Skip to main content
Glama

Usgs Water

by io.github.pipeworx-io

Find Sites

find_sites
Read-onlyIdempotent

Discover active USGS gauge sites in a US state that are currently reporting a given parameter (real-time). Returns sites with their latest reading; useful for finding which gauges are live in a region. Can match many sites, so results are capped. Keyless.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
limitNoMax sites to return (default 30, max 60).
stateYes2-letter US state code, e.g. "co", "ca", "tx".
parameter_codeNoUSGS parameter code (default "00060" = discharge/streamflow).

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections. Dates show when Glama detected each change.

  1. Changed1 schema field changed
    • addedInput schema / examples
      Added value: +[
+  {
+    "state": "co"
+  },
+  {
+    "limit": 50,
+    "parameter_code": "00010",
+    "state": "ca"
+  }
+]
  2. First observed

TDQS

A3.8/5.0
Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already indicate read-only, idempotent, and non-destructive behavior. The description adds valuable context: the tool is 'Keyless' (no API key required) and 'results are capped' (limit handling). No contradictions with annotations.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Two sentences, no wasted words. The first sentence covers the main action and context; the second adds key operational detail (capping). Ideal length for this simple tool.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a simple query tool with 3 parameters and no output schema, the description is mostly complete: it explains the return ('sites with latest reading'), mentions capping, and notes keyless access. It could be slightly more specific about output fields (e.g., site name, ID, value), but is adequate.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so the baseline is 3. The description does not add meaning beyond what the schema already provides; for example, the default for parameter_code is already in the schema description.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states the tool discovers active USGS gauge sites in a US state reporting a given parameter, using specific verbs ('Discover', 'Returns') and naming the resource. It distinguishes from siblings like 'current_conditions' or 'daily_values' by focusing on site discovery, but does not explicitly differentiate.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines3/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description implies usage for finding live gauges in a region and notes that results are capped due to many matches. However, it does not provide explicit guidance on when not to use this tool versus available siblings (e.g., 'current_conditions' for specific site data), nor does it mention alternatives.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

All Usgs Water toolsInspect
Try in Browser
RayrunBuild, deploy, and operate MCP servers without becoming an infrastructure team.ray.runAd

Glama MCP Gateway

Add one secure layer between your agents and this server.

TDQS

A3.5/5.0
Disambiguation2/5

Several clusters of tools have heavily overlapping purposes: ask_pipeworx, ask_pipeworx_beta, ask_pipeworx_grounded, deep_research, discover_tools, and suggest_questions all route/discover questions across the same 5,743 tools, differing mainly in mode or betaness. The polymarket_* family (arbitrage, edges, edge_tracker, fill_risk, kalshi_spread) similarly overlaps in prediction-market edge detection. An agent would frequently struggle to pick the right tool from these near-duplicate groups despite verbose descriptions.

Naming Consistency3/5

Snake_case is used throughout, but patterns are mixed: some tools are verb-first (ask_pipeworx, find_sites, recall, forget, subscribe), some are noun phrases (current_conditions, entity_profile, bet_research), and some use a domain prefix (pipeworx_*, polymarket_*). The version-suffixed ask_pipeworx_beta is also a minor deviation from the otherwise clear descriptive style.

Tool Count2/5

34 tools is excessive for a server named 'Usgs Water' since only 3 tools (current_conditions, daily_values, find_sites) actually relate to USGS water data. Even as a general Pipeworx platform server, the count is heavy, with many tools dedicated to niche prediction-market trading and meta-routing that inflate the surface.

Completeness1/5

Against the stated USGS Water purpose, the surface is severely incomplete: it lacks water-quality samples, groundwater data, site metadata details, historical statistics, rating curves, parameter code lookup, and flood/alert data. The remaining 31 tools cover an entirely different domain (SEC filings, drugs, prediction markets, npm scans, memory), so agents using this server for water data will hit dead ends almost immediately.

Resources