# usgs_water_realtime

Real-time water data from USGS NWIS streamgages. Filter by site code, state, or parameter (e.g. '00060' = streamflow cfs, '00065' = gage height ft). Useful for flood-stage monitoring, drought tracking, and hydrological research.

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `usgs_water_realtime`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-blackboxfoundry-livedatalink/usgs-water-realtime

## Facts

- Tool: `usgs_water_realtime`
- Server: Livedatalink (`https://livedatalink.ai/mcp`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-blackboxfoundry-livedatalink.md
- Homepage: https://github.com/blackboxfoundry/livedatalink
- Risk category: Read (Low risk)
- Registry record: grade F, identity unverified
- Server auth posture: open
- Server CORS policy: *
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 3
- Recommended policy verdict: Allowed

## Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `sites` | string | no | Comma-separated USGS site codes (e.g. '01646500') |
| `state_cd` | string | no | Two-letter state code; returns all active sites in the state |
| `parameter_cd` | string | no | USGS parameter code (default '00060' streamflow). Common: 00060=streamflow, 00065=gage height, 00010=water temp, 00400=pH |

Parameters from the server's own tool schema.

## Example call (MCP tools/call, JSON-RPC 2.0)

```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "usgs_water_realtime",
    "arguments": {}
  }
}
```

## Why usgs_water_realtime is rated Low

This tool queries a public USGS dataset and returns information. It has no side effects, does not modify data, execute code, delete records, or move money. It is a straightforward data retrieval tool suitable for monitoring and research purposes.

From the tool's own definition: "Tool retrieves 'real-time water data' with filtering capabilities (site code, state, parameter). Descriptions of use cases (flood-stage monitoring, drought tracking, hydrological research) are all read-only queries with no mention of data modification,…"

## Use case

AI agents call usgs_water_realtime to retrieve information from Livedatalink without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.

## Recommended policy (PolicyLayer)

Verdict: **Allowed**. Enforced by the PolicyLayer MCP gateway (https://policylayer.com/mcp-gateway) before a call reaches Livedatalink:

```json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "usgs_water_realtime": {}
  }
}
```

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## For agents

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- Check every server in your MCP config at once: `npx -y policylayer stack`
- Vet a server before you add it: install the mcp-precheck skill — `npx skills add https://policylayer.com` (skill text: https://policylayer.com/skill.md)
- Query the registry over MCP: endpoint `https://api.policylayer.com/mcp` — tools `check_mcp_server`, `check_mcp_stack`, `check_tool`, `search_registry`, `get_change_events`

---

Source: the PolicyLayer MCP registry — one continuously verified record per MCP server. Full record: https://policylayer.com/registry?q=io-github-blackboxfoundry-livedatalink · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/io-github-blackboxfoundry-livedatalink