---
title: "Flood gauges near a point (USGS + NWS)"
method: POST
path: "/api/locus_flood_gauges"
tags: ["flood", "gauges", "water", "hydrology", "read-only", "free", "free"]
---

# Flood gauges near a point (USGS + NWS)

`POST /api/locus_flood_gauges`

## Request

- Base URL: `https://api.locus.report`
- URL: `https://api.locus.report/api/locus_flood_gauges`
- Auth: none required

Nearby USGS stream and river gauges with latest stage and flow observations, plus NOAA/NWS threshold metadata where available, for buyer, owner and lender agents. Hydrologic context only. National by lat/lng or a geocoded address; not a parcel flood prediction, insurance determination, or safe/unsafe label.
Use this when you can call Locus free tools (REST tools/call or MCP).
Use locus-flood-gauges instead when your client can only call paid x402 routes; it returns the same records. Direct flat-body route for this one free resource; no API key, payment, or catalog wrapper. Return only the cited bounded evidence described here; this route never produces a paid brief or full report.

## Request body

- object
  - `address` string: Optional US street address or place; NC uses AddressNC first, other areas use the national geocoder fallback when latitude/longitude are not provided.
  - `latitude` number: Optional decimal latitude; provide with longitude to skip address geocoding.
  - `longitude` number: Optional decimal longitude; provide with latitude to skip address geocoding.
  - `radiusMeters` integer

## Response `200`

Free cited evidence response.

- object

## Other responses

- `400`: Invalid request body.
- `429`: Rate limited.

---

[API](https://skmtc.dev/locus/apis/locus-api.md) · [All operations](https://skmtc.dev/locus/apis/locus-api/llms.txt) · [OpenAPI document](https://skmtc.dev/locus/apis/locus-api/revisions/ba7786b74adb?raw)