How do I install Usgs Water?

Copy the http config for Cursor, Claude Desktop, Claude Code, or VS Code on this page. It uses the publisher's install, not a PlugMCP proxy.

Does Usgs Water need an API key?

The publisher lists these environment variables: USGS_USER_AGENT, USGS_REQUEST_TIMEOUT_MS, USGS_API_KEY, WATER_DATAFRAME_DROP_ENABLED, MCP_LOG_LEVEL, MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE, MCP_HTTP_HOST, MCP_HTTP_PORT, MCP_HTTP_ENDPOINT_PATH, MCP_AUTH_MODE.

What transport does Usgs Water use?

Usgs Water is reached over HTTP.

When was Usgs Water last checked?

Last checked 2026-11-13. Query real-time and historical USGS water data from ~8,000 stream gages and groundwater wells.

Usgs Water MCP server

Power your agent

Add this server

The publisher's own URL. Not a PlugMCP endpoint.

Add to Cursor Add in Claude Add to VS Code Run on PlugMCP

Host a copy with our keys and logs.

Server URL

https://usgs-water.caseyjhand.com/mcp

Credentials from the publisher

USGS_USER_AGENT — Custom User-Agent string for USGS Water Data API requests. Defaults to a descriptive identifier including the repo URL.
USGS_REQUEST_TIMEOUT_MS — HTTP request timeout in milliseconds for each USGS Water Data API request. Every tool call also has a shared 45-second deadline across its requests and retries. Default: 30000.
USGS_API_KEY — Optional api.data.gov key for the USGS Water Data APIs, sent as the X-Api-Key header. Without one, requests share the anonymous per-IP hourly limit (1,000 requests on the OGC collections); a shared or hosted deployment should set one.
WATER_DATAFRAME_DROP_ENABLED — Set to true to make water_dataframe_drop callable — it removes one staged table from a DataCanvas. Off by default, which lists the tool as disabled. Needs CANVAS_PROVIDER_TYPE=duckdb to have anything to drop.
MCP_LOG_LEVEL — Sets the minimum log level for output (e.g., 'debug', 'info', 'warn').

The Claude button above opens Claude with the name and URL filled in. You still confirm it there.

shClaude Code

1claude mcp add --transport http io.github.cyanheads-usgs-water-mcp-server https://usgs-water.caseyjhand.com/mcp

Run in a terminal.

jsonClaude Desktop

1{2  "mcpServers": {3    "io.github.cyanheads-usgs-water-mcp-server": {4      "command": "npx",5      "args": [6        "-y",7        "mcp-remote",8        "https://usgs-water.caseyjhand.com/mcp"9      ]10    }11  }12}

claude_desktop_config.json

Remote · HTTPPublisher installStep-by-step: add this in Claude

Remote URL or a command on your machine? How the two installs differ

Tools

No tool list yet. Remote servers get one after the first health check.

FAQ

Usgs Water