The mission of the US Geological Survey's Massachusetts-Rhode Island Water Science Center is to provide the hydrologic information and understanding necessary for the management and use of the nation's water resources. This organization collects surface-water, groundwater, water-quality and biological data, conducts water-resources studies develops innovative scientific approaches to improve our understanding of hydrologic systems, publishes water data in high-quality reports and assists other governmental agencies and the public in understanding hydrologic information as it pertains to the nation's water resources.