Privacy, plainly.
RiverBrief has no account, ads, or email collection. Optional Google Analytics is off unless you allow it. Before you allow it, we do not load the Google analytics script or send analytics requests.
What stays on your device
Your selected gauges, notes and a short-lived public-reading cache are stored in your browser’s local storage when available. Notes are private to that browser, but are not encrypted; anyone with access to it may see them. Shared board links include gauge IDs only, never notes. Notes and saved board contents are not sent to our server.
Use Clear board, notes & cache in the board footer to remove these items and cached observations; analytics preferences are separate. Browser storage controls can also remove them. Storage belongs to each website address: data saved on our former ChatGPT-hosted address does not automatically transfer to GetRiverBrief.com.
Optional analytics
If you allow analytics, Google receives usage events, cookie identifiers and device information. We measure page views and counts associated with board changes, sharing and refreshes. We do not send private notes or gauge IDs. Google processes this information separately; consult Google’s privacy policy. Advertising and enhanced measurement are disabled. Some standard engagement and session events may still be collected.
Your choice is stored for 90 days when browser storage is available. Analytics cookies are host-only and expire after 90 days of inactivity; Google may refresh their expiry during use. If storage is blocked, an allowed choice applies only for the lifetime of the current page. We remove the page query and fragment before loading analytics, use a fixed page address and title, and send an empty referrer, which limits channel attribution.
Use Analytics settings to withdraw consent. This stops future collection and removes the analytics cookies on this host; it does not delete information previously sent to Google. If saving withdrawal fails, the page will explain the limitation.
Connections
Your browser requests public river readings from RiverBrief’s server, hosted by Render. That server requests USGS data without your private notes or saved selection. The hosting provider processes ordinary network information such as your IP address and standard web requests. Public reading caches contain no notes or account information. Consult Render’s privacy policy and USGS privacy policies for their practices.