- The Expert Query is a powerful tool consisting of fully interactive database views for users requiring more specific data analyses.
Back to Main ATTAINS Page
This returns users to the ATTAINS landing page.
Upload Data: Resources for Registered ATTAINS Users
This page provides State, Tribal, and EPA partners with information on how to access ATTAINS through the User Interface or Exchange Network, in order to submit or review data.
ATTAINS Program Information
This page provides links to background information about the Clean Water Act Sections 303(d), 305(b), and TMDL programs, including links to Integrated Reporting Guidance.