Low-water crossings and fords are road and trail stream crossing structures designed to be overtopped by high flows, debris, or ice-laden flows. They can be desirable alternatives to culverts and bridges on very low-volume roads and trails, and they can offer substantial environmental advantages in some stream environments. Low water crossings and fords are useful, for example, where streamflow is highly variable and large amounts of woody debris and large rocks pose a risk to crossing structures.

These data are primarily used for firefighting operations where vehicle-crossing-waterway parameters are required to route emergency vehicles.