# U.S. Geological Survey Parameter Codes API

**Canonical:** https://apis.io/apis/u-s-geological-survey/u-s-geological-survey-parameter-codes-api/  
**Provider:** U.S. Geological Survey — https://apis.io/providers/u-s-geological-survey/  
**Base URL:** https://earthquake.usgs.gov/fdsnws/event/1  
**Documentation:** https://www.usgs.gov/tools/asset-identifier-service-ais

U.S. Geological Survey Parameter Codes API is one of 47 APIs that [U.S. Geological Survey](https://apis.io/providers/u-s-geological-survey/) publishes on the [APIs.io](https://apis.io/) network, described by a machine-readable OpenAPI specification. This API exposes 3 JSON Schema definitions. Tagged areas include parameter-codes. The published artifact set on APIs.io includes an OpenAPI specification, API documentation, a getting-started guide, a JSON-LD context, authentication docs, and 3 JSON Schemas.

Parameter codes are 5-digit codes and associated descriptions used to identify the constituent measured and the units of measure. Some parameter code definitions include information about the sampling matrix, fraction, and methods used to measure the constituent. Some parameters are fixed-value (fxd) numeric codes having textual meaning (for example: parameter code 00041 is a weather code parameter, code of 60 means rain), but more commonly represent a numeric value for chemical, physical, or biological data.

## Operations (8)

| Method | Path | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| GET | `/collections/parameter-codes` | Get Parameter codes metadata |
| GET | `/collections/parameter-codes/items` | Get Parameter codes items |
| OPTIONS | `/collections/parameter-codes/items` | Options for Parameter codes items |
| POST | `/collections/parameter-codes/items` | Get Parameter codes items with CQL2 |
| GET | `/collections/parameter-codes/items/{featureId}` | Get Parameter codes item by id |
| OPTIONS | `/collections/parameter-codes/items/{featureId}` | Options for Parameter codes item by id |
| GET | `/collections/parameter-codes/queryables` | Get Parameter codes queryables |
| GET | `/collections/parameter-codes/schema` | Get Parameter codes schema |

## Machine-readable artifacts (13)

- **OpenAPI** — https://raw.githubusercontent.com/api-evangelist/u-s-geological-survey/refs/heads/main/openapi/u-s-geological-survey-parameter-codes-api-openapi.yml
- **Conformance** — https://raw.githubusercontent.com/api-evangelist/u-s-geological-survey/refs/heads/main/conformance/u-s-geological-survey-conformance.yml
- **Documentation** — https://earthquake.usgs.gov/fdsnws/event/1/
- **GettingStarted** — https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/feed/
- **JSONSchema** — https://raw.githubusercontent.com/api-evangelist/u-s-geological-survey/refs/heads/main/json-schema/usgs-earthquake-api-earthquake-properties-schema.json
- **JSONLD** — https://raw.githubusercontent.com/api-evangelist/u-s-geological-survey/refs/heads/main/json-ld/usgs-earthquake-api-context.jsonld
- **Examples** — https://raw.githubusercontent.com/api-evangelist/u-s-geological-survey/refs/heads/main/examples/usgs-earthquake-api-earthquake-properties-example.json
- **Documentation** — https://api.waterdata.usgs.gov/docs/
- **Authentication** — https://api.waterdata.usgs.gov/signup/
- **JSONSchema** — https://raw.githubusercontent.com/api-evangelist/u-s-geological-survey/refs/heads/main/json-schema/usgs-water-data-api-monitoring-location-properties-schema.json
- **JSONSchema** — https://raw.githubusercontent.com/api-evangelist/u-s-geological-survey/refs/heads/main/json-schema/usgs-water-data-api-time-series-properties-schema.json
- **JSONLD** — https://raw.githubusercontent.com/api-evangelist/u-s-geological-survey/refs/heads/main/json-ld/usgs-water-data-api-context.jsonld
- **Examples** — https://raw.githubusercontent.com/api-evangelist/u-s-geological-survey/refs/heads/main/examples/usgs-water-data-api-monitoring-location-properties-example.json

## Other U.S. Geological Survey APIs (12)

- [USGS Water Data APIs](https://apis.io/apis/u-s-geological-survey/water-data-ogc-api/)
- [Asset Identifier Service (AIS)](https://apis.io/apis/u-s-geological-survey/asset-identifier-service-ais/)
- [Seismic Design Web Service](https://apis.io/apis/u-s-geological-survey/seismic-design-web-service/)
- [ScienceBase](https://apis.io/apis/u-s-geological-survey/sciencebase/)
- [StreamStats Web Services](https://apis.io/apis/u-s-geological-survey/streamstats-web-services/)
- [USGS Water Services (Legacy)](https://apis.io/apis/u-s-geological-survey/usgs-water-services/)
- [U.S. Geological Survey Catalog API](https://apis.io/apis/u-s-geological-survey/u-s-geological-survey-catalog-api/)
- [U.S. Geological Survey Earthquakes API](https://apis.io/apis/u-s-geological-survey/u-s-geological-survey-earthquakes-api/)
- [U.S. Geological Survey Monitoring Locations API](https://apis.io/apis/u-s-geological-survey/u-s-geological-survey-monitoring-locations-api/)
- [U.S. Geological Survey Reference Data API](https://apis.io/apis/u-s-geological-survey/u-s-geological-survey-reference-data-api/)
- [U.S. Geological Survey Time Series Data API](https://apis.io/apis/u-s-geological-survey/u-s-geological-survey-time-series-data-api/)
- [U.S. Geological Survey Agency Codes API](https://apis.io/apis/u-s-geological-survey/u-s-geological-survey-agency-codes-api/)

## Tags

parameter-codes

---

Profiled by [API Evangelist](https://apievangelist.com) and published on [APIs.io](https://apis.io/apis/u-s-geological-survey/u-s-geological-survey-parameter-codes-api/). The API's provider profile, Kin Score and agent-readiness rating are at https://apis.io/providers/u-s-geological-survey/.